Reptile Prime, now with free shipping

[BR8080]

I've used it since I saw his vlog on how it's made because I couldn't stand the cypress mulch and didn't want the hassle of soaking a block of bedding before I could use it.

LOVE the product for, as Zina said, reasons that have been discussed ad nauseam; Easy spot cleaning, Odor control, Burrowing, Holds humidity (50-95% depending on the snake) in my T10's very well without regular misting (I live in Western NY and do not have a humidifier in my house), Storage (resealable bag), VERY low dust, It's a renewable resource, and when I do clean out my enclosure I can just dump it in the back yard and it keeps the critters away from my garden (odor of snake I guess).

I agree, bumping the price and saying "free shipping" is a misleading business tactic used by many, but they need to cover costs and make money. More importantly, the price didn't change when his face went on the bag, nor did the shipping cost. I'll write Brian (yes, I've communicated with him through his personal e-mail) and mention the "$20.99 shipped" suggestion. I've been brutally honest with him in the past (his shenanigans with some of these youtube sensationalists) and he's been receptive. He was also very generous when I had a question about the Reptile Prime.

Most importantly.....if it works for you, use it - If it doesn't, don't. But if you disagree with who he is or how he keeps his animals, keep the focus on that and not the product line - and that's for a different forum altogether. Just my

[Ernie Mccracken]

they need to cover costs and make money.

It's literally a few handfuls (maybe $0.10 worth) of agricultural waste product repackaged and sold for $21 by a guy with a 7 figure annual income. I am envious.

[Sauzo]

Ron!! How could you not like cypress. I never used it before simply because of the price but since Chewy.com has it for so cheap, i decided to try it and i love the stuff for the boas, bp and dumerils. After a couple weeks of it with Caesar, i will say it is the best stuff i have tried for him but it still doesnt kill the smell. But then neither does any other substrate. I am starting to think retics are just a messy, musky smelling snake by nature lol.

And i might eat my words a little. I caught Pat down on the floor tonight digging around in the Reptile Prime and he looked like he was having the time of his life so maybe i will stick to it with just him as he is small and the biggest cage i would use for him would be a 36Lx24Dx24H so it would be a little more cost effective.

But i agree, use what works for you. It's like the RHP and heat tape arguments i see so much lol.

[AbsoluteApril]

posted my review so far in this prior thread: https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...ison&p=2609979

It's literally a few handfuls (maybe $0.10 worth) of agricultural waste product repackaged and sold for $21 by a guy with a 7 figure annual income. I am envious.

if you can source it and sell it to us for less (don't need fancy marketing bags) then you'll get some customers

[BR8080]

Ron!! How could you not like cypress. I never used it before simply because of the price but since Chewy.com has it for so cheap, i decided to try it and i love the stuff for the boas, bp and dumerils. After a couple weeks of it with Caesar, i will say it is the best stuff i have tried for him but it still doesnt kill the smell. But then neither does any other substrate. I am starting to think retics are just a messy, musky smelling snake by nature lol.

And i might eat my words a little. I caught Pat down on the floor tonight digging around in the Reptile Prime and he looked like he was having the time of his life so maybe i will stick to it with just him as he is small and the biggest cage i would use for him would be a 36Lx24Dx24H so it would be a little more cost effective.

But i agree, use what works for you. It's like the RHP and heat tape arguments i see so much lol.

LOL - I thought the cypress had too many large pieces and my snakes NEVER burrowed in it. The day I got the Reptile Prime they were digging/hiding/exploring and as you said, seemed to really enjoy it.

They also LOVE the RHP's. BUUHAHAHAHA

[zina10]

LOL - I thought the cypress had too many large pieces and my snakes NEVER burrowed in it. The day I got the Reptile Prime they were digging/hiding/exploring and as you said, seemed to really enjoy it.

They also LOVE the RHP's. BUUHAHAHAHA

Have you been able to talk to Brian and ask about this rather unsavory business scheme of calling it 20.99 incl. free shipping?

I almost feel they did this for 2 reasons. Nr. 1 ..it sounds good. Nr. 2 ..it takes the possibility of "combined shipping discount" of the table. Back when it was Herptopia they assured me that a combined shipping discount was absolutely in the works. However, with the shipping incorporated into each individuals bags price, that is pretty much off the table.

I would love to hear back from what he says to you about it. I posted on his Facebook, but..no reply.

All this is not going to stop me from using it, that is for sure. I paid the same back when it was Herptopia, and as a matter of fact, I got a few bags for $14 shipped on Amazon, back when that deal was going on. That stuff is awesome, I see how the company goes about preparing it for animal use and its a bit more involved then shoving waste into bags. Certainly not less worthy then all the other substrates that are re-labeled and packaged for animal substrate use. But irregardless of all that, I would like to hear why Brian went to such a rather "slimey" marketing practice with this product, esp. since he wants his image to be this open, honest, no BS guy. I know there is nothing against the law against this advertising scheme, lots of businesses use it, actually almost all that offer free shipping do, but still...

[Sunnieskys]

You guys seem to think this is Brian's business since his pic is on the bag. The same company owns it as before. Brian is just the face onthe bag. He goes to some of their meetings. This all started by him testing the product and they reached out to him to use in some of his cages. I highly doubt he came up with the shipping scenario. That's usually the marketing dept. I'm really tired of people blaming Brian for everything. But that's for another thread.

[SDA]

These comments are crazy. I think I am going to run my hands through a bag of reptile prime and laugh maniacally just because I can.

Oh and my BP started burrowing for the first time after switching to this over cypress so that sold me to stop using cypress for terrestrial snakes even though from what I read on this forum, ball pythons are secretly arboreal

[Godzilla78]

Eco earth all the way!!! No people pics on the bag! Lol
No shipping, i just pick it up at the local pet store.

[SDA]

Reptile prime fines came in today. Did not expect the shipment until Monday so that was a pleasant surprise. Haven't taken a look at them yet but from feeling the bag they are definitely finer than the original.