What Substrate/Bedding Do You Suggest?

hey, im new here and i tried looking around for this topic but to no avail. so i started this thread, so dont be mad if its been covered.



i have an adult corn snake and was wondering what substrate do you suggest. ive read that Aspen is good and that Pine is bad, but then on other places have read that Aspen is bad but Pine is good, and on other places have read that both pine and aspen are bad, and on one place read that both are good...you see my dilemma? :twohammer:


i was going to pick up some Cypress mulch stuff because i want a natural and more appealing look. i think it was by ZooMed. it advertised "good for humid environments as it can be dried or wet for desired reults" and "specially treated to prevent mold and mildew".


so what do you guys suggest i get and what do you suggest i stay away from?


thanks

Personally I like aspen. We've used the Eco Earth stuff before and it turned my ghost's belly colors and I didn't like it as well. Aspen is easy to find, easy to clean and the snakes can burrow and create tunnels in it.

~Katie

well aspen is what i use now. but i want a more "natural" look that gives some color and "depth" to its habitat. my corn is red so a colored belly wont be an issue for me.


i was looking at that Eco Earth stuff too...was it bark chips? i was thinking of picking this stuff up but it looked a little odd an "unnatural" to me. i was opting for that cypress stuff but on tha back it had a list of reptiles and which substrate is compatible with certain reptiles. i saw that tha Cypress scored a "good" while Aspen scored an "excellent".

i was just wondering what youre guys' sentiments on this are.

There are loads of different choices but DO NOT USE PINE OR CEDAR
My favourites are beech chips and aspen.

are cedar and pine bad because they can promote respiratory problems?

Yeah i think so. Pine also gives off a lot of oils. I really don't know all the ins and outs of it but is important not to use them.

i was going to purchase this: http://www.petsmart.com/global/prod...<>ast_id=2534374302023694&bmUID=1132441608835

but i thought id wait on your guys' thoughts. it seems like a good product, but if i do get it, im not sure if i should dry it a little so that there wont be too much humidity and condesnation.

i uese repti bark

sani chips work really well for me. Small chips so it enables the snake to really dig in it and it works great for creating sort of a kitty litter effect for the waste. I really like it and it is cheap. My snake's previous owner used bark, when i put the sani chips in they went crazy, digging and hiding in it.

I use Eco Earth for all my snakes and have not noticed it turning any of them colors, not even my snow. It is made from shredded coconut fiber, and I really like it because it looks like dirt. Here is what it looks like in my tank:

snake_eyes said:

hey, im new here and i tried looking around for this topic but to no avail. so i started this thread, so dont be mad if its been covered.

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I'm not trying to sound condescending here, so please don't take it that way...but how did you look around for this topic? There are a TON of threads (most of which have a very similar title) on this very subject. If you look at the top of this window, there's a link for "Search" right under the link for private messages. Some people get confused and use the "Search this thread" link, which wouldn't have given you any results....just a thought!

P.S. - Like most others here, I use aspen

Wrong

shrimply said:

Yeah i think so. Pine also gives off a lot of oils. I really don't know all the ins and outs of it but is important not to use them.

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I hear a lot of people saying this about pine and its simply not true. I used pine for many years with no ill affects with all kinds of snakes from corns to rattlers. The problem comes in if the pine gets in the water source and sits. THen the oils can be released. Pine is not like cedar. I think this rumor got started by hearing a breeder say not use pine because it will cause problems IF IT GETS IN THE WATER.

BeckyG said:

I use Eco Earth for all my snakes and have not noticed it turning any of them colors, not even my snow. It is made from shredded coconut fiber, and I really like it because it looks like dirt. Here is what it looks like in my tank:

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i too was attracted by this coconut fiber stuff, but i heard it can cause problems. how long have you been using it? i think i read something about coconut fiber that its bad because it can cause respiratory problems and is an irritant to snake's body.

