Anyone use cypress mulch or more specific the Zoo Med cypress mulch

[CloudtheBoa]

I don't use cypress mulch because of the environmental impacts. Cypress forests are important to the health of the local ecosystem, protects those states from natural disasters, and as with any other type of forest provides homes for thousands of species of animals. The forests are nonrenewable, as they are currently completely unable to regenerate thanks to the water quality. In some areas it's illegal to buy/sell cypress because of this, though it's still widely available.

I've also had very little luck getting it to maintain humidity. It dries out completely within 24 hours even if I make it sopping wet (short of making it a swamp), and doesn't raise the relative humidity all that much. Once the chips/shreds dry out they're permanently hard and brittle, which can cause splinters, yes. Even aspen has worked better in my experience, without the hard brittle wood if left to dry. Of course, plenty of people have experienced the opposite, so it just really depends.