Thanks for the opportunity to answer some of the questions here, and a big shout out to OWAL for asking the pointed questions that others may be curious about. I will attempt to address each as bullet points here:

Quote Originally Posted by OhhWatALoser View Post
Actually I have questions about that page http://www.reptichip.com/faqs.html, given you deleting my facebook comments asking these questions, I didn't think you wanted to answer them. Specifically this image:


You claim cypress does not absorb odor, which I think it has been pretty well accepted that it does. Even my own personal test when I was a new keeper trying different beddings proved it to myself. Odors are still at bay long after the cypress smell is gone. You also claim that it doesn't have longevity between cleanings, can I ask again how you define this? By my definition it has great longevity between cleanings. I would also like to know how you can verify that the cypress we buy is not organic? I mean this wood supposedly comes from these old wetlands, about as organic as it gets imo.

while we are at it, what are the other coconut based products that do not absorb odor? Given coconut is known to naturally have odor absorbing properties.
-in regards to odor control, our trials here ranked the high quality coconut (that later became Reptichip) far superior to aspen and cypress in odor control. This is from 9 months of testing using our own collection on a gamut of substrates. Having used triple milled cypress for years, I am very familiar with the several cypress products that are prevalent in the reptile hobby, and was thoroughly impressed and surprised with how much better that the high quality coco performed in the odor control department. Bear in mind that conducting this testing was not done to 'prove' Reptichip as superior...it was done find the highest quality substrate available for MY animals. This test was subjective, but will now seem partial...so don't just take my word for it. You can base decisions off of customer reviews and posts that can easily be found online. Additionally, I'd be happy to send anyone who has commented on this thread (thus far) a free block of Reptichip to compare the odor absorption qualities against aspen/cypress/paper, etc.

-these absorption qualities also allow Reptichip to retain water easily without allowing the surface area to remain wet. Reptichip is easy to reconstitute should it dry...something that is not found in cypress. This allows humidity to last much longer than any other product available on the market. There are many other benefits of Reptichip over cypress (if the conservation of American wetlands isn't enough) to include:
-no risk of impaction or piercing the gut wall should an animal ingest the substrate (as has happened with several of our customers that have made the switch from cypress to Reptichip).
-with the increasing number of scaleless animals in captivity, there is a need for a soft substrate and greater humidity requirements with Reptichip footing the bill perfectly. This won't be possible with a harsher substrate like cypress.
-Cypress is not farmed...it's harvested. Understanding the life cycle of a cypress tree is important here. When a cypress tree takes 40 years to grow to maturity, and only 10% of artificial plantings are successful, you have a product that is dramatically unsustainable at the current rates of harvest. Contrasted with coconut, which is farmed and the fruit (or drupe) is harvest annually...without destroying the source of the product (the palm).

-to my knowledge, there is not a certified organic cypress product available on the reptile market. Currently we are undergoing the process to certify Reptichip under OMRI (the federally recognized organic third party certification agent. This process is intensive though, and costs upwards of $700 annually). Seeing as how we have not completed certification, I think that you are correct in your concern about listing Reptichip as organic, while excluding the other products. I will personally remove that bullet, and we will republish as certified organic when the time comes.

-during testing we compared many different coconut products, and found that the qualities were vastly different (as discussed in my previous post). Some coconut products that we tested scored well below cypress and aspen. Our coconut comes from areas of Sri Lanka that farm specifically for the high quality husk...whereas most other coconut in the world is farmed for the meat, milk, and nut. These husks are a byproduct of the other industries and do not have the same absorption qualities as Reptichip.

-in regards to low tannins, sodium and minerals: I think the majority of reptile owners want the best for their animals. Having a low sodium, mineral, and tannin content is essential for a few reasons...most importantly the health of your animals. I want to know that the substrate that I choose for my animal will only benefit them without any negative impacts. Ingesting sodium and excess calcium/additional minerals is probably not in the best interest for most species...we take great care to address these finer details of animal husbandry here. Same thing with tannins...as they are acidic (and additionally stain your animals and tubs). We want to ensure that our substrate is neutrally balanced and the perfect medium for a wide variety of animals.

Thanks for the questions, and more than happy to answer any more that you may have!

JT