Substrate pros and cons?

Hey everyone, I was hoping to get some opinions on the pros and cons of various bedding types for ball pythons. I am going to a reptile expo in three days and had planned to stock up on shredded aspen, which is what I have been using so far, but it occurred to me that there may be a better option out there and if so I should know before buying a bunch of something I might regret down the road. I have read quite a few substrate suggestions and they all seem to conflict at times. I know lots of people like eco-earth or coconut husk bedding, but I have also read that since it retains more humidity scale rot can be more of a risk. I don't really want to use paper towel, I guess just because it seems like a more natural type of texture would be more comfortable (this may just be me anthropomorphizing and he may not care at all). The enclosure is a 30 gallon tank and because of this I do sometimes struggle to keep humidity up. I have read that aspen is good for boosting humidity and on other sites I have read that it is very dry. My humidity does drop as low as 50% at times so I have been misting twice a day. If there is a bedding I could start using that would keep humidity higher and more stable, without a risk of dampness causing rot and without the issue of bugs coming in with the bedding that would be awesome. So what would you recommend as an ideal substrate? Thanks a ton, just want to be as educated as possible before I buy a huge stock of anything. :)

I personally mix eco earth and the aspen. Works very well for me. Bumped up the humidity when I was having trouble keeping it up where it should be, now it's fine.

One thing you can do to help the humidity of a tank is to cover the majority of the screen top with aluminum foil, plastic or even a wet towel. that will help trap the humidity in the enclosure. I do this with my normal that I have as a pet. My breeders are all in tubs in a rack system and they are all on paper towels because it is less mess and much easier to clean up. In my opinion.

Aspen is too messy for me. Simple paper towels or newspaper gets the job done.

I used reptile bark and I've been really happy with it.

Thanks for the input! I do have the majority of the screen lid covered with aluminum foil. I live in Arizona and with the weather getting colder the air has been really dry so even with the cover it has been rather tough to maintain. Part of it is probably the fact that I have had to add a heat lamp to keep ambient temps up since it is getting cold and the UTH alone just isn't cutting it. I would rather mist than keep the house at 80 degrees through the winter, but I think the heat lamp is drying it out. I figured maybe a moister substrate would help at least keep it more stable. The humidity hasn't dropped dangerously low, just due to regular misting, but I do worry that the 10% fluctuation is less than ideal. He is probably due to shed again soon, and although I have managed to get the humidity as high as 65% most of the time it is closer to 55-60% and I am going to want it higher while he is shedding. I am not sure I can get it above that with the current set-up, but thought maybe a different substrate would boost it to the point where misting would really give it that increase I will need.

Out of curiosity, other than pine, is there any kind of substrate that is considered bad? I want to say I have seen some people complain of certain bedding being too sharp. Is there anything that you universally stay away from for health or safety reasons? Also what is the difference between the Eco-Earth, Coconut Husk and Repti-bark? Has anyone had any experience with the Eco-Earth being too sticky and thin and causing problems during feeding or getting stuck in mouths or noses? These are just a couple of issues I have read with that particular one. He is fed in his enclosure and while I understand that ingesting a tiny bit of bedding here and there shouldn't be a problem, I would like to avoid that if possible.

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Originally Posted by kiiarah

Out of curiosity, other than pine, is there any kind of substrate that is considered bad?

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Pine is not bad. Pine is perfectly fine to use.

TBH pine scares me mainly because I keep rodents (pets not breeders) and the pine can be horrible for them. I know the data on its effects on snakes is not very solid, but at the same time I feel like if it is that volatile and can release strong enough pehnols to kill a rodent, maybe it wouldn't kill a snake but why risk it. I am admittedly new to this, but just in my experience with how nasty it can be for other animals I prefer to just avoid it entirely. Then again the issue of ingesting substrate is pretty inconclusive too, but I still make him a little paper plate to grab his rat from every feeding. So yeah, probably just being a paranoid new mommy but boy would I feel awful if I didn't at least try to avoid every possible danger and something happened. I know, overthinking again but it helps me sleep at night lol.

You can also get a steralite or container or rubermaid container of the appropriate size for a feeding bin.

I suppose I could try a feeding bin, I am not worried about him biting me (not because I don't think he might, I know it is a possibility) but I do like letting him eat peacefully in his tank. When I first got him I was trying feeding in a separate bin and he wanted no part of it. Once he is out he seems to just want to explore and doesn't sit calmly. He isn't frantic or anything, just seems curious more than anything. I figure that the actual strike is the biggest risk for ingesting bedding if he bites down on it with the rat. Once he has the rat in his mouth it seems reasonable that any bedding that gets picked up while he moves around will be knocked off as he swallows. I figure making sure the area where he grabs the rat is covered and no bedding can be picked up then will grealty reduce that risk. He does still pull it into his hide but at least he gets a clean grip on it. Just curious, don't lots of people recommend against feeding in a separate bin as it is more stress for the snake and a greater risk to the keeper as they are in feeding mode when they have to be moved back to the tank? I have just seen so many people get shot down for bin feeding and lots of people seem to pop up to argue that it is unnecessary. Then again, I do know there is sometimes a great difference in opinion on many care related topics.