Using "Rodent" Aspen For the Snake Substrate?

[CoolioTiffany]

Just wanted some opinions. At Petsmart I can buy a bag of the "rodent" aspen for like $4. In the Reptile aisle, they sell the "snake" aspen bedding for about $8+. Even though the snake bedding is more finely shredded than the rodent bedding, would it matter if I just used the rodent bedding?

It's way more cheaper, and not as finely shredded, but the aspen I buy for my rat has absolutely no shards and it's very very soft. It also has A LOT more aspen packed into the rodent bedding than the snake bedding. I have to buy 2-3 bags of the snake bedding to fill up 4 BP tubs (two 15qts, one 34qt, and one 40qt).

Just wondering if it even matters at all. I just bought some at a reptile store for my kingsnake since I switched him back into a 20g and it seems to work just fine.

[davidyun]

i just use the aspen for like all animals.
like the huge bag. its less shreded, but works fine with my snakes..

[CoolioTiffany]

i just use the aspen for like all animals.
like the huge bag. its less shreded, but works fine with my snakes..

Yeah I figured it wouldn't be that big of a deal. It's so much cheaper and for some reason I really like the smell of it, just smells like fresh aspen ya know?

[wolfy-hound]

I never noticed they had aspen just for snakes. I always used the ginormous bag for rodents too. And if you look at different brands, you can often find some more finely chopped than others. Like the brand at Petsmart might be smaller bits than the brand at Tractor Supply(or vice versa). But I think it's all fine.

[BlissfulChaos]

I got a fairly good size bag of aspen bedding in Wal Mart for $2.87. And it's just as fine as the stuff sold at petsmart for $8....That and I get ALOT more. I only used a qtr of the bag for my 55 gal tank....The WHOLE petsmart bag ($8) I got barely covered the bottom of my tank....

[mrmertz]

I think a lot of it has to do with marketing.

If it's aspen with nothing added, course or shredded - I'm going for the cheaper price per compressed cubic feet.

[tonyaltn]

I get mine from the Petsmart small animal section, Premier Pet 4.0 cubic feet for $10...it will do my 40 gallon more than a dozen times.

[RichsBallPythons]

aspen is aspen unless specially treated its the same.

[HERETiC]

aspen is aspen unless specially treated its the same.

True.

You can get different shreds. I like the very fine shredded aspen for my snakes. You can order it online, big bags, I think 36LBS, for about $15, $15 more for shipping. It use to be called Harlan I believe, but now it is Native Earth or something like that, Lab Grade Aspen.

I use to get Zoomed aspen, and it is very nice, but outrageously overpriced.

I also have used Premier Pet because it comes in big bags cheap at Tractor Supply Co., but it is a bit dustier then I like and the shreds are gigantic. I noticed my snakes can't burrow as well in it. I still have a bunch but I just use it for my rodents.