I also use Newspaper. I used to use Aspen (I do still use it for the one snake I have in a tank - but she's a corn snake) but I got tired of paying so much for it. So now I use my grandparent's old newspapers. It's free and I can change it daily if I need to. For shed cycles, I bought a HUGE bag of cypress mulch (cost me like $4 form Lowes) and I use that until they shed. Then I clean the tubs and they go back on newspaper.