View Full Version : Aspen bedding location?
Anyone know where to get big bags of aspen bedding for cheap? Or cypress mulch in Calgary? The aspen I find is at Wal-mart and is still expensive. And I just can't find cypress mulch anywhere, only softwood mulches. Also, I use spagnum moss right now but apparently it molds easily. Anyone else us spagnum moss or had bad experiences with it? Thanks.
Mike
Jeff_Favelle
09-16-04, 12:54 AM
I have 200 snakes and I go through 4 bags a year. Bags are $12 each. Its less than 50 bucks, what's the point of bargain shopping? LOL!
But the cheapest I see the stuff is usually at a feed barn or the like. Bosley's sometimes gives deals if you buy 3 or 4 bags. Just make nice with the owner and talk a little shop. That usually works. Pet stores can also order it from their suppliers. Shouldn't be more than $15 per bag. The stuff lasts a long time. Even the biggest collections wouldn't go through more than 8 or 10 bags.
Thanks Jeff. The stuff is 6 bucks per 30 Litre bag uncompressed. It's not very much in them. Or maybe i'm just being stupid? But my sister use to keep bunnies and she use to pay 10 bucks for bags she could bear and not get her arms around. Thanks.
Mike
Jeff_Favelle
09-16-04, 12:00 PM
Ha ha that's a BIG bag o' aspen!! Let us know what you find in your quest!
Petsmart has 140L compressed bags for like 15 bucks or so. It's Kaytee brand and sometimes it's hit and miss with them. Most bags are great, but the last one I bought turned out to be really dusty. Either way, they last a long time, and I usually put lots in the cages...
Thanks Will. We are talking aspen though right? Not pine. Or cedar?
Sphagnum moss is quite acidic (peat bogs can actually preserve dead bodies due to this!) which makes mold difficult to grow. They should give you the least amount of problems where that is concerned.
Linds, so should I stop using it?
Mike
crazy4reptiles
09-18-04, 03:02 PM
Tanks Alot on the corner of Heritage and Elbow has fairly resonable prices compared to any other petstore in Calgary... probably the coolest selection of Herps in our city to.. IMO...
should check it out somtime....:D
jglass38
10-16-04, 07:23 PM
Is Aspen as good for humidity loving BRBs as lower humidity BPs? I have been using the coconut husks for the BP and it has worked out well but expensive. I have been using cypress mulch for the BRB. The stuff at the pet store is super expensive and the stuff at the garden store needs to be baked to kill off all the crawlies and still ends up smelling funny. Thoughts? And not newspaper or kraft paper or astroturf. I like a natural looking enclosure...Thanks!
Invictus
10-16-04, 11:11 PM
Aspen is TERRIBLE for any humidity loving species. It molds in a matter of hours.
Mike, Sphagnum moss has be used VERY carefully, as many snakes are prone to blster disease. I had water pythons on moss, and one of them ended up with a bad case of it that ran me $150 at the vet. The only species I recommend keeping on moss are the ones that seem to resist blister disease - bloods and BRBs being among them. Sphagnum is great as a humid hide, but make sure you have VERY good ventilation.
And if you do find any bales of Aspen in Calgary, PLEASE let me know where. I'm going to try Petsmart this weekend. I'll fire you a PM if I find anything.
gonesnakee
10-17-04, 12:06 AM
Petsmart does indeed have the cheapest Aspen & Tanksalot has bales of pine for like $12 & lots of cool herps etc. for a small place. I second that the PS aspen isn't the greatest & you used to be able to get the big bags of real nice quality aspen for around $26 at Rascals & the Petlands that carried it would pricematch. Hagen vetoed that though as they refuse to ship it out west here now as it takes up the same amount of space that a whole whack of the little real expensive bags take DOH! Consumers get smart & buy bulk, major corp goes out of its way to make more money off them again by eliminating the better deal DOH! Anyhow other than the Aspen mentioned UFA has bales of pine for like $6 I think, but thats kinda dusty I'd go Aspen. Mark
P.S. Little tidbit, Petsmart doesn't carry snakes because of its policy of no "dangerous animals" no scorps or spiders either DOH! :rolleyes:
Jeff_Favelle
10-17-04, 02:37 AM
Can't you guys get Beta Chip in Alberta? We have it out here and its awesome stuff. I thought that everyone that used aspen just used Beta Chip?
