Quick Ideas about substrate

[Elvyra's Keeper]

I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on what to use for sustrate for my little ball python.

I was wondering if there is anything that is easy to maintian and also makes the excretions clearly visible.

[Seneschal]

Shredded aspen. It's a light color and thus is good for showing off the snake's color well, and won't hide poopie in a corner..XD It's also nice and soft and not chunky so if they end up with any in their mouth come feeding time it's okay, and it's easy to clean. It makes the enclosure look a lot more neat and tidy than newspaper does, as well...XDD And no ink on the snakies when they spill their water!

It's also pretty cheap. I got an enormous bag for $20 about 6-7 months ago and it's only a little under half full now after being used for 4 snakes and 2 rats, changing it out generously.

[MelissaFlipski]

I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on what to use for sustrate for my little ball python.

I was wondering if there is anything that is easy to maintian and also makes the excretions clearly visible.

There are a lot of threads on this subject. I am struggling on whether we should change from Aspen mulch. Some use newspaper. I hope you get some good responses - so I can read them, too! Thanks for asking.

[Shelby]

I use newspaper for mine. It's free, easy to clean, and super easy to see any 'presents'.

[Elvyra's Keeper]

I'm currently using aspen, but I have a ploblem seeing the urine. (maybe I'm blind)

How often should you completely clean the tank?

[Noek]

I've used aspen, paper towels, now I'm using turf.....The aspen is the best looking, the paper towels are the cheapest, and the turf is obviously re-useable.

I clean the tank once a week

[muddoc]

I am an Aspen man. I find it very easy to spot clean. We spot clean every week, and completely clean the tub, water bowl and fully replace the Aspen every 3 months.

Keon, I used to use turf for some of my corn snakes, however, I was made aware by a friend that because you reuse it, it has the potential over the long run to harbor germs and possibly parasites because it is so diffucult to thouroughly clean.

[PythonChick]

I use newspaper in my rack for my snakes. It is cheap (Read: Free for me), and easy to see any 'presents' that have been left for you. On thing I have seen discussed is that, with using substrate like aspen, it is possible to spot clean every week/several times a week and only completely change the aspen once every three or four weeks. With the newspaper, when they go, the newspaper has to to. Hope this helps.

[rabernet]

I used to use aspen and completely clean once a month (you're going to have so much fun disinfecting that 55 gallon tank each month! )

Now I use newspaper and completely clean each time they defecate. When I used aspen, there was no way to get all the soiled aspen up, which really bothered me.

[Elvyra's Keeper]

I'm thinking about using turf. Is it safe for the snake?