What do YOU use for substrate?

I use aspen. Not had a problem in 8 years

Jim

unprinted newspaper here.

Aspen all the way!

4 or 5 sheets of newspaper with a single layer of paper towel on top. :)

I have enough snakes that it pays to consider each animals needs.

All of my boas are on coconut bark - Eco Earth by the brick 3 pk $10
All of my pythons are on shredded aspen bedding - by the bale $15
My hognoses are split - sani chips for one young adult male, Eco Earth for another adult male, and shredded aspen bedding for a couple juveniles
My ratsnake will be on repti-carpet soon, currently on paper towels

The vet I take my snakes to recommends papers towels, cloth towels, newspaper, but not any wood product (including aspen). I can't recall his perspective on carefresh. His experience is that the wood products tend to be too dusty and can cause respiratory problems with reptiles. I'm using shredded aspen, but have his advice at the back of my mind.

Aspen in my big guys tank so I can monitor him and remove it as he eats if it looks like it is going to get caught, and for my babies in the rack, they are on newspaper.

unprinted newspaper or scott shop towels

Nothing is better then newspaper. 1,000 times easier to keep the tub 100% clean most of the time. With the right tub you won't need a substrate that holds humidity.

And its free.

Aspen for now.

I prefer loose bedding, such as aspen (what I use for everyone besides Blood pythons, they get cypress), just because paper towels were extremely messy for me.