So this happened

[Zincubus]

Yeah , the orchid bark has a little dust at the start but I sieve all that out before using. It's known as orchid bark over here in the UK but I think it's called Reptibark in the states !?!?

All mine are brightly coloured display snakes so need the dark background to set their colours off . I have one Mexican Black Kingskake who's the opposite and he's on light coloured Beech chippings

I abhor Aspen with a vengeance as it looks so fake , it drains all the colour away ( not literally lol) and it somehow gets all over the house and carpets which drive my wife bonkers


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[Sauzo]

Yeah , the orchid bark has a little dust at the start but I sieve all that out before using. It's known as orchid bark over here in the UK but I think it's called Reptibark in the states !?!?

All mine are brightly coloured display snakes so need the dark background to set their colours off . I have one Mexican Black Kingskake who's the opposite and he's on light coloured Beech chippings

I abhor Aspen with a vengeance as it looks so fake , it drains all the colour away ( not literally lol) and it somehow gets all over the house and carpets which drive my wife bonkers


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I agree, aspen is not the best stuff to show off light colored snakes but for me, bottom line is the welfare of the animal first and foremost. And for me, aspen is much easier to keep clean and sanitary. It does get everywhere but so does ReptiChips. And aspen is much easier to vacuum up than giant chunks of Reptichips lol.

Plus i also watch my snakes on different stuff and with the ReptChips, they would all push it aside and lay on the cage floor. They also didnt seem to want to move around much. When i put them back on aspen, you could clearly see they enjoyed it more. They would burrow, climb all over and finally when bed time came, they would curl up on top of it and sleep in their hides. The babies showed the most enjoyment as they spent hours digging around and poking their heads out to look around and then dig around some more lol.

Orchid bark here is called orchid bark too. Maybe the pet shop has a different name for it. I havent checked the pet shops but i know hardware stores have/had orchid bark for sale.

But i think the OP should order a brick of the RpetiChips and try it for a month and see how they like it. Everyone has a preference for substrate as well as the snakes. Try different stuff and see how you and your snakes like it. Then when you find the perfect median for you and the snakes, there you go

[Zincubus]

I agree, aspen is not the best stuff to show off light colored snakes but for me, bottom line is the welfare of the animal first and foremost. And for me, aspen is much easier to keep clean and sanitary. It does get everywhere but so does ReptiChips. And aspen is much easier to vacuum up than giant chunks of Reptichips lol.

Plus i also watch my snakes on different stuff and with the ReptChips, they would all push it aside and lay on the cage floor. They also didnt seem to want to move around much. When i put them back on aspen, you could clearly see they enjoyed it more. They would burrow, climb all over and finally when bed time came, they would curl up on top of it and sleep in their hides. The babies showed the most enjoyment as they spent hours digging around and poking their heads out to look around and then dig around some more lol.

Orchid bark here is called orchid bark too. Maybe the pet shop has a different name for it. I havent checked the pet shops but i know hardware stores have/had orchid bark for sale.

But i think the OP should order a brick of the RpetiChips and try it for a month and see how they like it. Everyone has a preference for substrate as well as the snakes. Try different stuff and see how you and your snakes like it. Then when you find the perfect median for you and the snakes, there you go

Sounds like a plan

Although .... Aspen used to get mouldy and smelly rather quick for my liking and Retics can get messy on occasion


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