Invictus
10-17-04, 03:19 AM
To be honest Jeff, I don't think I'd use it. I prefer the finely shredded aspen to larger cut wood chips any day. It creates a much softer bed for starters, and I find its absorbency to be higher becuase of the finer shred - it kind of clumps like cat litter.
Jeff_Favelle
10-17-04, 04:19 AM
Large cut wood chips? Have you seen Beta Chip? Its TINY. I don't know how they could cut it any smaller. Its like sawdust. Are you sure you know what Beta Chip is?
This is Beta Chip. It doesn't get ANY softer than this stuff:
http://members.shaw.ca/gallery2/beta_chip.jpg
Invictus
10-17-04, 05:23 AM
The aspen I get is shredded much finer than that. Here's a picture of a hatchling corn (maybe 6" long) on it... so you can imagine how fine it would be compared your ball python above:
http://www.invictusart.com/images/Caramon1.jpg
jglass38
10-17-04, 07:01 AM
So what would you suggest based on my above post if not Aspen? I assume I could use aspen for the BP with no issue (and its cheaper than the coconut husks). What about the BRB?
Jeff_Favelle
10-17-04, 12:49 PM
Yeah I had that shredded stuff too for a couple seasons. I hated it. I gave away my last 6 bags of it. Some people love it though. All personal preference.
http://members.shaw.ca/gallery2/crappy_aspen.jpg
Jeff_Favelle
10-17-04, 12:50 PM
I would use damp newspaper or cypress mulch for a Rainbow.
Invictus
10-17-04, 01:28 PM
I've known a lot of people who have kept BRBs with great success on dry substrate with a humid hide filled with damp sphagnum as well. In any event, keep a large water dish right on on near the heat source. The evaporation that this creates is sure to keep your humidity up.
bistrobob85
10-17-04, 01:46 PM
Well i'm all for Eco-Earth... It's composed of compressed coconut fiber and looks very natural in all kinds of setups... I use it for my savanah as well as my BP and my BCI... It doesnt rott if you keep it very wet and it can also dry out like if it was desert dust... It's also pretty cheap... Am i the only one using this?!?
phil.
Jeff_Favelle
10-17-04, 01:57 PM
Ken is right. In fact, all my Rainbows (16 adults) are housed somewhat similar. I do the opposite as everyone else. I use a damp substrate (newspaper) overall and I have a dry hide box.
jglass38
10-17-04, 03:14 PM
Well I chose to give Carefresh a chance. It is very clean smelling and I wet it down with a spray bottle. In the rubbermaid he is in, it seems that any substrate would work and it still stays humid
Invictus
10-17-04, 03:57 PM
Originally posted by Jeff_Favelle
Ken is right. In fact, all my Rainbows (16 adults) are housed somewhat similar. I do the opposite as everyone else. I use a damp substrate (newspaper) overall and I have a dry hide box.
Cool. End result is the same though - the snake can be dry, or can moisten its skin. It prevents dehydration AND blister disease all in one enclosure! :D
Invictus
10-21-04, 10:52 AM
Ok, to answer the initial question!
Ptindy, I went to the Petsmart on Sunridge Way NE, and I picked up a HUGE bale of Aspen (expands to 5 cubic feet and weighs a ton) for $18 including GST. I know where I'm getting my aspen from now on!
Wow, awesome Invictus! Thanks a lot. Been looking for something along those lines.
Mike
gonesnakee
10-21-04, 03:18 PM
Funny how its gone up nearly 50% in cost since Hagen stopped shipping its bales, imagine that, DOH! Mark
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