A bit of help? Don't trust pet shop.

[DangerNoodle]

Hi! Please bare with me..I know this seems like a real newbie question but i'm looking for more of a definitive answer.
First..a bit of a story.

I bought my ball python from a pet shop around where I live, however I don't trust what they're telling me as they don't seem to know an awful lot about reptiles (They tried to sell me a heat rock and didn't understand why I couldn't put a heat mat inside the enclosure of my milk snake who burrows!!) I took the snake to a very good reptile vet for a check up and his health is absolutely fine, i'm looking for the best substrate to keep it on. Can I put him on Aspen? Or should I keep him on lignocel like my milk snake?

As before, please don't judge the newbie question haha, It's hard when you don't trust the people you bought your snake from, there's hardly anyone else to turn to :P

[havoc_vulture]

What kind of enclosure is the ball python in now?
When I did use hest pad my ball was in a glass enclosure and the pad was outside of the tank under him.
At the moment my ball pythons and retic are on cypress mulch mixed with zoo med (i think it's zoomed) forest floor. It hold humidity well and they like to play around in the stuff. I use heat lights though but that's because of my enclosure
Not hest rocks either

[DangerNoodle]

What kind of enclosure is the ball python in now?
When I did use hest pad my ball was in a glass enclosure and the pad was outside of the tank under him.
At the moment my ball pythons and retic are on cypress mulch mixed with zoo med (i think it's zoomed) forest floor. It hold humidity well and they like to play around in the stuff. I use heat lights though but that's because of my enclosure
Not hest rocks either

He's not in anything quite as sizeable as those enclosures you have haha :) He's currently in a large, flat exoterra enclosure with a large heat mat underneath the box, thermostat and he's on lignocel bedding as its the only stuff I currently have in as that's what my milk is on :)

[havoc_vulture]

I'm sure he's ok on the lignocel and as long as the heater is on a thermostat you should be good. It's preference for me to use the cypress mulch mix. I was using aspend for a while but during the summer I had trouble fighting the humidity to stay up in my area.

[DangerNoodle]

I'm sure he's ok on the lignocel and as long as the heater is on a thermostat you should be good. It's preference for me to use the cypress mulch mix. I was using aspend for a while but during the summer I had trouble fighting the humidity to stay up in my area.

I live in England so don't really need to battle with humidity quite as bad haha :) My milk loves the lignocel as its easy for her to burrow into and is quite soft, but if I can keep a python on it too then i'll keep his set up the way it is :) He does have a thermostat controlling the temp but the enclosure also is slightly risen off the floor so the mat isn't directly underneath the box, just to prevent burns :) I always buy something that is slightly risen off the floor.

Thanks for your help! :)

[RAD House]

What kind of tree does lignocel come from? As others have said Aspen is fine if you live in a humid place and can keep your humidity above 60%. I on the other hand live in a dry place so needed a substrate that holds humidity. Ultimately I went with coco husk over cypress as it is much cheaper.

[dannybgoode]

Lignocel would get my vote. Aspen isn't good if water gets spilled on it etc. Orchid bark is a good choice also.

[RAD House]

Looking online I found lignocel is made of fir and spruce which are both pine species. I would stay away from pine because of the resinous nature, there are many threads on why this is not good. I know the company says it is safe for snakes but I would not trust it when there are other viable options out there.

[prairiepanda]

I use heat lights though but that's because of my enclosure


I'd suggest putting cages around those light bulbs so that the snakes won't be able to touch the hot bulb and get burned.

[havoc_vulture]

I'd suggest putting cages around those light bulbs so that the snakes won't be able to touch the hot bulb and get burned.

I'll look into that thanks 👍

[dannybgoode]

Looking online I found lignocel is made of fir and spruce which are both pine species. I would stay away from pine because of the resinous nature, there are many threads on why this is not good. I know the company says it is safe for snakes but I would not trust it when there are other viable options out there.

The snake shop that I go to use lignocel for a number of their snakes. The guys there have 60+ years experience between them. Can't see them using something that isn't safe...

[Andy_G]

Most types of pine shaving that are manufactured for small mammals in the pet trade give off oils if exposed to water, for example if some make it into a water dish. Over time these can build up in the liver to toxic levels and will do NO good for the reptile. Pine dust/resin is also a know irritant in regards to the respiratory system of reptiles. Be generally wary of pine products. Aspen is a much better alternative, and to me it smells better as well.

In regards to lignocel however...I have no idea about it specifically, but please consider the things I have mentioned here.

[Andy_G]

A good friend of mine that i trust quite well has mentioned to me something that goes against what I mentioned partially. If the pine is kiln dried, it's ok to use because of the way it is processed. The rare instances where things went wrong that I have known of, this must have not been the case.

[macandchz]

i'm a real newbie too. i've had my albino ball 1 yr. and learn something every day. i have used aspen bedding ever since i got him and he's done fine on it. i spritz him acouple times a day and it seems to dry quickly and doesn't smell.