Subsrate question

An 8-quart brick of Coco husk costs ~$5 on Amazon. A 24 Liter bag of pine mulch costs less than that at Walmart. I've seen mixed reports on how bad pine really is for reptiles. Is it really worth it to pay so much more to buy the cypress or Coconut which I can't find locally? If the outcome is that my snake might not live quite as long then It would definitely be easier.

Do not use pine. Sacrificing an animal’s longevity to save a few bucks is morally reprehensible imo


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I can't speak to the science of mulch. I use coconut, and it suits me. I'm sure you probably saw this, but you can get 72 qts for 29.95 shipped. $.40 per qt vs $.60 per qt. 50% more to buy the smaller package.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It holds well, and your BP is going to live a long time.

I get that thirty bucks is thirty bucks, but long term the cost is less, and you don't have to worry about the effects on your snake.

If you are worried about the repeated cost of substrate, you could try to get some custodians in there. You don't have to go 'full bioactive', with plants, but if you add some springtails or woodlice to your coconut substrate (and some leaf litter to top it off), they will establish themselves and help to clean your snake's waste. As long as the substrate is humid, they will breed prolifically and I've found I've only ever had to spot clean when mine soils her waterbowl. (Aside from in the very beginning.) Just a thought if you want to save some money in the long run and avoid having to manually remove and change the substrate whenever it is soiled.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by reptile1248

I've seen mixed reports on how bad pine really is for reptiles.

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I think the question should be rephrased to: How many people keep their reptiles on pine bedding? How much success have they had?

If people could keep their snakes on cheap pine bedding: Why don't they? Reduced lifespan? More likely: Seriously reduced lifespan...enough to discourage anyone from recommending it... Cost of substrate is trivial compared to a vet bill.

If you do decide to keep your snake on pine bedding: Do let us know how it turns out.

Pine or cedar bedding is highly discouraged in almost every reptile and small animal pet community, so that tells you something. The only pine product I use is one where the animal don't dig in it or breathe it, like pine pellets as litter for my bunny's litterbox. I'm also highly allergic to pine dust and smell if I stir it (I do not scoop, everything gets throw out in one go, another reason why I can't use it for my cats) - the stuff feels like it is burning my lungs and nose, it gets so bad I would have trouble breathing long (I used an N95 mask) after I stopped handling the dust. I can't imagine how these animals must feel when they dig and burrow and the dust flies right into their lungs. One may argue that I'm human, so it does not apply? Maybe, but keep in mind humans are anatomically close to the mouse, and pine and cedar bedding is lethal to them. Just not worth the risk.

I completely understand though, I'm also having trouble finding available any coco husk in my area. I need some before the next cleaning, lol. This all started when the pandemic begin, so hang in there, they will come back to stock and prices will drop back to normal eventually. I wish I could tell you that there is an alternative substrate that is cheaper, I could not find any at this time.

I personally use ProCoco coconut husk and it has been great!

I met them a while back at a reptile show and ended up buying 10 bricks since they were having a sale. Half a brick is enough for a full change my AP T8, T10 and T12 enclosure. Each brick retail is $12.50 so I think that's a pretty cheap solution and they're available on amazon and other site. I attached a link just in case: https://www.arbico-organics.com/prod...sting-supplies

Even though there might not be specific studies regarding pine, it just doesn't make sense to risk you pet's health to save a few bucks.

I get my coconut husk in bricks from Petco. They price match with Chewy where it's usually pretty cheap.
Home Depot also sells various kinds of bark chips but you need to be VERY careful to make sure of what kind of tree they come from etc.
Or the cheapest option is always paper towels or newspaper.