I keep rats as well as my ball python and I use aspen to line their litter pans. I also use aspen with Freddie, though the textures are different ("snake" verses "small animal" kinds). Are they pretty much interchangeable though? I'm switching to Yesterday's News with the rats and want to use the rest of their huge block of aspen for Freddie now that I'm out of the "snake" kind...

Also, funny story: I was picking up my Yesterday's News from Petsmart and I rounded the corner to take a look at their ball pythons. I nearly ran into this group of girls -- including an employee -- hovering over a pulled-out vivarium. One of the girls turned to me and was like, "Would you pick it up?" I was like, "Yeah, sure! What is it -- a ball python?" The worker said "yes" and I leaned forward to take a look.......... at the tiniest ball python I'd ever seen. It was only a few inches long. The employee insisted it was a month old but I dunno...

Anyway, I briefly picked it up to show them that it wasn't harmful, trying not to laugh at their fear at an overgrown night crawler. Even after I showed them, they just told me to put it back... nobody (including the employee) was willing to touch it...

Ah, pet stores.