The Best Substrate

[KITKAT]

Aspen is a tree that lives in the western part of the US. The wood is rather white, and somewhat soft, even though it is a deciduous tree.

Aspen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cedar and Pine Wood Shavings - Problems and Toxicity

[adamanteus]

I'm aware of the tree...just wondered how it looks in a viv. Have you got a picture?

[KITKAT]

I can get you a pic, but it won't be today... too much prep for travel on spring break.

But basically, it looks the same as pine shavings.

Here is a pic of a guinae pig on aspen:

Guinea Pigsations - All About Guinea Pigs

[adamanteus]

I'm sure it's great, but I'm not sure I like the look of it (from a purely aestetic point of view) for snakes. Just personal preference, I guess.

[KITKAT]

Ah... I am all pragmatic. Aesthetics means little when one has a cat rescue to run, a real job, a show cat cattery, and pet garters that live in one of the cat rooms (where the cats are caged).

[Gyre]

Thank you everyone,

I read the article on substrates. That was extremely helpful, and also your input, Kitkat, was very helpful. I think that since my snake eats almost exclusively from my hand, and I'm always right there, that ingesting the bedding wouldn't be much of a problem.. Aspen is sounding pretty good right now.

Thanks a ton,
Hannah

[sschind]

I've been using a product called aspen crumbles from sun seed. It looks nice, is easy to clean and allows burrowing. It is an aspen product obviously but rather than shavings of wood it is made from the bark of the tree The only drawback is that mold can grow under water dishes if they overflow. I've solved this problem by either using elevated water bowls that have the added benefit of providing a hide underneath or making sure I place the water dish directly on the glass.

[bubdonna]

Hi I have not been doing this for very long about a year now, I have tried several things & the best for me & the snakes so far that i have found for smell & look & easy clean, I went to walmart & bought a outside throw matt size 3feet x 3feet for about $10, then cut a few matts to put in the tank, i also cut them a bit bigger so they fold up the sides about 1/2 inch or so, it is rubber backed so it tucks down in the corners & holds the to is a slightly raised wover material with vertical grooves color came in grey or brown, i have 2 snakes small ones in a 12 x 15 x30 tank, change it 1 time a week through the old one in the shower & let the hot water wash it, & when it drys in about 1/2 hour it could be ready to go, but i have 3 so not needed, the rubber back does not let any thing bleed through, & the texture & grooves keep the snakes off the bottom surface slightly, i also have a piece of plexie glass cut about 7 inches to use as a divider in the tank so i have a seperate room sort of 7inches high & 7 inches from 1 wall that i used a small piece of duct tape to hold upright in place, that seperate section i fill with that grey substate kinda fluffy material made for snakes in the pet store, now my 2 snakes like that they climb up over the wall & make tunnels & compartments in that, that way it last so much longer cause its away from there water bowl & food, also seem like they dont soil that stuff they kinda soil the matt material, works out very well, hope you can picture it?
bubdonna

[lukeskywalker]

I use Eco Earth Expandable substrate. It is made out of coconut fiber, it looks like dirt, and the peices are tiny. Luke burrows through it all the time. I have moss on top of it in some of the enclosure, and I grew some organic oat grass in some parts too. He burrows through it all the time, and there are rocks around the water dish to keep him from dragging substrate into the water. I spray it down right before I feed him worms because it tends to stick alot less than when it is dry... the pieces are tiny, so I don't think there is much risk for impaction.

Im going to try growing other things, like violas, to give him some stronger plants to play around in.

Thanks for the info on the burrowing substrate! I'm going to try it in my emeperor scorpion's enclosure

[Stefan-A]

Has anybody here noticed any differences in how smelly different substrates get? I recently switched from peat to paper towels and the difference is huge. With paper towels, you know the second you enter the room if somebody has taken a dump. Peat was completely odorless.

I'm not saying it's a bad thing, it's important to clean it up right away, but it's easy enough to notice even without the smell.