Newpaper bedding question...

Alright, I've been reading enough threads to see that there is absolutly nothing wrong with using newspaper for substrate. In fact I've read many times that it's better in many ways. I almost out of my Aspen bag and am ready to change over but I have a couple questions...
1. Can you use the colored pages or can this dye harm my BP in any way?
2. How many layers do I want to put down?
3. Do I follow the same husbandry rules ie. "clean" viv once a month, spot clean the rest of the time, and change water daily?

Thanks for your help.

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Originally Posted by kenzie

Alright, I've been reading enough threads to see that there is absolutly nothing wrong with using newspaper for substrate. In fact I've read many times that it's better in many ways. I almost out of my Aspen bag and am ready to change over but I have a couple questions...
1. Can you use the colored pages or can this dye harm my BP in any way?
2. How many layers do I want to put down?
3. Do I follow the same husbandry rules ie. "clean" viv once a month, spot clean the rest of the time, and change water daily?

Thanks for your help.

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1. No, it can't harm you bp ... newpaper inks I believe are vegetable based and completely safe. That said, seeing ink on my balls (pythons) drives me nuts, so I like unprinted news paper.

2. I like a couple, but it really depends on your heat source.

3. Paper is so super easy to clean, you should be able to do it way more often ... and the good thing about paper over spot cleaning beddings like aspen and mulch is that you know that once it's clean, it's really clean. :D

Hope this helps.

-adam

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

1. No, it can't harm you bp ... newpaper inks I believe are vegetable based and completely safe. That said, seeing ink on my balls (pythons) drives me nuts, so I like unprinted news paper.

2. I like a couple, but it really depends on your heat source.

3. Paper is so super easy to clean, you should be able to do it way more often ... and the good thing about paper over spot cleaning beddings like aspen and mulch is that you know that once it's clean, it's really clean. :D

Hope this helps.

-adam

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Thank you this is what I needed:pinkele: . I will be saving the Sunday papers from now on!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

1. No, it can't harm you bp ... newpaper inks I believe are vegetable based and completely safe. That said, seeing ink on my balls (pythons) drives me nuts, so I like unprinted news paper.

2. I like a couple, but it really depends on your heat source.

3. Paper is so super easy to clean, you should be able to do it way more often ... and the good thing about paper over spot cleaning beddings like aspen and mulch is that you know that once it's clean, it's really clean. :D

Hope this helps.

-adam

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Adam i had to bite my lip not to respond to the ink on your balls comment(yea i know pythons lol):rolleyes: .I also use newspapers and i think my snakes love it also.They hide under it when they are in shed or just hiding lol.

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Originally Posted by joepythons

Adam i had to bite my lip not to respond to the ink on your balls comment(yea i know pythons lol):rolleyes: .I also use newspapers and i think my snakes love it also.They hide under it when they are in shed or just hiding lol.

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LOL ... At least I'm not the only one that thought it was funny! ;)

Ink stinks ... especially when it gets all over your albinos, hypos, pastels, etc and on top of cleaning cages, you have to wipe ink off of your snakes. :D

-adam

Yep I use mostly unprinted stuff.. but a few snakes still get the printed. I hate getting ink all over my fingers, but hey the stuff is free.

I change out the newspaper every week.. it sure is nice getting cages sparkly clean and it's so easy with newspaper. I use 1-2 layers usually. And I usually crumple up a couple extra pieces as hiding spots. My colubrids love it that way.

Im loving the indented kraft paper. I would never go back to newspaper...

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Originally Posted by jglass38

Im loving the indented kraft paper. I would never go back to newspaper...

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I actually use both. I found that a single sheet of kraft paper doesn't hold up to a pool of urine, so I add a couple sheets of regular newspaper underneath. I haven't heard one complaint so far. :P

As I was switching/cleaning the enclosure over the weekend I thought about doing something like this. Crumpling the newspaper then straigntening it back out to give the "bed" some texture. While he was looking around his new digs he just seemed to slide rather than slither. It didn't look like he could get much grip. So I will try that next week when I switch it out. I like the smell better too with the paper rather than the Aspen.

I personally hate using newspaper unless Junior is shedding. I use it for a shed because I was sick of cleaning pieces of shed out of her substrate.

I hate using it otherwise because I was woke up too many times at about 4am to her crawling underneath the paper...the echoing on the glass is one of the loudest noises!

Also, if you do decide to use newspaper, tape the edges down..when junior would crawl under hers, so would sit directly on top of the heat pad (on the glass).

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Originally Posted by Chanarita

Also, if you do decide to use newspaper, tape the edges down..

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Oooh. Any tape around a snake is a bad idea. :colbert: Check out this recent thread.

^^^^

/agree 110% tape + snakes = bad times headed your way.

Gotta agree on the tape issue. Better to just set your t-stat to a safe, healthy temperature so it doesn't matter if the snake is sitting directly on the glass, if it chooses to do so.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Chanarita

I personally hate using newspaper unless Junior is shedding. I use it for a shed because I was sick of cleaning pieces of shed out of her substrate.

I hate using it otherwise because I was woke up too many times at about 4am to her crawling underneath the paper...the echoing on the glass is one of the loudest noises!

Also, if you do decide to use newspaper, tape the edges down..when junior would crawl under hers, so would sit directly on top of the heat pad (on the glass).

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You know what... I have a solid top enclosure with the heat source in the top of the wood top. So I don't have any concerns with him getting under and sitting on the glass. Besides he is in my son's room so I don't have to deal with the paper noises and my son hasn't complained so I think all is well. Anyway, it is working out GREAT for me so far. But thanks for the post.

I have to agree with the others NO TAPE around reptiles ever.My snakes can lay directly on the uth all they want because they are controled by thermostates(the UTH).Also the can make all the noise they want thru the paper because they are in my basement and i can not hear them lol.