Aspen vrs Newspaper

[greenmonkey51]

I have been reading and have found that Gus Renfro reccomends and uses aspen, Jeff Ronne also uses it I have found.

Many people have done well with newsprint or another featureless product as substrate. After closely observing captive Boa for over thirty years I myself believe that behavioral problems, temperament and health issues, breeding failures and even appearance-flaws could be alleviated by switching to a good quality wood product as cage substrate. Newsprint may even promote poor condition or obesity. Many larger boas feel insecure crawling on a slick or featureless surface and so will instead coil in a corner or against a branch or hide-box for prolonged periods. Boas are complex in ways we cannot easily see. This includes behaviors. A semi-permanent substrate such as aspen shavings allows them a home-range of sorts, they feel more secure and move about the enclosure with more confidence. Mother boas build nests in the substrate and deposit the young there. If allowed to do so the female will guard and oversee the newborns while they rest and develop for many hours or even days before crawling away with yolks completely absorbed and no bleeding or umbilical problems. There is an observed positive difference in young allowed to develop without interference and it may include a better temperament.

Gus Renfro- RioBravoReptiles.com

Thats gus's opinion on it all. What do you think. I didn't really like using it with my ball since I didn't notice feces as quick, but if its beneficial I would like to use it. Also if I were to use should I set the warm side temp to the surface temp of the aspen.

[mr~python]

newspaper's fine. thats what i think.

[Grim91Z]

I use Apsen and my RTB is lazy as heck. She only moves if I walk by.

[Josephine11!!]

I use aspen and my rtb Inga hides in it with just her little head poking out. I've had a few scares when I didn't see her and thought she got out.

[frankykeno]

We use newspaper for the ball pythons and aspen for the BCI and the Milksnake. The BCI and Milk seem to enjoy the burrowing aspect of the aspen. When we fostered a quite large male BCI we actually used an aspen/cypress mulch mix. It helped with the humidity of his large glass enclosure and with the cypress addition he didn't pack the aspen down so hard with his bulk.

[Pork Chops N' Corn Bread]

I use aspen for my 2 boas and my rats. No problems

[ssscales]

We use Kraft Indented Paper for our adult and sub adult boas and paper towels for babies. The Kraft Indented Paper gives the snake some textured flooring, it's pretty absorbent and looks better than newspaper in a cage. Aspen is ok for tubs, but in cages it can be a pain to maintain really clean. We prefer to clean the entire surface and replace the substrate when a snake urates or defecates Vs cleaning a section.


Just my $0.02.

[Ken]

I switched to aspen about 9 months ago, and the snakes seem more secure and at ease. They really seem to prefer some texture againct their bodies and the smaller ones to like to borrow in it. It makes sense. In the wild, they would always have the sensation of ground texture against them, giving them something to push againts while moving, etc.

I'm loving the aspen and would probably not go back.