Looking for substrate options....

[Tigergenesis]

Currently my kings are on paper towels in racks. Once they get a a bit bigger I plan to move to cages with a different substrate. As much as I like the look of carpet, it doesn't seem practical based on the frequency these guys defecate (compared to my ball python who is on carpet). So I'm looking for an alternative to carpet/paper towels.

I want something that looks a bit natural and can be feed on. I've been looking at some options and since I've not seen these substrates in person I was looking for opinions on them. My main concerns are smell, ease of spot cleaning and being able to feed on them. The substrates are:

Jungle Mix Lizard Litter by ESU: "...blend of sterilized virgin organic soil, fine grain sand, vermiculite, peat moss, orchid bark and green tree moss. Jungle Mix is organic, natural and perfect for burrowing reptiles and plants."

or any of the various compressed coconut fiber bricks (by ESU, Zoomed, etc)

Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks! :)

[Vengeance]

I use carefresh with my Cali King, safe to ingest in small amounts, particle substrate, holds the smell really well. I think it's great stuff.

[Tigergenesis]

Thanks Vengeance! I thought of that too (and haven't totally ruled it out), but I'm hoping for something with more of a natural look to it. Is it easy to spot clean the carefresh?

[vanderkm]

We used the compressed coconut fibre bedding for a while with a few snakes and didn't like the fact that spot cleaning is hard - while it is easy enough to see the solid feces and urates, there is a lot of fluid waste that absorbs into the earth like texture and you have to remove a really large area of bedding to be sure you have removed all the waste.

Shredded aspen looks ok but not everyone is willing to feed on it because of risk of ingestion. When we used it we just moved it away from where the prey was placed to avoid a lot getting stuck on the rodent. We didn't like the fact that it was rather dusty and did not really absorb well.

We use Carefresh now - less dust, very absorbant, fairly easy to spot clean, but do need to replace the entire amout quite often, and doesn't stick to prey so not a big issue for impaction. We still move it away from the area where we feed in the cage but if any gets on the prey it seems to roll off. Only downside is cost - quite expensive for a large collection.

We would likely use beta chip aspen if we could get it locally but have not found a source,

mary v.

[Tigergenesis]

I've also been wondering about aspen chips - I believe it's like the beta chip aspen. I'm fearful of the shredded aspen and the toothpick like slivers, but have been wondering if the aspen chips would be okay to feed on? Are you in Canada? Roy Stockwell (on the sand boa forum) speaks highly of and has access to the beta chips - actually I think he stopped using the beta chips and switched to the alpha chips (or something like that). He feeds on it and has for a long time. He thinks I'd be okay feeding on the aspen chips - but I'm just chicken. I'm so fearful of my snakes injesting substrate. I'd never forgive myself.

[marisa]

How much does Care Fresh run you Mary? And could you also tell me how often you actually do have to replace the entire amount?

I like the idea that in small amounts its harmless, and even flushable. And I think it looks o.k. too, so I am interested in housing a couple snakes on it.

Marisa

[Vengeance]

For me because I don't have a huge collection, the cost isn't a big deal. The SuperPet at Kennedy & the 401 had a sale on the stuff, a 21 Litere Bag for $8.99 or something like that. 1/4 of the bag filled my 50 gallon glass tank, and 20 gallon. For my ball python spot cleaning is a breeze, the urates are soaked up very well, it holds the smell, and is very easy to spot clean. For my Cali King, it's not as easy. But that is no fault of the substrate, he is only aprox 6 - 8 months old and his urate a feces are so small it's sometimes hard to see them. But the fact that it's safe to ingest is what sold me. My Ball refuses to eat anywhere other then the saftey of one of his hides, my Cali will eat anywhere, but sometimes he can be very jittery and doesn't allways like to be picked up. So the ease of being able to safely feed on a particale substrate is an awsome thing for me.

[vanderkm]

We pay about $25 for the largest bag they have (50 litres I think) and that does fill a lot of tubs or tanks but because it is so absorbant, we end up taking out quite a bit along with each poop or pee. I don't add more each time, just push it to corners (which is where they usually go) until the level of bedding is low in the tub and then replace completely. This is usually every couple weeks in tubs and we do tanks the weekend after the snake sheds. I try to avoid topping the litter up as this just means there is clean and dirty mixed and I am less likely to do a full clean-out.

Also, I find you need to spot clean at least once a day or the pee dries into the bedding and you cannot see it any more, but you can still smell it, especially in tubs in a rack where there is less airflow. There is some urate dust that collects under the litter (but a lot less than with aspen) and I spot clean this with a damp papertowel when I remove the pee or poo.

I don't completely trust the 'safe to ingest' claim - but none seems to stick to the prey very much - and most that does seems to roll off. I think if it was ingested it might not penetrate the gut wall, but it could cause impaction because it is so absorbant.

Still - it is the nicest litter we have used

mary v.

[lostwithin]

Just for something different I would suggest a Peat/organic soil mix. Its natural and easily spot cleaned, I suggest a mix only because peat get dusty at times. But its mold resistant, and absorbs and smell and liquid wastes. Also it is harmless if ingested since it’s just dirt
Good luck

Devon

[marisa]

Thanks for the explanation Mary. It will be between Care Fresh and Beta Chip when I start using something other than paper towel.

Marisa