Favourite ball python substrates and why?

[Medduussa]

Just curious on others opinions myself I usually use a mixture of 50/50 aspen and Eco earth! Sometimes just Eco earth, depending on how I'm feeling lol.


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[erebus45]

well since I use t8's with rhp I like to use straight aspen since I don't need to extra humidity plus my bp will not borrow in anything but aspen (go figure lmao). now if iv got a temporary setup in a glass tank(quarantine) I like to use reptibark it generally give me the humidity I need until they blue then I just lay a damp rag over the top of the screen and that gets me to 70-75% humidity so I don't have to mist multiple times a day and get those rapid humidity fluxes . I only have one bp at the moment but I just bought two bci boa's so right now I have two glass cages for quarantine set up like this and im in the trial and error phase getting everything setup and ready to go before they get to me (next week due to cyber week) so take my info with a grain of salt lol

[redshepherd]

I just use teklad aspen or paper towel. The only other substrate I've tried is eco earth and can't stand how messy it is, sticking to the snakes and water bowls when I take them out.

[Medduussa]

well since I use t8's with rhp I like to use straight aspen since I don't need to extra humidity plus my bp will not borrow in anything but aspen (go figure lmao). now if iv got a temporary setup in a glass tank(quarantine) I like to use reptibark it generally give me the humidity I need until they blue then I just lay a damp rag over the top of the screen and that gets me to 70-75% humidity so I don't have to mist multiple times a day and get those rapid humidity fluxes . I only have one bp at the moment but I just bought two bci boa's so right now I have two glass cages for quarantine set up like this and im in the trial and error phase getting everything setup and ready to go before they get to me (next week due to cyber week) so take my info with a grain of salt lol

I know the feeling about glass tanks! Hell for humidity but I love keeping mine in tanks so I can make pretty setups and see what they're up too all the time. I used to keep them in bins until about 2 years ago.


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[Medduussa]

I just use teklad aspen or paper towel. The only other substrate I've tried is eco earth and can't stand how messy it is, sticking to the snakes and water bowls when I take them out.

Yep! Agreed! That's why I mix mine with aspen, it seems to be less messy then.


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[voodoolamb]

I use homemade liners out of Zorb antimicrobial super absorbent fabric.

They are the weight / feel of reptile carpet, but won't harbor bacteria, and are way more absorbent. Reusable and zero mess from particle bedding.

[KMG]

As I prefer a naturalistic cages over the years I have tried many different things. In the end I found I like to use a mixture of Forest Floor cypress mulch, Eco Earth, and Repti Bark. This gives me all of the perks of each without giving me the negatives like the dustiness of Eco Earth when dry. This mixture also gives my cages a much more nature look instead of a monotone substrate layer.

In my large cages those snakes have proven to be to messy to use a loose substrate so they are on newspaper. I don't really like it but it works best for my bigger snakes.

[cletus]

I like plain paper towel. It's easy to clean up. I've also used aspen and coconut but I prefer the paper towel.

[dorydiver]

Forest Floor cypress for me. Thin layer.
Is great for humidity for glass tanks, if you have those, but can push the humidity way up in my PVC Cages (especially when my house's ambient humidity is usually 55-60%). So I just leave the bag open when stored or spread it out in a bin prior to cleaning the cage so it can dry out. Works perfectly in my house if it's just a bit drier than it comes in the bag.
For me, it has also never stuck to stuff the way more "mulchy" substrate seems to, so I never am picking it off hides or water bowls like people complain happens with Eco Earth. As long as my rats are dry, never really had a worrisome case of it sticking to those either.

[Dwish]

i would be hesitant about using anything that is "washable". It's just another opportunity to harbor pathogens who withstand the washing process (which will happen unless autoclaved or soaked in bleach).

That zorb stuff isn't truly an antimicrobial, in fact their claims are downright misleading. I wouldn't go near it.