What type of substrate do you use?

[Jester]

I've seen so many thoughts on substrate to use and would like to ask.

I've seen thoughts on aspen, cypress, newspaper, ect. I'm very confused on the subject. I decided to go to newspaper myself, but have noticed that the aspen and cypress helps with the humidity in a rack system.

Can I get some thoughts on this subject? Thanks in advance

[hops523]

I use paper towels. Simple and easy cleanup.

[Chuckels]

I used newspaper for the longest, and still do for some of my adults. The only reason I still have snakes on newspaper is because for some unknown reason pet stores around here only have 3-4 bags of cypress at a time. It helps with the humidity, not that I need the help in Virginia, and helps them shed easier. You only have to spot clean, vice keep 30 pounds of newspaper handy every week. I just switched over around 3 weeks ago and love it. Once I can find a decent supplier I'll go full fledged cypress all the way. It's alot cleaner and easier to manage.

Trey

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[el8ch]

I use aspen in most of my PVC enclosures and some of my tubs. It is easy to spot check and clean and is readily available in large quantities from a local distributor here.

Also use unprinted newspaper in my tubs. Also easy to clean and definitely a 'No Hassle' substrate. I go to the local newspaper in town and ask for the ends of their rolls, usually get them for free.

Most of substrate is preference as long as you are using approved substrates for reptiles. I however have become very fond of Aspen and Unprinted Newspaper.

[The Serpent Merchant]

I use corrugated wrap or paper towels in my cages

[youbeyouibei]

I use newspaper or rather blank newspaper that I buy by the roll. I've used aspen, cypress and newspaper all three at various times and have come back to the newspaper for a variety of reasons. I like the humidity that comes with cypress but environmentally it's not the greatest thing to use, at least in my personal opinion. Each to their own but I don't use it any more. Aspen is fine, no issues with it really, except that like the cypress, it's really hard to tell when it's been soiled and it can cause issues if a snake ingests enough to cause an impaction. The likelihood of that is rare but so is getting in a car crash or getting hit by lightning...and yet I wear my seatbelt anytime I'm behind the wheel and don't go stand on top of a skyscraper in a thunderstorm, lol!

I like newspaper or really most any kind of suitable paper as substrate because it's fairly cheap, it's easy to clean, it's easy to tell when it's been soiled (urates or poop or both) and I don't have issues with the heat building up from the substrate acting as an insulator between the tub and the heat tape. As to my snakes, it gets to be a pain to clean and change the substrate out on 10+ tubs when it's bark of some sort and it adds up quick to throw it out in the trash since I don't compost it. I keep my animals in a bonus room over my garage that has heat and a window A/C unit that keeps it a steady temp; I don't have to adjust or mess with the humidity at all, thankfully. All of mine have larger ceramic water bowls that I just keep over the heat tape inside the tub and the evaporation keeps the humidity at the appropriate levels except in the winter, when I have to mist the tubs once or twice a day.

[Elite Morphs]

I use aspen for my snakes that burrow corns boas and paper towels for larger snakes that don't really burrow like ball pythons

[satomi325]

I use newspaper for all my snakes, but hatchlings. The 6qt tubs get paper towel.

I get the paper free, so it definitely saves me from purchasing a bag of Aspen or similar. And its easy to clean up. I haven't had any problems with humidity.

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[pigfat]

Ask 100 different people and you'll get 100 different answers lol. Paper towels are easy to clean, I haven't gone to them yet. I use cypress because I can get a huge bag at lowes/home depot for about $3. It does help a lot with humidity but I actually have to dry it out in a sepperate tub because it's a little TOO moist freshly out of the bag. I've used aspen as well but it just looks like a hamster cage lol.


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[decensored]

I use paper towels. Simple and easy cleanup.

This.

I use TP for the ball pythons in the rack and newspaper for my Boas.

I used to use cocohusk but it's too messy for me.