If you are looking for the *RED PILL* of the *Reptile Industry* then *START HERE:* ua-cam.com/video/F1QXoSZa5Aw/v-deo.html *PREPARE FOR A PERSPECTIVE SHIFT*
I enjoyed your video. I personally use Forest Floor for both my Boa constrictor and my Spotted Python. I like this substrate and will most likely continue using it, so I was glad to see that this was on your list. Thanks.
Newbie here to the snake world and my first snake is a Kenyan Sand Boa. I did use the Aspen Bedding for a while and have nothing bad to say about it but soon after, I discovered the world of bio-active vivariums. Since I wanted to do it so bad but had no knowledge about it, but I did watch tons of videos on how to go about it, pros, cons, I decided for my first bio-active, i did not want to make mistakes at the cost of my baby sand boa so I went and bought The Bio Dude's Terra Sahara on a 10-gallon. Did that on March 2019. Bought springtails and isopods, etc. Here comes October and I decided to move my baby to a slightly bigger tank with new Terra Sahara and clean up crew, and I was surprised to see my baby boa at least 2x bigger when I first got him (he was only a week old). In the 7 months I had him in the original tank, I was able to get only one piece of skin that he shed. When I dumped out the old Terra Sahara, I was trying to find more shed skins but did not see any! And the substrate looked wonderful and had absolutely NO SMELL of any kind. It was beautiful! I am now slowly learning how to do my own bio-active substrate mixes and decors and your channel has given me so much information!! Like I did not know how to sterilize a log but now I do and I can now get me my Red-Tail Boa!!! Thank you so much!!!
Awesome, love this! Are you spot cleaning or are you finding that the clean up crew is taking care of all the mess? I hope Bio Dude substrates becomes available in Canada soon, I’d love to try them!
Eco earth on its own is especially good for juvenile rainbow boas: for the first year mine actually spent quite a lot of the time completely buried in the substrate; now that she’s a young adult she hides far less, and part of her body is almost always in the open now. I use Vivexotic enclosures; as these are made of wood, I use a very deep layer of substrate innthe rainbow boa’s viv - about four inches, so that even with considerable misting, the bottom stays dry. I use Forest Floor cypress mulch for my boa constrictor amarali’s main enclosure, and fine cocnut for her extension enclosure which I added on to provide extra space. I like eco earth for my carpet pythons - they need high humidity when in their shed cycles, as does the boa constrictor.
I personally use Eco Earth mixed with repti bark for one of my ball pythons, but I am going to try another substrate mixed with Eco Earth for my other ball python to see which one is best.
I know from doing research online that a lot of people don’t like using aspen but it depends from species to species. I’m planning on getting aspen for my Hognose since they like to burrow and don’t require much humidity/moisture. Newspaper and paper towels are also ok to use for hatchlings so it’s easier to monitor waste but after a while it’s good to switch to actual substrate.
Yep, exactly! If you are a podcast listener, you'll have to check out my podcast Animals at Home! It's most reptile based and we mainly discuss methods for improving care/ increasing the welfare for the animals we keep. I think you might enjoy it :)
Animals at Home I’ll definitely check it out! I only discovered your channel today and I really like the information that you give to your viewers. Keep up the good work! I’m definitely subscribing :)
I use aspen bedding for my ball pythons and never had issues besides the constant vacuuming. The struggle is real but looks great, spot checking is a breeze. But yeah, dry only, don't use in humid tanks.
I've never used cypress mulch but Boxingboa made a video where it killed one of his snakes. The snake was shedding and pressing against the substrate when one of the pieces went through the snake's eye and into the brain. For that reason I'd never use it but I see a lot of people do.
Wow! That is crazy, I have never heard of anything like that. But yes, it is definitely "sharper" than other substrates, that's why I like to mix it with something else to reduce the total volume of mulch.
Animals at Home I tried aspen i felt like it was tooooo dry. Idk if the two are correlated but when i would hold my snakes the scales would catch against my hand after i used aspen. I have eco earth and forest floor. I decided paper towels is best for my balls. Its just way easier to clean and keep sanitized imo. But for Sãngo my BRB he gets eco earth. I dont have any real issue with eco earth other than it getting in their mouths when eating.
