Trying to decide on a new substrate...

[Fataltix]

Hey guys,

I've been using a coconut husk (the big chips) substrate for almost 9 months for my BP shrike and I've loved the stuff. Sadly, all the local pet shops have stopped carrying it! it was perfect for me because the area I live in is so dry and it was cheap and easy to deal with... but now, I have to find a replacement!

What would you guys recommend? I don't want to/can't switch too paper towels or newsprint because the normal humidity here is 20%. I was thinking maybe reptibark or that wierd version of coco husk that looks like fine ground dust... I've tried aspen but my humidity wont break 40% even with regular misting... What to do...

Thanks,
Fatal

[Maixx]

My favorite, Carefresh Ultra, but its really expensive so I just use aspen.

If humidity is that big of a problem you might look into a misting system set up on a humidity control.

[llovelace]

Petco is having a sale on the carefresh
http://www.petco.com/product/10791/C...ng+(868752)-_-

[Justin Hatton]

Try 100% cyprus mulch...it looks great and holds humidity really good...and if your using a heat lamp I would suggest getting rid of it and switching to an under tank heater...lamps sick the humidity out of the cage...and if you have a screened lid, try to cover 75-90% of the lid with foil wrapped cardboard...they will help hold in humidity as well...if you try the mulch just make sure its not a mix, make sure its 100% cyprus mulch...most has stations carry it or home depot...i think its like $4 for a big bag of it...i have redone my 75 gal tank 3 times, a 20 tall twice and a 20 long once all with the same bag and still have enough to do the 75 gal one more time.

[mark and marley]

humidity is 20% where i live as well.i use a mix of cypress mulch and sphnagnum moss.i also have a piece of plexi glass covering 5/8 of the screen lid. i only have to mist my 20 long once or twice a week to keep it at 60%.
i use the cypress mulch from petshops.if you get from home depot or something id disinfect it,it could harbor some unwanted pests.ive never used hd cypress so i cant say.
like justin said ditch the heat lamp if your using one and opt for a uth and thermostat.

[Justin Hatton]

You could also make a humid hide for it to go in as well...just take a storage container with a lid from the dollar tree and cut an entrance hole and put moist sphnagnum moss in it...or you could even put moist paper towels in it

[mainbutter]

If I have humidity issues, I use cypress.

For my various snake species, I use paper towels/newspaper, carefresh (unbleached), aspen, cypress mulch, and ABG mix (a substrate mix of various horticulture ingredients).

[jjmitchell]

I live in New Mexico not many places drier... all my ball pythons do really well on shredded paper.. basically my junk mail and stuff ran through the shredder...

[tcutting]

cypress is what i use.

[Quickone4u]

Thinking about switching to cypress this weekend myself. Been using aspen for several years now but, I would like to try something new that holds humidity a little better.