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#2079449
Beardies and Boas
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Substrate Question 
We usually keep our little girl, Iella, on cypress mulch, but today, we were forced to buy Zoo Med’s Repti Bark. Anyone have any experience with this stuff, is it good or not? Thanks for any thoughts guys.
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10/02/09 02:06pm
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#2079751
Big Slick Serpents
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Message To: Beardies and Boas In reference to Message Id: 2079449
Substrate Question
It’s Ok. Just a pain to keep the enclosure clean looking and sanitary.
It’s also pricy in the long run.
Have you tried looking at your local feed-type store or tractor supply store? They usually sell bedding in larger bags for the same or less than the "Pet" stores.
Aspen would be a good choice!
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10/03/09 03:33am
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#2079773
Beardies and Boas
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Message To: Big Slick Serpents In reference to Message Id: 2079751
Substrate Question
I’ve never tried aspen, everyone has always told me that it is near impossible to keep humidity up in aspen. Ive also been told that aspen mold very quickly.
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10/03/09 09:37am
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#2079841
Big Slick Serpents
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Message To: Beardies and Boas In reference to Message Id: 2079773
Substrate Question
All the wood-based substrates are more prone to mold than something like newspaper (which is why I personally use newspaper). But Aspen isn’t "more prone" to mold than other substrates...I actually believe it’s less.
Either way...if you’re changing the substrate once a week (like you should anyway) there’s no chance for any significant mold growth.
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10/03/09 12:38pm
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#2079856
LizaB2008
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Message To: Big Slick Serpents In reference to Message Id: 2079841
Substrate Question
Aspen bedding is one of the better beddings to go with for a cleaner tank, it’s cheaper so you can get more for your money and make sure the cage is cleaner. No it’s not more prone to mold, I’ve never had a problem with mold ever. I don’t change the bedding every week either, I do it every two weeks. Snakes don’t tend to poop or urinate everyday so bacterial infection is not something you have to worry about as long as you change the bedding when they do. My rats, hampsters and hedgehogs are the ones who get beding changed every week because with the way they go, they could get bacterial infections if I didn’t. It’s up to you as the owner though, just make sure you keep the environment clean, like maybe once a month clean all bedding out and spray the tank down with a vineger water solution, wipe it down really good and put fresh bedding in, this will prevent any mold or bacterial growth from happening. I use vineger because it is safe for the animals and gets rid of any oders, along with that, it cleans just as well as bleach but isn’t toxic. 
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10/03/09 01:26pm
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#2080553
DTN
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Message To: Beardies and Boas In reference to Message Id: 2079773
Substrate Question
With you there on the newspaper
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10/05/09 03:34pm
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#2080557
Big Slick Serpents
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Message To: DTN In reference to Message Id: 2080553
Substrate Question
It is the best way!!!
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10/05/09 03:36pm
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#2080616
DTN
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Message To: Big Slick Serpents In reference to Message Id: 2080557
Substrate Question
I used to use cotton towels but after hearing about the injestion nightmares I switched to newspaper. I use newspaper on our retics, red tail boas, and our ball pythons. The only snakes we have on natural substrate are the rattlers. Hate the mold of wood based substrates, and cages.
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10/05/09 06:41pm
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#2080673
Pbmaniac22a
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Message To: DTN In reference to Message Id: 2080616
Substrate Question
i use newspaper for all my snakes
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10/05/09 08:10pm
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#2080792
Fairy Frog Mother
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Message To: Pbmaniac22a In reference to Message Id: 2080673
Substrate Question
Ive been using coco fibre bedding which has helped keep up humidity, cause my house though on the beach in fog many days...is very dry. I’ve not had a mold issue with it, but then again, I clean the tanks and all furniture with vinegar every month, and all urates and feces as soon as I see it, scooping out the bedding around where it is and replacing.
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10/06/09 12:34am
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#2080896
DTN
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Message To: Fairy Frog Mother In reference to Message Id: 2080792
Substrate Question
The rattlers actually use the substrate versus just sitting on it. Otherwise it’s newspaper.
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10/06/09 11:40am
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#2080922
LizaB2008
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Message To: DTN In reference to Message Id: 2080896
Substrate Question
I don’t know about your redtails, mine like to burrow underneath the aspen bedding, they don’t just sit on it, the havea hut but they’d rather burrow underneath the bedding where it’s warm.