Michael Riley yeah i move my brb when i feed because i don't want him to eat substrate. And i feel like aspen is too dry aswell and after watching this video i think i will try mixing it with something
Paper towel has it's place. When you first get a snake and when a snake is sick, paper towels are great for monitoring health when they produce feces and urates.
I just got a Ball Python, William Snakespeare, a few weeks ago really had no idea what kind of bedding I was going to get. This really helped but what would you say I should go with? I was think a mix of cypress and coconut fiber?
I'm sadly on a bit of a budget, so I'm going to use Repti bark only for the time being. When I get more money, I am likely going to add eco earth and mix them. My BP is also used to it (I'm adopting him, and they use Repti Bark)
@@AnimalsatHomePodcast I'm planning on spot cleaning. It's just that the stuff for my terrarium was more expensive than I had originally thought, so I had to cut back on the luxuries of blended substrate or climbing sticks for the time being.
I know I'm really late but how do you check your humidity in a snake tank? I want a corn and I know the humidity is 40-60% but I don't know how to check it. Also how do you raise/lower the humidity if it's not in the right range?
I've been researching for days what substrate to use for a hognose. I want to go for a forest look, but it shouldn't be too humid and should be okay for burrowing. Watching your video I think I should mix Eco Earth with something else, like the forest floor?
If you add forest floor you'll probably end up with too much humidity. I don't know a ton about hognose snakes, however, my friend Mariah can definitely help you out! www.reptifiles.com/heterodon-hognose-snake-care/hognose-substrate/
Hognose snakes live in loamy (sandy) soil. They burrow in, and the burrow holds shape. Therefore cypress mulch (forest floor) is the wrong substrate for a hognose. They do not live in woodlands or jungles. Aspen is good because it has properties that work for hognose, even if it is wood. Another option is TerraSahara from the Biodude, mixed with some playsand. Possibly EcoEarth mixed with playsand. The sand helps make it hold shape better.
Okay so after watching this i decided Forest floor for my first ball python. Good choice? Got any advice? I see a lot of people here mixing substrates, is that better?
The only issue with forest floor for a ball python is you might retain too much humidity. You may want to go with a drier substrate like coco husk/ repti-chip
For my BRB I mix around 3:1 reptichip & sphagnum moss: adding enough water to the mix for the chips can expand and hold water but not drip when squeezed. I put damp sphagnum in her hides as well. Have you considered going bioactive?
Interesting! I might have to try a reptichip/Sphagnum mix myself, I suspect it would very effective against the dry winter seasons I have to deal with. I have tossed around the idea of going bioactive... my gecko setups are all bioactive. It is probably something I would eventually try, have you tired it?
I can relate to the dryness. "North Dakota is pretty much Canada" says my family 😅 Currently in the process of setting up her bio forever home. It's taking me a while because I want it perfect but luckily I have the time for she is 5 months young. If you're interested/curious about the bioactive scene, I can recommend a top notch Facebook group if ya like 🙂 There is so much knowledge in there it could be classified as a classroom 😄
Yes, then you know the exact weather I am talking about! I'm in Manitoba so I have been to ND plenty of times. Yes, I'd definitely like to know the name of the Bioactive FB group!
My son left me to take care of his 60lb (27 Kg) boa constrictor when he joined the US Navy. He has all kinds of temperature and other gadgets to measure climate. I don't understand most of it only to keep the temperature to keep him comfortable. but just need to keep this monster alive. He (my son) left me with lots of spare/replacement coconut substrate. How often should I change the substrate?
You only need to change the substrate when the snake defecate. And even then, I don’t change out all the substrate. I typically just replace a section of the substrate that is soiled
@@AnimalsatHomePodcast Great advice. Thank you for responding. I have new substrate soaking now. Should I be cautious when to change substrate? He fed three days ago so he's pretty much coiled and docile now. I wanted to give the tank an overhaul and change it all out. Any advice?