I've been using it ever since I got my snakes--over a year ago. I've never had any problems with it. No respiratory problems, no scale irritation, nothing. It was recommended by another, more experienced, corn breeder.

hmm...ill go check it out at the other pet store and see if they have it.

a few last questions...


how long before you fully remove the substrate and add a new batch and how does it handle odor/mold/mildew?

I've used both Aspen and that same Forest Floor stuff you had in your link. Both are fine. Although, if you do use Forest Floor, just a warning, it does usually have wood mites in it. They won't hurt your corn, but they are kind of gross. To get rid of them, just put the bag in the freezer over night. It will kill them. Then let the Forest Floor sit for a day or two so it defrosts, then you can put it in the viv. I do really like Aspen better as its much easier to see poops in it. The Forest Floor hides the poops too well. I haven't personally tried coconut fiber so I can't say one way or another about it. I don't like Repti-bark. Its got too much red dust. It always stains my hands and the dust gets in and on everything including the corn itself.

I generally use aspen or plain white (typewriter) paper, but occassionally use triple milled cypress mulch since I have it on hand for my other reptiles.

Rick

Tegucentric said:

I generally use aspen or plain white (typewriter) paper, but occassionally use triple milled cypress mulch since I have it on hand for my other reptiles.

Rick

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does the amount of mills really count? ive seen double milled cypress mulch but what exactly is this referring to. i think it has something to do with the fineness of the cypress mulch.

I currently use Aspen Sani-chips with all of my corns. Like someone else said, the "kitty litter" effect of the bedding really helps with the poos. Its dust free, odor free, and has a nice look to it. While not completely natural looking, it does a good job.

But before getting the Sani-chips, I used Kaytee brand aspen shavings. Never had a problem really. You just had to drag them off the shelf and turn the bags over to check the amount of dust in the bag and such.

I think pine could safely be used, as most of the pine that comes as shavings has been kiln dried, which would remove most of the oils present. But my main complaint with any brand name of pine has been the dust. The soft nature of the wood just promotes the dustiness of it. I have never seen a dust-free pine bedding yet.

However, that being said...I currently own an adult male Hypo corn who every once in a while will gape his mouth and wheeze. He's been that way since Day 1 and it is not a respiratory infection. The breeder who I bought him from is very reputable, and it is her belief that her use of pine bedding years ago before knowing about aspen is probably the culprit of his condition. She said she's had several snakes of that same period show the same symptoms. So you can take that with a grain of salt as well. I will never use pine for my snakes or mice, but in a pinch would work for a few days until you could make the trek to get aspen or whatever else you want.

Cedar is a definite no-no. While it smells good to us, being on it 24/7 is bad for the delicate tissues of the respiratory system.

As for beech chips or other similar hardwood chips, they only seem to be available in Europe for some darned reason or another. I simply cannot find them in my area at all.

I don't think I'd use cypress either. If its anything like the cypress mulch that goes around my house, its splintery and rather irritating after prolonged exposure. Its really meant to be used as a moist bedding, for those larger boid species that require a high humidity. I would think it'd be incredibly dusty and splintery if kept dry.

I have used Zoo-med's Repti-bark (fir bark) and it looked really good in my corn's enclosure, however I would recommend that for a species that needs more humidity and that the bedding be kept moist, as fir is good for. I used it dry in a number of my snake enclosures and it was extremely dusty. I had several instances of clogged nostrils. So after that month's use, I used it as my orchid potting material. As with most things Zoo-med, they're not worth buying.

I use ESU's Bark Blend in my ball python's enclosure right now and love it. Its the same principle as the Reptibark, but its hardly dusty and it has a nice dark, natural color to it. It's also heat treated to kill off any parasites that may be in the bag, something more wood based reptile substrates could use.

Then again, you could always try a variety of things and find what best suits your needs. =)

i used to use desert blend bedding, its made of nut shells...i had no problems at all with it...but you can get problems with that bedding so i switched to aspen (normal aspen or sanichips) also the desert blend bedding doesnt keep heat very good.