BP's and good bedding

[Saber402]

Just added two new ball pythons to the house this weekend. Looking to see what types of bedding has been working for the veteran keepers here. Thanks!

[Starbuck]

i know some people use paper towel/newspaper (when in bins/racks to maintain humidity), and others have been successful with cypress (NOT CEDAR) mulch or cocofiber.
I dont keep pythons but recently switched all my snakes to cypress mulch and have been very happy. I think aspen is less favorable because it tends to mold with high humidity.

someone with balls ( ;) ) should chime in soon.

[Terranaut]

Your going to see many different answers here.
I currently keep my Royal on a blend of repitbark, eco earth and cypress.
I have used aspen without issues as well as paper towels.
If your home is dry get one that holds moisture but if you li e somewhere humid you can go with aspen. Enclosure type is also a consideration. A front opening snake cage holds humidity far better than a screen top aquarium. Heat sources vary too. A heat lamp will dry out substrate quickly where as belly heat doesn't as much.
So as you can see there is no all out right answer. Only a right for you answer. As long as you can check humidity and keep an eye on it experiment until you find what you like.

[Lankyrob]

I like reptibark as it holds moisture and releases it slowly so helps with humidity levels. Ideally i would go bioactive with all my reptiles.

[Lubeybooby]

I started with unprinted newspaper for my small collection but after the loss of my corn snake i had A LOT of Sani chips "aspen" left over. I have been using it for about 2 months now with no problems. All my BP's have shed and have not had a problem with humidity. Ill probably stick with it even after i finish the bag unless i can find cypress mulch cheaper somewhere!

[Starbuck]

i got (3) 2 cu. ft. bags of cypress mulch from lowes for 6$.... it doesnt get much cheaper than that

[Lubeybooby]

i got (3) 2 cu. ft. bags of cypress mulch from lowes for 6$.... it doesnt get much cheaper than that

What?!?! Lucky! My Lowe's only carries cypress blend and no one could tell me what else is in it =/

[Starbuck]

chcek out home depot and walmart garden centers as well, i'm pretty sure ive seen pure cypress mulch there as well, for less than 5$.
i was pretty happy, as the lowes i went to in NY didnt have pure cypress either. there is one +1 to florida...

[Aaron_S]

Coco husk.
Aspen "beta" chip
Newspaper
Paper towel

All the ones I would recommend. Currently I strictly only use newspaper.

[swolek]

I use paper towels and have for the six years I've had mine. No issues and it's easy to clean :).

[Lickeypie]

What?!?! Lucky! My Lowe's only carries cypress blend and no one could tell me what else is in it =/

I have checked all the Lowes, Home Depots, Walmarts, Agways, and tractor supply stores within 20 miles of both my campus and hometown, none of which carry cypress (they only carry blends), so I guess we're on the same boat.

[Wyldrose]

I use shredded office paper and paper towels. I did the aspen thing for a year of so, but husbands allergies almost killed him (sever asthma attack 3 week in the hospital, coma, ventilator and all that fun stuff) so no more wood based shavings here. I do want to try the cocoa husk bedding like the eco earth. I have that in my CWD viv and it holds the humidity.

[Starbuck]

I have checked all the Lowes, Home Depots, Walmarts, Agways, and tractor supply stores within 20 miles of both my campus and hometown, none of which carry cypress (they only carry blends), so I guess we're on the same boat.

maybe contact a private contractor/landscaping/mulch company and see? though i imagine that'd only work if you were buying crazy amounts of bulk... but maybe they could tell you what was in the blend as well?

[Lickeypie]

maybe contact a private contractor/landscaping/mulch company and see? though i imagine that'd only work if you were buying crazy amounts of bulk... but maybe they could tell you what was in the blend as well?

I don't think I'd buy nearly enough to buy from a mulch company. I was considering ordering through Lowes' website to get it delivered to my local store, but I'm not sure if there is a minimum amt you have to buy.

[Chris72]

My adults racks - news paper
Hatchling / Yearling rack - yearlings on news paper, smaller animals on white paper towel.
PVC enclosures - aspen

(I do have one adult on coco husk because that is what she was used to before I bought her and skipped meals when I swapped her.....so I swapped her back.)

[CK SandBoas]

I've used both Aspen and Cypress Mulch with my one Royal, and I prefer the Cypress mulch by far, for holding humidity..