I’d give them a full 5 to 7 days before moving him, just tell him to completely digest. Boa’s are typically quite docile, you could always tap him with a snake hook or some other kind of stick before you reach in and grab him. ua-cam.com/video/fgwgZwOC2CI/v-deo.html
I'm worried about my corn snake because I'm going to get my first snake and I'm worried aspen is going to mould?I'm also worried about my snake hurting itself when burrowing? Any better substrate to hold humidity and not mould much? 🖤
I would say you have nothing to worry about 😊. Corn snakes don’t require very high humidity (40-60% is good). As long as you have a large enough water dish to maintain proper humidity you won’t need to mist the substrate. Aspen will only mold if it is actually wet/damp, so if your humidity is 40-60% without having to mist, you won’t have to worry about mold growth. Aspen is super soft to the touch, especially if you find a product that has been double shredded, your corn snake definitely won’t hurt itself burrowing! 😁
I was just wondering, you don't have any kind of mold issues mixing the Aspen in the coconut husk? Use you still soak the coconut husk before you put it in and then still mix it with Aspen?
Personally I don't have any issues but I live in a very dry climate so I have never had mold problems with any substrate. Typically I just mist everything (rather than soak the husk only).
@@AnimalsatHomePodcast I saw a video a long time ago where you said the website u buy description labels from. I can't remember the site or which video it's in. The labels with pictures like zoos have on Enclosures
Hey, I was wondering what you would recommend for Mexican black king snake 🥺 Originally I used aspen bedding but it got into his throat and I had to take him to the vet. Right now he’s on carpet due to his recovery but I’ve noticed that he’s wanted to start burrowing again so I’ve been doing research on what alternative to use, I was thinking coco fiber but I’m not 100% on it so I really want to get your input on it!
Check out my friend Liam‘s channel, he has a Mexican black king. ua-cam.com/video/hzSjHAEH8uw/v-deo.html I’m surprise you had to take your snake to the vet for ingesting some aspen. Typically snakes have no issue ingesting/passing little bits of substrate. Do you think taking it to the vet was necessary? Or were you just worried and wanted to take him to the vet as a precaution?
Animals at Home super late reply from me, sorry haha. I believe that taking him to the vet was necessary , the medication that they gave me for him helped his recovery, and thankfully I got to it in time for his throat not to get infected. And soon after taking to the vet and giving him all those meds he started eating again! And I could tell that after all those vet visits that he was feeling better 🥺
I have been using aspen since I got my baby king snake a month ago. I was planning to switch to a mixture of aspen and coco fiber. Would a good ratio be 50-50?
I wouldn’t (cedar and pine can be toxic), although orchid bark and cocohusk can be bought at most hardware stores I think and they are both good options.
Sadly I’m allergic to aspen and I don’t know if I would be okay with these substrates. I’m even allergic to grass... Do you have any advice for me which one to chose?
Oh I’m sorry to hear that! I’m allergic to pollen, Spring is horrible so I can sort of understand... although not to the same extent. If I were you I would go with coco-husk, it’s not very dusty and it’s very different from the wood-type substrates so hopefully that means you wouldn’t have a reaction to it
I think it’s perfectly fine, just keep in mind when it’s fresh out of the bag it holds some decent moisture. So it might need a few days of being in the enclosure to dry out so you don’t get too much humidity. Once you open the bag the contents tend to dry out pretty quick (I.e. it’s really just the initial open/use of the bag where humidity may be an issue)
Ah I see, hopefully someone chimes in to help! Although one thing I’ve noticed, once coco fiber actually dries out (takes a few weeks) it drops the humidity quite a bit
Hmm interesting question. Really, snakes will put up with whatever you give them. However you can definitely choose a substrate that allows them to behave as naturally as possible (which I recommend). Ie. Choosing a burrowing substrate if they like to burrow for example.
I been using her normal substrate. But went out and got coconut fiber loose and forest floor and mixed together and she's not hiding much just curious. Maybe it's more me than her lol she's a ball python stressing me out lol
Ya give her some time! I can take weeks for them to get used to a new change. Eventually you’ll be able to tell which substrate she seems the most comfortable on
Ideal substrate? They live in the wild on normal dirt/earth so that is what i get for my snakes. I go to a nearby forest and get my substrate, leaves, branches right there. It's free and it's good. And no, i don't cook or boil or freeze anything!!!
