Pros and cons of these substrates?

Hey everyone! I've been looking at different types of substrate and have been seeing a lot of different or even mixed thoughts of each type. I was wondering if you guys could tell me the various pros and cons of the following substrates;
Reptibark
Cypress mulch
Eco earth/coconut fiber (loose)
Eco earth/coconut fiber (compressed)
Exo Terra Coco husk

Also heard of people mixing substrates, which are the best combinations and why?

Those were the ones I was thinking of using, so any feedback on your experiences and recommendations will be much appreciated!

I only use orchid bark which somebody said was also known as reptile bark / ReptiBark !?

Anyways it looks rich and dark and very natural , makes your snake look wonderful unless it's a Black MBK or similar .. It's great for adjusting / regulating the humidity , have it as dry or as humid as you choose just by spraying .
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...c5091041d1.jpg

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

I only use orchid bark which somebody said was also known as reptile bark / ReptiBark !?

Anyways it looks rich and dark and very natural , makes your snake look wonderful unless it's a Black MBK or similar .. It's great for adjusting / regulating the humidity , have it as dry or as humid as you choose just by spraying .
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...c5091041d1.jpg

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Funny enough when I google search for orchid bark I'm seeing reptibark right away, but the description is saying it's made from the bark of fir trees? Where do you get your orchid bark from?

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

I only use orchid bark which somebody said was also known as reptile bark / ReptiBark !?

Anyways it looks rich and dark and very natural , makes your snake look wonderful unless it's a Black MBK or similar .. It's great for adjusting / regulating the humidity , have it as dry or as humid as you choose just by spraying .
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...c5091041d1.jpg

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Apologies for hijacking, but how long would you suggest leaving this to dry for? I've been wanting to change to something darker but have always used aspen as the humidity here is pretty high :slamhead:

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Originally Posted by montymiow

Apologies for hijacking, but how long would you suggest leaving this to dry for? I've been wanting to change to something darker but have always used aspen as the humidity here is pretty high :slamhead:

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The orchid bark / ReptiBark I get is from the local snake or pet store store .

It comes as normal to dampish but dries out quickly in the viv setups .

Then spray according to how high the humidity is wanted.


If you're desperate it can easily be baked in an oven for 20 minutes ...

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Anyone else? I wouldn't mind more feedback :)

I've used repti-bark primarily. I like the look, feel and humidity control, but am trying out some other, cheaper options I think. I'm most likely picking up some cypress mulch today, I'll let you know how it works out soon...

I use cypress mulch. I like that it holds humidity, is easy to spot clean, and looks nice in a natural viv. It is also not super dusty or messy.

I really really hate any cocohusk or cocofiber for ball ptyhons. It is pretty much just dirt... and as you can imagine, dirt is messy. Just my opinion! Lots of people love it.

I use this course bark chip from my pet shop it comes in small medium and large chips I have had small but I've moved to medium which is the stuff in the pictures as you can see the bag that it comes in is very damp so it's great for boosting humidity it does dry out fairly quick but i find it easy to control humidity with it by just spraying it down I've not tried any other substrate as this works well enough and does what I need it to I also think that bark chip will help aid with there shed more than some of the softer substrates it's easy to clean out too and doesn't leave much mess behind https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...b8fc52b8c8.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...142d506f37.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...92cef0da29.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...5180ea8c15.jpg

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I like cypress. I got hooked on it about 3 years ago when I got my first snake, a BRB that likes it quite humid, almost marsh like when they are babies and it was the only thing that would not mold. I went bio-active in that enclosure and haven't swapped it out in over a year and it is still holding up great. I like that is holds moisture, has some anti-microbial/anti-fungal qualities, the only down side is that it's getting expensive and is not exactly sustainably harvested from what I've read, but I do use it quite sparingly.

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Originally Posted by Mexecutioner

I use this course bark chip from my pet shop it comes in small medium and large chips I have had small but I've moved to medium which is the stuff in the pictures as you can see the bag that it comes in is very damp so it's great for boosting humidity it does dry out fairly quick but i find it easy to control humidity with it by just spraying it down I've not tried any other substrate as this works well enough and does what I need it to I also think that bark chip will help aid with there shed more than some of the softer substrates it's easy to clean out too and doesn't leave much mess behind https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...b8fc52b8c8.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...142d506f37.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...92cef0da29.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...5180ea8c15.jpg

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That's the stuff we buy over here in the UK but it's sold as orchid bark or ReptiBark ....

