What 2use for snake substrate

[Porkbones]

Have gone through the forum an seen so many different things that can be used for substrate.am looking at getting a spotted python for a 1st snake.i see newspaper is very popular but want something a bit nicer to look at.i used coco peat/ reptile sand mix(70/30) for my tarantula and was wondering if the coco peat is ok to use(1nce washed and dried) How thick should the layer of substrate be??obviously once the snake has crapped it can be picked up an removed,if the snake does a number1 and then dries up b4 it is spotted can it be harmful (germs an stuff) especially if the substrate keeps drying it up.any help would be good.thanks

 

[buffcoat]

Coco peat is fine, holds humidity well with a spray. The only thing I do not like about coco peat, the snake can ingest it while eating.

I use cypress mulch in my boas tank. Coco peat and cypress in my royal tanks and aspen in the hognose, corn, jcp and kingsnakes and womas tanks.

Newspaper is fine, even paper towels work. Just not as pleasing to the eye.

If you want you can always ring your local newspaper shop and see if they sell end or stub/butt rolls. They have nothing printed on it, can be cut to size and is very cheap. Butchers paper works as well.

Whatever you decide on, stay away from pine bedding and cedar bedding.

I use about an inch to two inches of bedding depending on the snake, I.e., burrowers or not. Obviously if you decide on newspaper just one layer.

You could even go for the natural viv and get dirt, sand, dried leaves, wood and all the lil creepy crawlies that you find in soil. If this is set up properly you can go years without changing or cleaning. That's a little tougher option though.


Hope that helps a bit.

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[Porkbones]

Hi, have seen that some people say about th snake ingesting the substrate,was thinking about 3 quarters of th tank coco peat an th last quarter paper an feeding off the paper to try and help stop this happening.

 

[ubermensch]

When my ladies were young I used just some plain paper towel...easy to clean, looks nice and plain and they could borrow under it if I did 2 or 3 layers of the stuff

 

[Porkbones]

When my ladies were young I used just some plain paper towel...easy to clean, looks nice and plain and they could borrow under it if I did 2 or 3 layers of the stuff

Was thinking of putting a couple sheets of paper towels down an try an feed off of them and then having the rest of the tank in coco peat

 

[Shaggz]

I use fake grass, it's easy to clean and relatively cheap. I have a spare piece cut for each enclosure so i can just change it over, hose it off and let it hang in the sun for a few days.

 

[Reptilez123]

Put an icecream tub lid in the enclosure and feed your snake off it so it wont get substrate stuck to its food

 

[Porkbones]

Put an icecream tub lid in the enclosure and feed your snake off it so it wont get substrate stuck to its food

Oh yea never thought of using an ice cream lid.thanks

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Appreciate all th answers, notice no1 has mentioned about the substrate soaking up then drying out the snakes number1's before tht area could b spot cleaned.will it be harmful if it keeps happening (due to germ build up).i know the crap can b easily removed an new substrate put in its place

 

[Reptilez123]

Usually if you can see that your snake has pooped it probably would have did a number 1 aswell or you can check for wet substrate or you could smell it you should be checking everyday

 

[Justdragons]

Coco peat is fine, holds humidity well with a spray. The only thing I do not like about coco peat, the snake can ingest it while eating.

I use cypress mulch in my boas tank. Coco peat and cypress in my royal tanks and aspen in the hognose, corn, jcp and kingsnakes and womas tanks.

Newspaper is fine, even paper towels work. Just not as pleasing to the eye.

If you want you can always ring your local newspaper shop and see if they sell end or stub/butt rolls. They have nothing printed on it, can be cut to size and is very cheap. Butchers paper works as well.

Whatever you decide on, stay away from pine bedding and cedar bedding.

I use about an inch to two inches of bedding depending on the snake, I.e., burrowers or not. Obviously if you decide on newspaper just one layer.

You could even go for the natural viv and get dirt, sand, dried leaves, wood and all the lil creepy crawlies that you find in soil. If this is set up properly you can go years without changing or cleaning. That's a little tougher option though.