Free is good! Although I would definitely recommend sterilizing it in some way. They certainly live on natural dirt/earth in the wild but their immune systems have evolved to handle the bacteria/pathogens native to their environment. Your snake doesn’t necessarily have an immune system set up to properly handle pathogens from where you live if that makes sense. Having said that I’m sure you go could years (maybe you have?) without issue, but in my opinion better to be safe than sorry
What the fuck man? :)) The cypress mulch doesn't "release moisture by breaking down in the bag"... They package it already wet for the end user. Also, you can never get it as wet as it initially was? :)) You wanna bet on that? It's just wood- you can spray it as much as you need, ffs.
Cypress trees grow in wetlands which cause the wood tissue to be saturated with water. Once the trees are cut down, shredded and bagged the moisture leeches out of the tissue. Once the wood dries and the cells within the wood desiccate, it is very difficult to "re-hydrate" the mulch. Yes you can spray is down and make it wet but it will not absorb the water/retain moisture in the way it did fresh out of the bag. Possibility you have had a different experience with the product? Thanks for watching! PS- when you use swears in the comment, UA-cam does not notify me of the comment (I have no idea why), hence the delayed response!
If you are looking for the *RED PILL* of the *Reptile Industry* then *START HERE:* ua-cam.com/video/F1QXoSZa5Aw/v-deo.html
*PREPARE FOR A PERSPECTIVE SHIFT*
I enjoyed your video. I personally use Forest Floor for both my Boa constrictor and my Spotted Python. I like this substrate and will most likely continue using it, so I was glad to see that this was on your list. Thanks.
Thanks for watching, Patrick!
That “she mad” killed me lmao
😂😂
Newbie here to the snake world and my first snake is a Kenyan Sand Boa. I did use the Aspen Bedding for a while and have nothing bad to say about it but soon after, I discovered the world of bio-active vivariums. Since I wanted to do it so bad but had no knowledge about it, but I did watch tons of videos on how to go about it, pros, cons, I decided for my first bio-active, i did not want to make mistakes at the cost of my baby sand boa so I went and bought The Bio Dude's Terra Sahara on a 10-gallon. Did that on March 2019. Bought springtails and isopods, etc. Here comes October and I decided to move my baby to a slightly bigger tank with new Terra Sahara and clean up crew, and I was surprised to see my baby boa at least 2x bigger when I first got him (he was only a week old). In the 7 months I had him in the original tank, I was able to get only one piece of skin that he shed. When I dumped out the old Terra Sahara, I was trying to find more shed skins but did not see any! And the substrate looked wonderful and had absolutely NO SMELL of any kind. It was beautiful! I am now slowly learning how to do my own bio-active substrate mixes and decors and your channel has given me so much information!! Like I did not know how to sterilize a log but now I do and I can now get me my Red-Tail Boa!!! Thank you so much!!!
Awesome, love this! Are you spot cleaning or are you finding that the clean up crew is taking care of all the mess? I hope Bio Dude substrates becomes available in Canada soon, I’d love to try them!
my corns love burrowing in the Zoo Med Forest floor bedding, and I like the natural look of their enclosure
Ya forest floor smells nice too!
Eco earth on its own is especially good for juvenile rainbow boas: for the first year mine actually spent quite a lot of the time completely buried in the substrate; now that she’s a young adult she hides far less, and part of her body is almost always in the open now. I use Vivexotic enclosures; as these are made of wood, I use a very deep layer of substrate innthe rainbow boa’s viv - about four inches, so that even with considerable misting, the bottom stays dry. I use Forest Floor cypress mulch for my boa constrictor amarali’s main enclosure, and fine cocnut for her extension enclosure which I added on to provide extra space. I like eco earth for my carpet pythons - they need high humidity when in their shed cycles, as does the boa constrictor.
I'm learning so much keep sharing your knowledge
Thanks for watching! 😀
I personally use Eco Earth mixed with repti bark for one of my ball pythons, but I am going to try another substrate mixed with Eco Earth for my other ball python to see which one is best.
Let me know the result!
I know I'm 1 month late but I use eco earth mixed with zoomed forest floor it works perfect for my ball python
I use eco earth and cypress mulch
Update?
@@catfood2 I've since used peat moss and found it to be perfect for my snakes!