I actually swapped to fine grade ( small pieces ) from course grade ( larger pieces ) just in case some is ingested when eating .


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• Reptibark Good stuff, most keepers I talk to that have tried it rave about it.
• Cypress mulch It holds humidity but it's falling out of favor as cypress much comes from harvesting mature cypress tress that take several decades to grow. It's not a very sustainable or eco friendly option.
• Eco earth/coconut fiber (loose)
• Eco earth/coconut fiber (compressed) I've heard Eco earth gets messy and dusty once it starts to dry out. Otherwise it's a great option.
• Exo Terra Coco husk Haven't used it, but coco husk it's basically the same any place you get it. Just look to see whose got the best price per volume.

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Originally Posted by MissterDog

Hey everyone! I've been looking at different types of substrate and have been seeing a lot of different or even mixed thoughts of each type. I was wondering if you guys could tell me the various pros and cons of the following substrates;
Reptibark
Cypress mulch
Eco earth/coconut fiber (loose)
Eco earth/coconut fiber (compressed)
Exo Terra Coco husk

Also heard of people mixing substrates, which are the best combinations and why?

Those were the ones I was thinking of using, so any feedback on your experiences and recommendations will be much appreciated!

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I use the Exo Terra Coco husk and like it a lot. I mix up in small batches because I don't have a lot of enclosures and it it works great. It holds moisture very well and doesn't mold. The odor control is very good. It's also very cheap. At some point I'm going to try Reptichip since it seems to be the same thing. I can get it pretty cheap since the owner is local to me. I still like to use paper towels sometimes but the coco husk is good stuff.

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

That's the stuff we buy over here in the UK but it's sold as orchid bark or ReptiBark ....

I actually swapped to fine grade ( small pieces ) from course grade ( larger pieces ) just in case some is ingested when eating .


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Yeh I'm in the UK mate where I buy it from just comes in a clear bag and says medium course bark so wasn't sure what type it was the reptile guy at the shop recommended it to me and you have switched from small to a larger chip for same reason I have I was worried he woud swallow any and on his very first feed with me he nearly did swallow a descent size chunk, a bit stuck to the rat pup but I managed to intercept it with tongues before he swallowed now I will pick him up remove his hide and water bowl and lay a sheet of news paper down to feed him on when he's finished he happily moves to the other side to his hide that's when I'll put his hide and water bowl back in then I'll leave him for 2 days

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I've just miss read your post I started with small to a bigger size but he's always fed on top of paper now anyways so there's no risk of him swallowing any

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Originally Posted by Mexecutioner

I use this course bark chip from my pet shop it comes in small medium and large chips I have had small but I've moved to medium which is the stuff in the pictures as you can see the bag that it comes in is very damp so it's great for boosting humidity it does dry out fairly quick but i find it easy to control humidity with it by just spraying it down I've not tried any other substrate as this works well enough and does what I need it to I also think that bark chip will help aid with there shed more than some of the softer substrates it's easy to clean out too and doesn't leave much mess behind https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...b8fc52b8c8.jpghttps://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...142d506f37.jpghttps://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...92cef0da29.jpghttps://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...5180ea8c15.jpg

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This is so helpful! Thanks for providing pictures! Are there any preperations you do? Such as baking or spraying with prevent-a-mite?

I use Reptichip, just tried five blocks of Prococo, it's exactly the same as Reptichip. I think it's the same as Exo Terra Coco husk only cheaper. The ten pound blocks of Reptichip and Prococo expand like you wouldn't believe. Just three expanded blocks will fill a 55 gallon drum! For prep I just submerge the entire block for 25 seconds on each side, drain for a few seconds and put it in a big plastic tote and it falls apart. I don't use any other chemicals whatsoever. It's fairly expensive but lasts a really long time, two months between substrate changes.

I don't like eco earth.

Coco Husk I've used and still do, but rarely is good and holds moisture.

Reptibark is good as well, holds moisture but can easily dry out fast too.

Cypress mulch is great, but it's a bit expensive, and you have to make sure it's 100% cypress mulch and not a mixture of other woods with it.

You can get cypress mulch at lowes for 3.00 but it does have large pieces in it.

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