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10/06/09 01:10pm
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#2080930
DTN
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Message To: LizaB2008 In reference to Message Id: 2080922
Substrate Question
My news paper is maintained at the correct temp. My boas don’t need to burrow down to it.
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10/06/09 01:30pm
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#2080938
Fairy Frog Mother
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Message To: DTN In reference to Message Id: 2080930
Substrate Question
When it gets down to it, there is nothing wrong with any of the aforementioned substrates.
Burrowing is a natural snake behavior, they do it in leaf mulch in the wild.
I say, use what you think is best and will keep you cleaning the cage regularly.
For some, Newspaper is quick, cheap, easy to change ( ESPECIALLY if you have large collections!) and easy to maintain.
I personally like a more naturalistic setting for my snakes.
Neither way is wrong if the husbandry is correct.
When I get my large enclosures built in a couple weeks here, I might decide Naturalistic is far too much work and join ya on the newspaper route! (Har...newspaper route...I crack me up)
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10/06/09 01:55pm
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#2080952
DTN
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Message To: Fairy Frog Mother In reference to Message Id: 2080938
Substrate Question
Understand your desire to make it look good. I just don’t care what it looks like anymore. Got past that long ago. For me, form follows function, all they need is a clean cage at the right temps and humidity, and plenty of clean fresh water. And of coarse a rat shook in front of them on a long pair of hemostats. I use what I know works well for my snakes. Other folks can use what ever they wish.
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10/06/09 02:29pm
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#2080982
LizaB2008
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Message To: DTN In reference to Message Id: 2080952
Substrate Question
I agree, everyone use the substrate they prefer. I like aspen because it’s cheap to buy in bulk, so I can clean my cage as much as it needs to be. BTW my redtails burrow at night time when the temp drops and their light isn’t on. I have a heating pad under the tank and they burrow under the bedding to get closer to the heat. They also do it to cool off on the cooler side. I don’t use news paper becauseI have to change it to frequently. They get water all over it when they soak and I’m ocd so that drives me nuts, it thats what you prefer to use then use it. Some people use paper shredding......
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10/06/09 03:44pm
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#2081048
DTN
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Message To: LizaB2008 In reference to Message Id: 2080982
Substrate Question
Tried the shredded paper but too much dust for me. Also, when your boa is 10 ft long. You will need aspen 2 feet deep for a snake that size to hide in. Then the cost may be prohibitive.
cheers
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10/06/09 05:18pm
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#2081148
ReptileJay
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Message To: DTN In reference to Message Id: 2081048
Substrate Question
Apen is better for milks and kings... snakes that don’t require high humidity. I use eco-earth (coconut husk) covered with repti-bark (about inch on top of the eco earth. My boa only poops in the water, so I really don’t have to worry about clean up. I change the repti bark every two weeks. The eco-earth keeps humidity really well, and the repti bark on top keeps it from drying out at all, plus less worry with boa eating substrate with such large chunks of substrate. I’ll probably be switching to newspaper once he gets bigger though. I’m not gonna pay for substrate on a 6’ long cage.
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10/06/09 08:26pm
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#2081204
Beardies and Boas
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Message To: ReptileJay In reference to Message Id: 2081148
Substrate Question
I’m thinking the same thing, I love the Repti Bark right now, while shes in a 20 long aquarium, but when she gets in her 6’ cage, that might get a little costly. When she gets in there, I may switch to butcher paper.
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10/06/09 09:51pm
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#2081258
ReptileJay
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Message To: Beardies and Boas In reference to Message Id: 2081204
Substrate Question
Yeah, mine’s a twenty gallon now too. a three brick pack of eco earth is 8 bucks, and a small bag of repti-bark is 6. It takes two bricks to get a good layer of eco earth, and I don’t even use a half of a bag of repti-bark to put a thin covering over that. Cheap right now. Yeah, i’ll probably use butcher paper rather than newspaper. I don’t want to look at congresses latest blunder when I check on my snake. I don’t know, if I can get substrate like eco-earth at some kind of bulk price, I might still use it. I like the look of natural substrates over paper, but it would have to be economical.
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10/07/09 12:05am
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