I was chatting with the gal in the reptile store today and she told me that she uses a 50/50 mix of pine bark and plantation soil for her substrate. She said that her snakes always have a good shed, as the substrate retains the right amount of moisture to keep the humidity balanced, and the snakes can really drag their body around to successfully remove the skin.

Obviously I want my snake to have a good shed every time, but I also really prefer the paper towel substrate. It is very easy to clean. I'm hoping people who use a paper towel substrate can share their experiences with me and we can have a conversation around how to ensure my gal has a good shed given my choice of substrate for her.