What about Desert Snow

Vacado, I can't really speak to the Desert Snow being humid enough for tubs...When I used it, it was in an RBI cage which is great for holding humidity anyway. I'm using newsprint in my tubs right now with no humidity problems, and since Desert Snow is make from paper pulp, I don't see where it would be a problem. Of course your mileage may vary depending on how humid it is outside your tubs.

anyone have pics of their setups with desert snow?

I don't use the moss in hides, I fill open bowls with it. That's how I keep the humidity up. If you put one on the warm side, the water continually evaporates, and the humidity stays pretty high. I either refill or rinse the bowls every day, but it doesn't take much time at all. Between the water bowl and the moss bowls, the humidity is good. Two of my balls are dark--a sable and a black pastel, and they just don't stand out against the cypress. The aspen is fine, but I figure the whiter the better at this point.

No i don't have humidity issues but I have a big patch of moss in my tank.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by eulenspiegel

One thing is that the snake starts digging in it so you might need to get a carpet to stop burns.
Hope that helps :)

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Actually, you should be using a thermostat or a reterostat /rheostat to prevent burns and keep enclosures at a safe temperature :)

Cypress mulch is arguably the best substrate for keeping ball pythons.
Pros:

• Retains moisture very well
• Is very resistant to mold
• Is cheap & easy
• Is more natural than newspaper
• Can easily add water to the mulch to up the humidity

Cons:

• Can be a bit dusty
• Is sometimes sold as a blend that can contain cedar
• Does dry out over time
• Rats love to shovel it all to one side of the cage, which drives me insane.

I keep all of my adults on Kamlar brand cypress mulch. It is double-milled so it has few/no large chunks in it. It is relatively cheap (unless you're like me and have to buy multiple pallets at a time). It may be hard to find depending on where you live. If you contact Kamlar by email and tell them where you live they will give you the name(s) of stores in your area that carry the mulch.

I have used T-Rex brand Aspen, T-Rex brand double-milled Cypress, and T-Rex brand Desert Snow.

Of all 3, Aspen did not retain humidity very well. Cypress AND Desert Snow did. So, when humidity in the room was high (I'm in Florida), I used Aspen. When humidity got zapped by the ceramic heat lamp in winter, I used Desert Snow. No added moss, nothing. Just changed substrates, and humidity went up 10%. I did not like the look of Desert Snow because my vivarium is a "forest" looking one, so I changed it to Cypress (more natural looking). Humidity remained the same between Desert Snow and Cypress.

It is great stuff - relatively dust-free with no sharp edges. One thing though is, it's hard to spot urates. It kinda turns creamy color if it gets wet so you know the snake pee'd in the area. But, sometimes it is not too obvious.

Here's my vivarium with Desert Snow:
http://i314.photobucket.com/albums/l...alazar_top.jpg

http://i722.photobucket.com/albums/w...3/DSCN0532.jpg

that's what mine looks like :)