Bedding?

I am in the tank side as well. I like to enjoy the snake and I find that easiest with a glass tank, even if I cover three of the sides - Tubs are easier to manage, but one can make a tank meet the same needs for the snake, they've just gotta work a bit harder.

I mix 50-50 Aspen and coconut husk, and the sides of the tank have Sphagnum. I don't need to wet the sphagnum until he's in shed, usually a misting does the trick. Right now it's winter in MN so the air is REALLY dry and it's hard to keep it consistant. If you keep having trouble, you can buy (or make) a little repti-fogger to do the work for you.

I've tried paper towel, I hated it. It always got soaked when my snake peed and I'd end up cleaning everything in the tank. Now, I'm using repti bark. Not bad, holds humidity good but also holds smell! I will certainly be switching again. I've tried Eco earth for other pets, I absolutely hate it. I think it is possibly the worst substrate out there. It's sticky, messy, and dries out quick. Coco husk is pretty good. Holds humidity and is less messy. I think I will give cypress mulch a go next time. I've heard it hold humidity great, looks good, and the "woody" smell overpowers any other scents. I don't know about you, but I'd take the smell of wood over urates any day. The only complaint I've heard about the mulch is that it can come infested with mites, but there is simple ways to fix this. Anyways, hope I helped and good luck!


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Originally Posted by knowzbleed

i am more interested in whats best for the animal, personally

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If the snake is eating, shedding, and evacuating regularly a snake can be just as healthy in a tank as a tub. I own both but I honestly feel alittle sorry for the ones in a tub when I have tanks like this.

http://i1151.photobucket.com/albums/...ps06922179.jpg

http://i1151.photobucket.com/albums/...psb091e4c4.jpg

http://i1151.photobucket.com/albums/...psa5797386.jpg

Both have their place but I also prefer to make a display of my enclosures. If I had the money and space every snake would be in a nice presenting cage with all the trimmings.



As to the topic at hand I prefer cypress mulch. I have used it for a long time. A few months back I wanted a better look in my tanks and decided to mix Eco Earth, Repti Bark, and Forest Floor cypress mulch for a more natural look. I really like it. It has a great texture and look while holding moisture great. Eco Earth alone can get a tad dusty once it starts to dry and mixing it with the other two keep it in check. In my tubs I use straight cypress mulch. They hold my younger bloods and they like to borrow in it. The Eco Earth gets stuck in their pits so I don't use it with them.

The first two pics are the mixed substrate and the last is an older one of straight cypress mulch.

Your problem isn't aspen or glass tank. Its the screen top and airflow vs water issues. I am using a 30 gallon(36x18x12) glass tank with a CHE and UTH and I can get anywhere from 50% all the way up to over 70% depending how how I set the CHE dome off the top. Half the top covered is not near enough. Look at PVC cages and look at the venting they have. For the size, its very small. My advice is take a piece of thick cardboard and cut it to fit the whole top of the cage. Then put the dome where you want it be it center or off center. Then trace it out with a pen. Cut the circle out with an box cutter, exacto knife or something like that but cut it about 1" bigger than the dome. Then cover the side that will face the cage with tin foil. Then place it on the top of the cage and put your dome light on and adjust the height as needed to get the humidity you want. Remember hot air rises so what will happen is since the hottest air will be directly under the CHE, the air flow will rise there and pull humidity with it. That's why you adjust the height on the dome to adjust the air gap. Then on the cool side, you can lift a corner slightly with a piece of cardboard if you want to create airflow. Cool air sinks so fresh air will be sucked in that side, then it warms from the CHE and rises, thus escaping that way. That creates your airflow. You adjust as needed to regulate the humidity loss. Also put a large water bowl half under the CHE.

Eco Earth and Cypress mulch look nice but if you are like me and OCD about cleaning, you will have a bear of a time with those 2 substrates. Eco Earth is messy and gets everywhere especially in a glass tank. It does mold and I had it mold on me and mold the undersides of logs for my snakes. I ended up throwing it all out along with the wood logs and going to aspen. Eco Earth also gets dusty if you allow it dry out. Cypress would be better imo but I personally haven't used it since I do complete cage cleanings every 1 to 1.5 months so that's just not cost effective. I use aspen as its cheap, easy to see poops on and my ball python loves to dig in it. Its also easy to just pick up and throw in the garbage. Also just me but I don't like the idea of my snakes being stuck on damp substrate 24/7.

Cant edit my post anymore but as for caging, check out PVC cages. Those give you the best of both worlds. They are light, hold humidity like no ones business, give your snake a sense of security as all sides are solid except the front and you can just throw a RHP on top with a good T-stat and you are set. As Reinz said, I am kind of a proponent for aspen but mostly for the reasons I stated above and Eco Earth just didn't fit my bill and after 2 years, my BCI girl really doesn't seem to care either way. Also my snakes come out a lot so I'd rather not have dirt stuck to them. Aspen can mold especially if you allow it to get wet, I just never have had it do it since I use huge, heavy water bowls and I spot clean daily along with the 1-1.5 monthly cleanings of everything. Give em both a try. Both Eco Earth and aspen are cheap assuming you are buying Eco Earth in compressed bricks and not loose bags.

I personally use a Constrictors NW Pro-Line HDPE cage for my BCI girl and it works great. Just Ed quit making them as he was swamped with orders and never got to take breaks. So maybe one day he will start up again. But since he is not doing cages atm, I'm going to go for an AP T10 for my ball python and if Ed starts making cages again, i'll probably pick up either a 5ft HDPE from him for my BCI girl or another 48x23x14 to add on to the 48x23x14 I got now and make her an 8ft cage :) Regardless though, you cant go wrong with PVC or HDPE cages. They are the best thing since sliced bread for reptile keeping :)

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Originally Posted by LivingwithBalls

I've tried paper towel, I hated it. It always got soaked when my snake peed and I'd end up cleaning everything in the tank. Now, I'm using repti bark. Not bad, holds humidity good but also holds smell! I will certainly be switching again. I've tried Eco earth for other pets, I absolutely hate it. I think it is possibly the worst substrate out there. It's sticky, messy, and dries out quick. Coco husk is pretty good. Holds humidity and is less messy. I think I will give cypress mulch a go next time. I've heard it hold humidity great, looks good, and the "woody" smell overpowers any other scents. I don't know about you, but I'd take the smell of wood over urates any day. The only complaint I've heard about the mulch is that it can come infested with mites, but there is simple ways to fix this. Anyways, hope I helped and good luck!


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Lol you're not kidding about snake pee. As I was typing these responses I got a hit by a bomb. I leave my BCI girls cage door open when im in the room as she likes to just hang out on the litter dam or sit with her head out of the cage hanging out. Well she took the mother of pees and being about 6ft long, her pees are like a tsunami http://ball-pythons.net/forums/image...BJRU5ErkJggg== I had to do an emergency spot clean along with chlorhexadine wipedown to kill the smell. She thought it was entertaining and came over to investigate my cleaning. This was under her RHP and she is in shed so she is a bit cranky but seemed much happier with the pee all cleaned up and her able to sit back under her RHP.