For my snake I use a mix of eco earth, forest bark, sphagnum moss, and a little bit of sand. It retains humidity pretty well and is also easy to clean
Oh interesting! Sounds like it absorbs waste well too
it absolutely does
I know from doing research online that a lot of people don’t like using aspen but it depends from species to species. I’m planning on getting aspen for my Hognose since they like to burrow and don’t require much humidity/moisture. Newspaper and paper towels are also ok to use for hatchlings so it’s easier to monitor waste but after a while it’s good to switch to actual substrate.
Yep, exactly! If you are a podcast listener, you'll have to check out my podcast Animals at Home! It's most reptile based and we mainly discuss methods for improving care/ increasing the welfare for the animals we keep. I think you might enjoy it :)
Animals at Home I’ll definitely check it out! I only discovered your channel today and I really like the information that you give to your viewers. Keep up the good work! I’m definitely subscribing :)
This is really helpful
Thanks, Hannah! Glad you found it helpful!
I think that I am going to put the coconut substrate for my snake, thank you!
Herro!
Thank for the usefull information for snakes bedding its realky helpfull.😊
Thanks for watching!
I'm using a 2:1 eco earth x coconut fibre and a nice clump of moss in the hide. every shed i've had has been full and clean
Awesome! I bet that handles the smell of waste quite well too
I use aspen bedding for my ball pythons and never had issues besides the constant vacuuming. The struggle is real but looks great, spot checking is a breeze. But yeah, dry only, don't use in humid tanks.
Ha ha yes! The vacuuming is so annoying 🤣
I've never used cypress mulch but Boxingboa made a video where it killed one of his snakes. The snake was shedding and pressing against the substrate when one of the pieces went through the snake's eye and into the brain. For that reason I'd never use it but I see a lot of people do.
Wow! That is crazy, I have never heard of anything like that. But yes, it is definitely "sharper" than other substrates, that's why I like to mix it with something else to reduce the total volume of mulch.
i have a corn snake and trying to figure out the best option, could you do aspen and coco fiber?
Sure, that would work!
@@AnimalsatHomePodcast perfect thank you, wanted to make a change and make the tank look better and great video and lots of info
I agree with every word about the paper towel... We can do better:)
I use coco husk for my brb and aspen for my boa constrictor
Ya I hate to see animals living on plain paper towel!! Glad you agree :)
Animals at Home I tried aspen i felt like it was tooooo dry. Idk if the two are correlated but when i would hold my snakes the scales would catch against my hand after i used aspen. I have eco earth and forest floor. I decided paper towels is best for my balls. Its just way easier to clean and keep sanitized imo. But for Sãngo my BRB he gets eco earth. I dont have any real issue with eco earth other than it getting in their mouths when eating.
Michael Riley yeah i move my brb when i feed because i don't want him to eat substrate.
And i feel like aspen is too dry aswell and after watching this video i think i will try mixing it with something
Yes Eco Earth does tend to get into mouths during feeding... although mixing it with Forest Floor definitely helps!
Paper towel has it's place. When you first get a snake and when a snake is sick, paper towels are great for monitoring health when they produce feces and urates.
A good brake down of the substrate!
Thank you!
I just got a Ball Python, William Snakespeare, a few weeks ago really had no idea what kind of bedding I was going to get. This really helped but what would you say I should go with? I was think a mix of cypress and coconut fiber?
I think a cypress/coco fiber mix would be great!
I use coconut husk for my blue tongue lizard
Love coconut husk!
I'm sadly on a bit of a budget, so I'm going to use Repti bark only for the time being. When I get more money, I am likely going to add eco earth and mix them. My BP is also used to it (I'm adopting him, and they use Repti Bark)
No worries about being on a budget! Luckily substrate lasts quite a long time provided your don’t change it call every time you clean
@@AnimalsatHomePodcast I'm planning on spot cleaning. It's just that the stuff for my terrarium was more expensive than I had originally thought, so I had to cut back on the luxuries of blended substrate or climbing sticks for the time being.
GREAT VIDEO, THANKS
Thanks for watching, Jose!
