I like using aspen because it has a kind of wood smell to it. once our big bag of aspen mulch is all out then we're getting coconut husks! but Aspen (in my opinion) is a good cheap starter bedding, but you have to mist it sometimes to keep up humidity, I also have a humidity box he can crawl in for when he's in shed. I've also seen people take a wet towel squeeze out the water and drape it over the terrarium for more humidity!