Are you satisfied with your Ball Python substrate?

[Jeff_Favelle]

Also, do you use different substrates for different age groups? If so, why?


http://members.shaw.ca/gallerya/bm2xbf6.jpg

[stevesemerko]

I use newspaper and couldn't be happier with it. It is easy to clean and cheap. I use newspaper for all age groups, they don't seem to mind it. I used to use cypress, then I moved to pine shavings and finally to newspaper. My (old) hypo corns used to ingest the pine a lot and sometimes I would catch them before it did much damage but I just felt a lot better with the newspaper, no worries.

Steve

[Tigergenesis]

My BP was my first snake and I've only used Lizard Liner. I like it because it provides a nice look as opposed to newspaper and is easy to spot clean. I don't mind changing it out and cleaning it once a week.

[daver676]

I'm satisfied with the ease of use of newspaper. I plan on switching to orchid bark in the spring.

[Invictus]

Like yourself, Jeff, I'm CONSTANTLY changing substrates, especially for the BPs. I have them on aspen right now, because I can busy their water dishes so the little b*stards can't knock them over, but I'm NOT satisfied with it. They're about ready for bigger houses though, so I'll give them a huge water dish (partially over a head pad for added humidity of course) as soon as I build the cages.

[MajickSprings]

I use Zoo Meds Eco Earth and I'm happy with it (for now ;)).

[GotBalls?]

I'm really likin the Orchid bark, nice to look at, easy to clean, helps the humidity of the enclosure...

[Bristen]

Hi Jeff,

I didn't like your poll.. there should of been another option, something like "I'm more-or-less satisfied with my substrate".. which is what I would of had to answer :-(

anyways, as you already know, I've been trying to figure out what substrate would be best for us. We've used newspaper for the longest time. We've had corn snakes, ball pythons and boas on newspaper. We are currently experimenting with shredded aspen. Particule substrate is the greatest thing with regards to cleaning. So far my work load for cleaning has dropped significantly and spot cleaning when required is a few minutes work and that's it.

Soo.. we want particule substrate, but we would like something with particules a little larger and that would hold humidity better, so we hope to be able to experiment with other substrates such as orchid bark as you had recommended. Just haven't had the time to deal with that and find a source for the stuff.

Regards,
Bristen.

[sapphire_moon]

I use shredded aspen for my BP's, and it definitly cuts down on the cleaning. Any new animals are usually put on newspaper (in quaratine *sp?*) until they are found to be healthy.

[mykee]

Unprinted newspaper stock for all my balls. Love it.

[Tim_Cranwill]

News paper is good enough for me. :) I will experiment more when I have the time and money but for now I can get a big honkin' stack of news paper for free! :D

I do use aspen shavings for my adults though. Not sure why I keep them differently....

I also use aspen shavings for my milks too. :)

[Chris04]

Is Repti Sand ok? Seems like it would be easy with clean up and you probably woulnt have to replace it a lot.

[Dani33]

I have always used orchid bark and am quite happy!

Chris04 - I don't like repti sand for anything, especially a ball. You will end up with a sick and dehydrated snake.

[Alex Dew]

DO NOT USE REPTILE SAND- you snake can get some in her/his mouth and die. ther also other reasons why you shout not use this substrate.

I use wood chip, it looks nice, It stops the smell of snake crap, its fairly cheap and all my snakes seem to like it.

Alex

[Linds]

I am pleased using papertowel or newspaper. Typically the small snakes get the papertowel, and the older animals get newspaper. Mainly for the cost factor and because newspaper is also stronger and less likely to get ripped up than papertowel by larger snakes :) I find them both easy to clean, easy to monitor the snakes, cost effective, and easy to maintain humidity, and I don't have to worry about them ingesting any.

Originally posted by Chris04
Is Repti Sand ok?

Repti Sand is terrible for pretty well anything. Not only can it lead to impactions (facial, mouth, intestinal, etc), but it is meant for desert climates, not moderate humidity environments.

[bailey]

I'm using Cypress Mulch for my bp enclosure right now until I get a back of Orchid bark tomarrow. When my 2 corns get here they'll be on newspaper until they graduate from their sterilite boxes.

[jathoma]

I changed to newspaper when I moved Cain to his Rubbermaid and I don't have any problems with it as a substrate...

BUT

All he wants to do is get underneath it all the time! Knocks his water dish over and makes a mess every time!

Any tips??

[Auskan]

I use repti-bark (not sure what type of bark this actually is) and have had no problems with it. My bp only eliminates fairly infrequently, and spot cleaning is easy.

[Linds]

Originally posted by jathoma
All he wants to do is get underneath it all the time! Knocks his water dish over and makes a mess every time!

Any tips??

BP love to burrow beneath the substrate. Make sure you have a few layers and you can even loosely crumple the top layer so he is less liekly to go right to the bottom of it all. I use the heavy ceramic dog dishes... no ball could knock those over :p

[IMO]

I have always used paper towels. Cheap and easy to cleanup.

[Lrptls]

i use newspaper but i dont really want to. i have newspaper in just about all my cages but when i get my stackable cages i'd like to make their enclosures look as natural as i can afford, lol. and newspaper is great and all but i hate it for the looks and i would like something that lucy (my wonderful bp) can burrow in sence they do in the wild. what kinds of dirt or whatever is ok for them?

[tHeGiNo]

All he wants to do is get underneath it all the time! Knocks his water dish over and makes a mess every time!

You know, this is quite coincindental because myself and Jeff Favelle were JUST speaking about how important proper hides are for ball pythons! Hours later, there are two posts in reference to this! After a few shots at it (LOL Jeff) we, well he, came up with the word thigmotropic. This word refers to the tendency of regius to seek hiding places in which contact with their back is made. Your ball python is, I am assuming, getting under the water bowl for the extra pressure it puts on the substrate. To compensate, try providing a similar hide - one in which contact with the snakes back is made, and maybe he will retreat to this rather then the water bowl.

[tHeGiNo]

As for whether or not I am satisfied with my substrate, NO! I have been trying to get a grasp at exactly what their natural substrate is like. Or at least from a general view. I have, however, been considering the bark mulch you have referred to in the past.

[HetForHuman]

Originally posted by stevesemerko
I use newspaper and couldn't be happier with it. It is easy to clean and cheap. I use newspaper for all age groups.


This also goes for me, and all the balls in my rack use ther newspaper to hide under, so i guess it also acts as a hide as well. :)

Newspaper all the way for everything i own.

[Invictus]

Originally posted by tHeGiNo
we, well he, came up with the word thigmotropic. This word refers to the tendency of regius to seek hiding places in which contact with their back is made.

OH, is this ever true. I have large hides in my BP enclosures right now, and they actually prefer to wedge themselves between the top of the hide and the rubbermaid lid, rather than go into their hide box. At first, I thought this was because their enclosures were too small (well, they were, but this wasn't the problem.) They defeinitely need that back contact to feel secure. As a result, I'm shopping around for a decent, low-backed hide that they can use. While I'm at it (staying on topic), I'm also looking around for a new substrate as I am NOT satisfied with Aspen for these guys.

[Lrptls]

lol i am holding my lucy as i read these posts and she just nearly bit me in the face, i wonder if she was trying to tell me something =)