Type of preferred substrate

I think if you're not worried about aesthetics, unprinted lnewspaper is the best. It's the cheapest and can completely renew the entire enclosure easily and regularly which helps keep possible bacteria and nasties down. I have to think that simply scooping up stool from a shaving type sub doesn't guarantee cleanliness. Just my opinion.

printless newspaper :gj:

I use Dri-Dek on top of either newspaper or paper towels. It's impregnated with antimicrobial coating and the liquid in the urates drains to the paper on the bottom of the tank, so my angels don't fingerpaint with their pee until I can clean. Also no worries at all of anything getting stuck/ingested. It's also great for feeding in the tank, again nothing gets stuck to the prey. I love it!

I use about 70% orchid to 30% cypress. Holds humidity well without being to high. I think it looks better than Aspen and had a rough time keeping humidity up with Aspen. I keep her in a large exo-terra viv.

I use coconut husk I like how it holds the humidity and I have all my snakes in tanks with screen tops.

I actually just switched from aspen to paper towels, mainly because of a major mite infestation, I finally got a handle on it. I also was having problems with the aspen, the snakes would sometimes get it in their mouths when feeding. I actually had one snake miss a mouse and get a mouthful of aspen and he could not get it out. So I had to grab him by the head and remove it. Probably won't ever go back to aspen again. Paper towels is fairly expensive for 18 snakes, I usually clean out several tubs twice per day with all those snakes. But it's quick and totally eliminates odors and seems to increase their feeding, almost all of them eat every time now, was never like that on aspen. And it holds humidity pretty good, I can crumple some up into balls and pour some water on them and it keeps it humid for a couple days, not too bad for a desert climate. I also love how I can see the poop and the mites, never knew my snakes went to the bathroom so much.

cchardwick- i buy paper towels in bulk at costco

I use small birch chips specifically sold as herp substrate. it comes comparatively cheap in germany (in comparison to reptibark and similar), holds humidity well, looks great, is easy to spot clean, the chunks not too small and not too big (i still feed on a piece of stone slate though, just to be safe), doesn't block warmth too much, and actually smells pretty decent!

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Paper towels, I feel they're much cleaner vs. spot cleaning other substrates. No ingesting worries either. Used to use aspen.

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Originally Posted by cchardwick

I actually just switched from aspen to paper towels, mainly because of a major mite infestation, I finally got a handle on it. I also was having problems with the aspen, the snakes would sometimes get it in their mouths when feeding. I actually had one snake miss a mouse and get a mouthful of aspen and he could not get it out. So I had to grab him by the head and remove it. Probably won't ever go back to aspen again. Paper towels is fairly expensive for 18 snakes, I usually clean out several tubs twice per day with all those snakes. But it's quick and totally eliminates odors and seems to increase their feeding, almost all of them eat every time now, was never like that on aspen. And it holds humidity pretty good, I can crumple some up into balls and pour some water on them and it keeps it humid for a couple days, not too bad for a desert climate. I also love how I can see the poop and the mites, never knew my snakes went to the bathroom so much.

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I had the same issue with aspen until I found it in the shaved form rather than the shredded form. The pieces are about 1/2" wide x 1/2" long (but curled) and paper thin. Unlike the shredded stuff that was like thousands of tiny aspen sticks that got everywhere, this stuff stays where it is supposed to be.