Quote Originally Posted by ZacharyPoller View Post
I have read that the repti bark sometimes isn't sterile and has mites in it and eggs, a local breeder told me the same and he said he either threats his bedding when he gets it or he bakes it in the oven for a few minutes to kill all mites, aspen is prone to mites also he said so he said he would never recommend it.
I had someone at a pet store say that about snake aspen... to be honest, I had never heard of that before. I have heard of wood lice coming in sometimes (but obviously not the same thing and harmless to snakes) but not mites. Very strange.
I personally buy small animal aspen instead of the expensive snake aspen (used to have guinea pigs for 7 years, never found any mites in their substrate either). Although I did have to buy a bag of the snake stuff because that's all the store I visited recently had... so if I get mites, I'll know where from and you'll see my foot in my mouth