What type of substrate do you use?

I bought a 20 Long snake kit for my first ball python. It came with a bunch of stuff including repti-bark. I have heard some so-so stuff about reptibark. I think it looks nice but when I am done I am going to switch to something else. I have a plethura of newspapers here. However, owning just one snake, I like the natural/earthy look for display so newspaper will be last resort. I think I will try aspen next or some soil type stuff. I think the soil stuff might be a little messier. What bleach to water ratio would be good for cleaing??? And how often do you think? I have onyl had Stryker for a week and he hasn't eaten or pooped yet!

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Originally Posted by Wolfsnaps

I bought a 20 Long snake kit for my first ball python. It came with a bunch of stuff including repti-bark. I have heard some so-so stuff about reptibark. I think it looks nice but when I am done I am going to switch to something else. I have a plethura of newspapers here. However, owning just one snake, I like the natural/earthy look for display so newspaper will be last resort. I think I will try aspen next or some soil type stuff. I think the soil stuff might be a little messier. What bleach to water ratio would be good for cleaing??? And how often do you think? I have onyl had Stryker for a week and he hasn't eaten or pooped yet!

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My vet told me 50/50, but check with yours and if you do use bleach, be sure to rinse until you're blue in the face. You don't want any of the bleach residue/fumes to be left behind. I kept using it, until I found out about the chlorhexidine that ppl mention HERE on site. WONDERFUL stuff!! And it's the same thing that the vets use to clean clinic tables, or soak their instruments in and animal body cleanings during castrations, etc. U can buy a bottle or jug of that stuff and mix it with water.........lasts a good long time. :D :D

I prefer a more natural look and like the aspen, but when I first started w/the tank, had to mix some of the coconut hull Eco Earth with it because of humidity problems. I don't have those any more. Some of their homes are aspen-only and some are the aspen/eco earth mixed together....depends on the tank/tub.

I use regular old newspaper , its true it dosnt look that nice , and i would probably use aspen if i only had the one snake. But apart form Bob my royal i have a pair of childrens pythons and a hoggy aswell plus 6 leos , a tokay and a few spiders , so newspaper on the snakes cuts out alot of cleaning and gives me more time to dedicate to all of my beasties :)

I use Newspaper for all my snakes , easy to use readily available and cheap. Not the best looking by any means but I find it practical and effective.

Well, Stryker pooped. I tried to pick it up, reptibark is going to have to go, not easy to clean IMO. I picked up some of that eco-earth coconut fiber stuff. IN a week or so I am going to switch to that. Its pretty cheap, I was going to go with aspen but I saw the price of this stuff so I am going to try it. I am having issues with keeping humidity up so hopefully this works. I also picked up some moss/lichen mix to give the tank some color (remember, I only have one snake so I might as well go all out). After I switch the tank over, I will have to post some picks, it will either look awesome or hideous. Heres hoping for the former!!!

Cage carpet!! It is awesome. I got two sheets, that i alternate. When ever he sheds i change it with a complete scryb down of the cage!!

i use terrarium bedding. its the green astro turf looking stuff. great for shedding. aspen is my second choice.

Don't have the snakey home yet, but I'm considering using cypress with a piece of repti-carpet underneath (to protect from the UTH). Does that sound reasonable?

Paper towels (plain white.) It gives you a nice, bright floor to work with and it is so easy to clean (very absorbent too!)

i use asteo turf cheep, reusable.