Can't decide on bedding, need some input

okay, so right now im using repti-carpet with sphagnum moss inside one of the hides for humidty, but it was too humid...i'm thinking of switching to aspen bedding, with 1 warm hide, 1 cool hide, and a humid hide. Has anyone used aspen? any thoughts on it?

Also...should i leave the carpet on the bottom, so my bp can't burrow down to the glass and hurt herself on the uth? (i have a dimmer on it, can't get a thermostat till next month)

I've been using aspen ever since i got my bp and it holds humidity pretty well. not too low and never too high. Also they will only burrow if the humidity or temperatures are off, so you shouldn't have a problem with that if your conditions are ideal. But if youre worried you can put some carpet on the glass over the UTH.

Just make sure its dust free aspen, and you change it every once in a while!

I'm starting to feel like I'm the only one that uses good ol news paper:P

Aspen is ok, but it can be a mess. If you use it make sure that the layer is less than 1/2" thick or else the UTH will be useless (aspen conducts heat very poorly)

I prefer paper based substrates. They are easy to clean, cheap, and lets heat from a UTH through without any significant loss

Paper towels/newspaper/butchers paper/ corrugated wrap are all great. I prefer corrugated wrap over all other substrates.

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Originally Posted by brettfong

they will only burrow if the humidity or temperatures are off

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Not true. Some BPs will burrow and other never do, regardless of the heat and humidity.

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Originally Posted by Chained

should i leave the carpet on the bottom

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If you leave the carpet in there, under the aspen or other substrate, you will render your UTH useless. It just won't be able to heat through all that stuff.

I was using aspen for a bit then switched to paper towels. I have to say it is way easier to clean and it doesn't look that bad either. I'm using a rack though.

i use coconut husk chips

I have used only Aspen, seems to work just fine.

it does get compacted by the weight of my snake, once in a while I will fluff it up.

As for humidity, the screen top was releasing most of it, so I applied aluminum foil on top of the screen leaving about 3/4" gap around the perimeter for ventlation.

Harry

I first used aspen inside of my 20g tank then I switched to eco-earth and used moss to help bring up my humidity. It worked, then I switched to the racks and am using non-inked newspaper. It's easy to clean and works pretty well.

Aspen is a good bedding, I have never had a problem with cleaning it. I actually noticed that cleaning is a bit easier, the aspen seems to kind clump together when it is soiled. I used paper towels and newspaper for a bit but noticed that when it gets soiled the liquids quickly spread all over the paper towel, and by spread i mean get adsorbed. When you use the aspen it just stays in one general area and just just spot clean it.

You do need to change it every so often to keep everything clean. Also noticed that the smell overall in my snake room is much less when I am using aspen.

Don't use carpet under the bedding, first there is no need and second is that it is way too much insulation.

+1 on newspaper

I've used cypress, aspen and newspaper. Of the three I think I prefer the cypress the most. From my experience cypress held the best moisture.

Although I like the paper based substrate, I love the ease of spot cleaning with the loose wood based stuff. Just scoop out the soiled section and replace as needed. I like to do a complete change every month or so.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

Recently switched to sani chips and absolutely love them! They can be a bit messy but i vaccuum my room like twice a week anyways so it doesnt bother me :)

At home, I use orchid bark and/ or cypress mulch. For me, humidity is a huge issue, as I live in a super dry area and have to monitor it constantly.

In the stores we use either orchid bark or sani chips, depending on where the snakes are. If they're in tubs, the humidity in there can usually be kept high enough that using sanichips is fine. They're super easy to clean, which makes them ideal for maintenance in racks. The cages often have screen lids, or a basking light of some kind, so we use orchid bark in those situations, often in combination with moss and humid hiding spots.

-Jen

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Originally Posted by KingPythons

I'm starting to feel like I'm the only one that uses good ol news paper:P

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Originally Posted by fortozs

+1 on newspaper

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My vote is on the Newspaper as well, although Aspen is the next on the list. Never likes cypress to be honest.

I use butcher paper or white paper from a printing company. My older brother works for a printing company so I am lucky enough to get it for free. I get the ends of the rolls or the bent up parts that are considered waste. Try contacting a local printing company to see if they will make you a deal.

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Originally Posted by jcoylesr76

My vote is on the Newspaper as well, although Aspen is the next on the list.

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That's what I use, it's free and works decent. Hard to beat that IMO.