I know I'm really late but how do you check your humidity in a snake tank? I want a corn and I know the humidity is 40-60% but I don't know how to check it. Also how do you raise/lower the humidity if it's not in the right range?
www.animalsathome.ca/how-to-increase-humidity-in-a-terrarium/
That article should answer everything you need to know 😊
I've been researching for days what substrate to use for a hognose. I want to go for a forest look, but it shouldn't be too humid and should be okay for burrowing. Watching your video I think I should mix Eco Earth with something else, like the forest floor?
If you add forest floor you'll probably end up with too much humidity. I don't know a ton about hognose snakes, however, my friend Mariah can definitely help you out! www.reptifiles.com/heterodon-hognose-snake-care/hognose-substrate/
@@AnimalsatHomePodcast thanks for your reply, will check the link it out!
No problem, ReptiFiles has tons of amazing care content so it should be helpful!
For a hognose aspen is best since they are a burrowing snake and give about 2 to 4 inches for them
Hognose snakes live in loamy (sandy) soil. They burrow in, and the burrow holds shape. Therefore cypress mulch (forest floor) is the wrong substrate for a hognose. They do not live in woodlands or jungles. Aspen is good because it has properties that work for hognose, even if it is wood. Another option is TerraSahara from the Biodude, mixed with some playsand. Possibly EcoEarth mixed with playsand. The sand helps make it hold shape better.
What species snake was at 6:45 ? Thanks and love the video
Thanks for watching! Brazilian Rainbow Boa, an awesome looking snake!
Okay so after watching this i decided Forest floor for my first ball python. Good choice? Got any advice? I see a lot of people here mixing substrates, is that better?
The only issue with forest floor for a ball python is you might retain too much humidity. You may want to go with a drier substrate like coco husk/ repti-chip
@@AnimalsatHomePodcast thank you!
Are there any issues with feeding a ball python on an eco-earth substrate? Is it dangerous if they ingest any of it
Nope it’s totally fine!
For my BRB I mix around 3:1 reptichip & sphagnum moss: adding enough water to the mix for the chips can expand and hold water but not drip when squeezed. I put damp sphagnum in her hides as well.
Have you considered going bioactive?
Interesting! I might have to try a reptichip/Sphagnum mix myself, I suspect it would very effective against the dry winter seasons I have to deal with. I have tossed around the idea of going bioactive... my gecko setups are all bioactive. It is probably something I would eventually try, have you tired it?
I can relate to the dryness. "North Dakota is pretty much Canada" says my family 😅 Currently in the process of setting up her bio forever home. It's taking me a while because I want it perfect but luckily I have the time for she is 5 months young.
If you're interested/curious about the bioactive scene, I can recommend a top notch Facebook group if ya like 🙂 There is so much knowledge in there it could be classified as a classroom 😄
Yes, then you know the exact weather I am talking about! I'm in Manitoba so I have been to ND plenty of times. Yes, I'd definitely like to know the name of the Bioactive FB group!
Reptile and Amphibian Bioactive Setups 🙂
My son left me to take care of his 60lb (27 Kg) boa constrictor when he joined the US Navy. He has all kinds of temperature and other gadgets to measure climate. I don't understand most of it only to keep the temperature to keep him comfortable. but just need to keep this monster alive. He (my son) left me with lots of spare/replacement coconut substrate. How often should I change the substrate?
You only need to change the substrate when the snake defecate. And even then, I don’t change out all the substrate. I typically just replace a section of the substrate that is soiled
@@AnimalsatHomePodcast Great advice. Thank you for responding. I have new substrate soaking now. Should I be cautious when to change substrate? He fed three days ago so he's pretty much coiled and docile now. I wanted to give the tank an overhaul and change it all out. Any advice?
I’d give them a full 5 to 7 days before moving him, just tell him to completely digest. Boa’s are typically quite docile, you could always tap him with a snake hook or some other kind of stick before you reach in and grab him. ua-cam.com/video/fgwgZwOC2CI/v-deo.html
I'm worried about my corn snake because I'm going to get my first snake and I'm worried aspen is going to mould?I'm also worried about my snake hurting itself when burrowing? Any better substrate to hold humidity and not mould much? 🖤
I would say you have nothing to worry about 😊. Corn snakes don’t require very high humidity (40-60% is good). As long as you have a large enough water dish to maintain proper humidity you won’t need to mist the substrate. Aspen will only mold if it is actually wet/damp, so if your humidity is 40-60% without having to mist, you won’t have to worry about mold growth. Aspen is super soft to the touch, especially if you find a product that has been double shredded, your corn snake definitely won’t hurt itself burrowing! 😁
I was just wondering, you don't have any kind of mold issues mixing the Aspen in the coconut husk? Use you still soak the coconut husk before you put it in and then still mix it with Aspen?
