Your snake's enclosure is for ITS benefit, not yours(aquariums are for fish). If you can make it nice looking while the enclosure is appropriate for the snake, then that's fine. Ball Pythons aren't display snakes anyway, it's like having a tank with a pet water bowl or something.. Get a colubrid or a boa, they adapt better to display enclosures and aren't as secretive(generally speaking).

Try newspaper once.. Once you actually see how much urine they produce that is hidden under all that bark, you'll likely clean ALOT more. Cypress works pretty well, but isn't easy to spot clean IMHO. It can be a bit messy.

The stuff found at the pet store is going to be the worst priced, as well as being exposed to parasites such as mites that can transfer to your snake(or your rats/mice). The Orchid bark at HD is exactly the same thing as ReptiBark and about 1/3 of the price. It's nice small pieces and isn't dusty. I use it for my orchids though.

www.uline.com has some professional looking indented kraft paper that is absorbent. I use it for my boa(plus newspaper as she's MESSY) and the Balls every so often. Looks nice and works well.