Hope that helps a bit.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2

This naturally sustaining viv idea.. Have you ever seen one?? Or more importantly, seen one work? Sounds like a great idea.


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[Chris1]

i use ozpet litter for all my snakes, keeps the smell waaaay down (even makes shinglebacks stink free)
it turns to saw dust once its been wet so you wont have any trouble finding wee spots..

 

[Porkbones]

Usually if you can see that your snake has pooped it probably would have did a number 1 aswell or you can check for wet substrate or you could smell it you should be checking everyday

Yep if it was wet then thts easily spotted.was just wondering how bad it was if it dries up b4 I see it,like while I'm at work, an how often the substrate should be fully changed

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i use ozpet litter for all my snakes, keeps the smell waaaay down (even makes shinglebacks stink free)
it turns to saw dust once its been wet so you wont have any trouble finding wee spots..

Oh yep,tht sounds very handy.i just don't want it to wee thn dry up b4 I spot it.surely it can't b to healthy having lots of dried up wee in th substrate

 

[caliherp]

Yep if it was wet then thts easily spotted.was just wondering how bad it was if it dries up b4 I see it,like while I'm at work, an how often the substrate should be fully changed

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Oh yep,tht sounds very handy.i just don't want it to wee thn dry up b4 I spot it.surely it can't b to healthy having lots of dried up wee in th substrate

I spot clean as soon as I see any fecal matter. I fully change and sanitize my enclosures every month.

 

[Porkbones]

I spot clean as soon as I see any fecal matter. I fully change and sanitize my enclosures every month.

Yes fecal matter would b cleaned as soon as I saw it, itwas the wee drying up while I was at work tht Im not sure about.but 1ce a month changing the substrate an giving it a clean sounds good

 

[SamNabz]

Put an icecream tub lid in the enclosure and feed your snake off it so it wont get substrate stuck to its food

Snakes do not sit in one position and eat like a cat, dog etc. so this won't work.

They (snakes) have been around for millions of years, they are not pathetic animals that require the utmost care and cautiousness... If they were to die every time they accidentally ingested something whilst eating, they wouldn't be so successful now would they?

Substrate can be anything from paper towel and newspaper, to bark, mulch, gravel and so on...

 

[caliherp]

Yes fecal matter would b cleaned as soon as I saw it, itwas the wee drying up while I was at work tht Im not sure about.but 1ce a month changing the substrate an giving it a clean sounds good

I should have clarified I scoop a one inch or so radius around the soild area.

 

[Reptilez123]

I never stated that snakes eat like dogs or cats and never said they were pathetic animals i was just stating to try and icecream tub lid because it works for some people.

Snakes do not sit in one position and eat like a cat, dog etc. so this won't work.

They (snakes) have been around for millions of years, they are not pathetic animals that require the utmost care and cautiousness... If they were to die every time they accidentally ingested something whilst eating, they wouldn't be so successful now would they?

Substrate can be anything from paper towel and newspaper, to bark, mulch, gravel and so on...

 

[SamNabz]

I never stated that snakes eat like dogs or cats and never said they were pathetic animals i was just stating to try and icecream tub lid because it works for some people.

I wasn't aiming that entire post at you Reptilez123, just the first line.

And I never said you stated they eat like dogs or cats, I was just explaining that they do no sit in one spot and eat so the method you mentioned will not work.

 

[DaReptileBoy]

you should you Cyprus mulch or aspen snake bedding

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you should you Cyprus mulch or aspen snake bedding

 

[MyMitchie]

I dislike Aspen snake bedding so incredibly much. I used it once for a week and in that week I pulled 10 pieces from my snake that had been so sharp they wedged themselves under his scales. I use coir peat because it looks natural, is smell free, highly inexpensive and is soft so I don't have to worry about my poor snakes getting splinters.
PLEASE NOTE: This is my personal opinion only.