Hey T! What I did was use dry regular bounty brand paper towel (love the softness and absorbency). Then I added a half cup of cypress mulch to the tub. But the most important thing I have learned is to have the tightest fitting hide that's possible. That security is a big issue with hatchlings. Two of the tightest hides is even better.Just keep an eye on the humidity percentage with the cypress mulch bc it will go high in a 6qt tub. Then you have to adjust the amount of cypress mulch in the tub.