I use coco coir an I don't really try. I just let the snakes move it about as they want. Sometimes I will push it around again. Just a side note on paper towel, substrate ingestion happens sometimes paper towel is usually fatal if the snake eats a sheet. You should supervise feedings or feed with it removed. It does happen every now and again my vet has operated on 4 snakes trying to remove paper towel from the intestinal tract. Small snakes it usually isn't a problem but bigger ones it has been.