substrate?

joey · 10-26-04, 03:38 PM

I don't know if this question has been asked, sorry if it has.

What substrate do you use?

I used to use aspen bedding but the stuff always ended up getting everywhere and plus my snakes would sometimes get pieces of it in their mouthes when eating.

Now I use good ol' newspaper. Seems to work the best for me and my snakes.

ydnic · 10-26-04, 03:48 PM

I use astro turf. It is the best in my opinion. My b/f`s father lays carpet for a living and he got us a huge piece from his store. We cut it all to peices to fit and we just wash it and replace it all the time. I just hand wash it in the tub and hang it to dry. It is a little more work than newspaper(you don`t have to wash that) but I think it looks a lot better. I also worry about the ink on news paper.
Yeah Shavings are not such a good idea. They are messy and do get into the mouth of the snake if you don`t feed in a seperate cage. We used them for a bit at first - but we never fed in the same cage. But they were messy.

joey · 10-26-04, 05:04 PM

Can the ink be toxic to snakes?

ydnic · 10-26-04, 05:05 PM

I don`t think so - most of it is said to be vegtable based but it can stain the snakes which isn`t pretty - to me anyways. It certainly is the cheapest and easiest way to fo though

mykee · 10-26-04, 05:28 PM

Ink's not harmful. I would think carpet (glues and such) would be much more harmful. I use unprinted newspaper stock.

joey · 10-26-04, 05:38 PM

Where do you get your unprinted newpaper mykee?

LISA127 · 10-26-04, 07:47 PM

I use mostly aspen bedding, and newspaper sometimes, too. I have no problems with the aspen. I feed in a separate rubbermaid container.

Removed_2815 · 10-26-04, 07:51 PM

Aspen all the way! Perfect for burrowing species.
Worried about shavings in your animals' mouth? Don't feed in the enclosure, something keepers shouldn't do anyway!

CamHanna · 10-26-04, 08:30 PM

I use news print for all my snakes accept for my Rhinocheilus, baby kings and sand boas which are all on aspen. I also have a mud that is in moist mixture of peat and aspen.

Asian Jon · 10-26-04, 09:30 PM

I use aspen bedding for all my snakes.

I have a roll of berber carpet in my garage that I want to get rid of, does anyone know if this type of carpeting is appropriate for snakes?

Linds · 10-26-04, 10:25 PM

Depends on what I'm housing.

Leopard geckos get papertowels. Most snakes kept in 11 gallon rubbermaids or smaller are kept on Carefresh. Holds burrows, is absorbent, looks ok, is super safe and environmentally sound (no trees were cut for the purpose of making it), and is the only loose substrate imho that can be safely fed on. My larger snakes get kept on either newspaper, or towels (for those that can't help but rip up newspaper after its been in their cage for no more than half hour

). My tortoise and frog are kept on peat moss.

Carpet is crap for reptiles... both the indoor/outdoor stuff and especially the indoor home carpetting. It is bad even for people, and actually small children have nearly died from crawling around on fresh indoor carpet before. The chemicals and glues offgas for ages. It is not absorbent, cannot be thoroughly cleaned right through, is full of glues and can offgas more when heated, it frays and leaves pieces around. The adhesives in indoor-outdoor aren't as bad, but they certainly can't be good either. Flannel sheets make a good alternative if you are looking for something you can just alternate and throw in the laundry, as well as feed on.

blazinreps · 10-26-04, 11:02 PM

I use news paper for my snakes and leos. my t i keep on coco fiber same as my large bearded dragon. I was wodnering if anyone here has used tile?

Asian Jon · 10-26-04, 11:05 PM

thanks for the info Linds, I didn't think indoor carpetting was that bad, I'm glad I asked.

mykee · 10-26-04, 11:51 PM

Joey, any moving supply store, it's the stuff that movers wrap your china, plates, glassware and breakables in. 800 (24" X 36") sheets for $25 Cdn. Lasts me a year with 40 rubbermaids to clean.

joey · 10-27-04, 09:49 AM

Yeah, I learned my lesson pretty quick about not feeding in the same enclosure with the aspen. I do feed all my snakes in their enclosures now with the newspaper. Especially the corns--I leave their food on paper towels and sometimes leave the mices (f/t) in overnight. They're always gone in the morning.

Thanks mykee-- I will check into that!