Bye bye Aspen--Newspaper and Paper Towel Substrate Users....question for you!

[tikigator]

So I started out with repticarpet in my tanks, loved it. loved it loved it. But then I got racks with tubs and repticarpet was only not the right size but too expensive to get for every tub and cut to size. So I went with aspen bedding and hate it. For those of you who have previously asked questions about what substrate to use, here is my 2 cents (from personal experience):

Newspaper (and cheap papertowels):
PROS-cheap!, easy to clean up, looks clean and pleasing to the eye.
CONS-doesn't stay put in the tubs, slides around with the snake, not very absorbant.

Paper Towels (the GOOD kind!):
PROS-super absorbant, super easy to clean up, very pleasing to the eye.
CONS-doesn't stay put in the tubs, slides around with the snake, expensive!

Aspen bedding:
PROS-easy to spot clean waste, looks nice and pleasing to the eye, inexpensive.
CONS-gets all over the room regardless of how careful you are, doesn't hold humidity very well, most larger snakes push the bedding off to the sides and lay on the bare tub.

But here's the REAL reason I don't like aspen anymore....I just got a snake that had mites....and I freaked out and kept reading how eggs can live in the wood shavings for months and then 2 other of my snakes (also in quarantine) got the mites (I am assuming from the other one) and I just totally freaked out and I don't know if the mites came FROM the bedding (because I never had mites prior and I've had these snakes for a few weeks with no issues) or what but I am just over it. So now I am battling mites, and heaven knows where they came from or where the eggs are. I couldn't see the mites in the shavings, and I was afraid it was all contaminated. So all the aspen has been thrown out.

SO.....everyone now is either on paper towels or unprinted newspaper. The questions I have for all of you who use papertowels and/or newspaper is, what is the trick to get it to STAY PUT??

I came home today and a couple of my snakes have the paper all pushed to one side. It also doesn't seem very absorbant (in comparison to paper towels) so I'm afraid when they pee it will be everywhere, and all over the snakes. I really don't want to have to clean tubs AND bathe snakes every single time they go.

Any advise? I went out to our local newspaper and got a roll of the left over unprinted, cut it to size for the tubs. Do you maybe use multiple sheets of it??

I appreciate the advise. I am starting to greatly miss my repticarpet and if they made it large enough to fit my tubs I would probably just splurge and buy a bunch. Or else I may have to go with expensive paper towels, although for the larger breeder females I don't think the paper towels will stay put either. Help! I want to make it work!

[Skittles1101]

I use newspaper in my rack, I fold it to fit the bottom of the tub, and sit the water dish on top of it....I've never had a problem with it sliding all over the place.

[tikigator]

I use newspaper in my rack, I fold it to fit the bottom of the tub, and sit the water dish on top of it....I've never had a problem with it sliding all over the place.

LGray what size tubs do you have? I don't have problems with the 15qt but the 32 qt and 60qt for my big snakes the paper slides all over...even with a water bowl at one end and a hide at the other. Of course, I'm talkin big girls with some size and weight on them...2500-3000 grams. They move, the paper moves. I wonder if I put multiple sheets in there to make it thicker if it would stay better.

Or maybe I should get those non-slip mats for kitchen drawers........hmmm....maybe put those under the paper? Of course then the urine would soak right thru onto the mats....but at least they are easy to clean. Hmm....

[Skittles1101]

Mine is a smaller rack so that may be why, and I'm sure your big girls will move it around regardless of it. I think even with the moving around it's a better way to go for the racks. Just try not to be so OCD about it lol (I know...it's hard).

[cmz1234]

Of course, I'm talkin big girls with some size and weight on them...2500-3000 grams. They move, the paper moves. I wonder if I put multiple sheets in there to make it thicker if it would stay better.

Or maybe I should get those non-slip mats for kitchen drawers........hmmm....maybe put those under the paper? Of course then the urine would soak right thru onto the mats....but at least they are easy to clean. Hmm....

I used newspaper for a while then switched to cypress mulch. I would spray the tub first then lay the paper down and spray the paper; the dimensions were 36" x 14" x 16". If you aren't spraying the paper at least every 2 days the paper is going to move around. CONS of having a big snake on paper. You could try using several layers of paper, should make it harder to move.

[tikigator]

I used newspaper for a while then switched to cypress mulch. I would spray the tub first then lay the paper down and spray the paper; the dimensions were 36" x 14" x 16". If you aren't spraying the paper at least every 2 days the paper is going to move around. CONS of having a big snake on paper. You could try using several layers of paper, should make it harder to move.

Oh I never thought of spraying the paper....I will try that! Would sure keep humidity up! Thanks for the suggestion!

[kitedemon]

I use coco coir in my tubs I have used paper too. I like the coir as it spots cleans easily. I have a word of caution about paper towel, passed along from my vet. On a rare occasion snakes that are fed on paper towel sometimes the towel stickes to (bloody bits) on the rat and is eaten as well and it requires an operation to remove. She said she has seen this twice in 12 years.

[tikigator]

I use coco coir in my tubs I have used paper too. I like the coir as it spots cleans easily. I have a word of caution about paper towel, passed along from my vet. On a rare occasion snakes that are fed on paper towel sometimes the towel stickes to (bloody bits) on the rat and is eaten as well and it requires an operation to remove. She said she has seen this twice in 12 years.

Paper towel?? Like, the entire paper towel?? Yep, I could see how that could cause a problem...!! I know for a fact my snakes ingest pieces of aspen shavings sometimes when they eat which is another reason I forgot to mention that I don't like the aspen. I've even had to take pieces out of their mouths on more than one occasion. It can't be good for them.

I always check on them as they are eating...to make sure everyone actually ATE their rat (a few of them are not the brightest bulbs in the box and unless they strike the rat JUST RIGHT they can't figure out where the head is and they will drop it) so I'm sure if they ever did start to eat the paper towel I would catch it immediately. I'm pretty careful when they are all eating. or at least I try to be.

[Maixx]

I use coconut husk.
I've tried aspen, bark, fir chip, and paper. I didn't like any of these.

All wood based have a chance for impacting, and getting stuck in mouth or teeth.
I found paper wasn't very absorbing and if not caught in time they would smear ...

I also use fully enclosed hides with the access holes on top and carpet inside. I feed in these so no matter what substrate I have, there's no chance for ingestion while feeding.

[Shawnfireball]

Here is a tip :before putting in the newspaper, mist the tub just a little then put the newspaper on. Then mist it just a little more. the reason for that is the water will help stick the newspaper to the tub! (: hope this helps.