Personally I don't have any issues but I live in a very dry climate so I have never had mold problems with any substrate. Typically I just mist everything (rather than soak the husk only).
@@AnimalsatHomePodcast I live in Michigan so I don't have any problems with humidity, I meant more from the coconut being wet
@@scottscarberryCPRC Ah I see, nope, never had any issues!
@@AnimalsatHomePodcast I saw a video a long time ago where you said the website u buy description labels from. I can't remember the site or which video it's in. The labels with pictures like zoos have on Enclosures
cloudforest.design/
I have a ball python and a Guyana red tall so the 3rd and 4th sb I can use for both ?
Yep!
@@AnimalsatHomePodcast can I just use 1 of them or do I have to mix them
You can do it however you like. There are our hard or fast rules.. Whatever works best for you/your animal
Will eco earth grt sticky when moist? I was wondering if it gets stuck on heat pits.
It doesn’t get too sticky. I haven’t had too much issues with it getting stuck in heat pets
Is repti chip a good substrate ? Should I use this ???
Yep, it works fine!
Hey, I was wondering what you would recommend for Mexican black king snake 🥺 Originally I used aspen bedding but it got into his throat and I had to take him to the vet. Right now he’s on carpet due to his recovery but I’ve noticed that he’s wanted to start burrowing again so I’ve been doing research on what alternative to use, I was thinking coco fiber but I’m not 100% on it so I really want to get your input on it!
Check out my friend Liam‘s channel, he has a Mexican black king. ua-cam.com/video/hzSjHAEH8uw/v-deo.html
I’m surprise you had to take your snake to the vet for ingesting some aspen. Typically snakes have no issue ingesting/passing little bits of substrate. Do you think taking it to the vet was necessary? Or were you just worried and wanted to take him to the vet as a precaution?
Animals at Home super late reply from me, sorry haha. I believe that taking him to the vet was necessary , the medication that they gave me for him helped his recovery, and thankfully I got to it in time for his throat not to get infected. And soon after taking to the vet and giving him all those meds he started eating again! And I could tell that after all those vet visits that he was feeling better 🥺
What would u say is the best bioactive substrate for a corn snake ?
Probably a mix of things. I would take a look at some of the bio active recipes SerpaDesign has on UA-cam
I have been using aspen since I got my baby king snake a month ago. I was planning to switch to a mixture of aspen and coco fiber. Would a good ratio be 50-50?
Yep I think that would work fine! Just play around with it 👍🏼
Can I use wood nuggets/ mulch from home depot?
I wouldn’t (cedar and pine can be toxic), although orchid bark and cocohusk can be bought at most hardware stores I think and they are both good options.
Is pest moss ok
Yep
Wouldn't organic top soil be good for boas?
That would work 👍🏼
Sadly I’m allergic to aspen and I don’t know if I would be okay with these substrates. I’m even allergic to grass... Do you have any advice for me which one to chose?
Oh I’m sorry to hear that! I’m allergic to pollen, Spring is horrible so I can sort of understand... although not to the same extent. If I were you I would go with coco-husk, it’s not very dusty and it’s very different from the wood-type substrates so hopefully that means you wouldn’t have a reaction to it
Animals at Home Thank you very much!
I feel you... 😅
Allergies are a stupid invention xD
You said you use coco fiber and cypress mulch mix but then at the end you say you use coco husk and aspen bedding mix lol
What is your opinion on the use of Eco carpet for a ball python?
I think it’s perfectly fine, just keep in mind when it’s fresh out of the bag it holds some decent moisture. So it might need a few days of being in the enclosure to dry out so you don’t get too much humidity. Once you open the bag the contents tend to dry out pretty quick (I.e. it’s really just the initial open/use of the bag where humidity may be an issue)
@@AnimalsatHomePodcast Thank you for replying.
You bet!
Dies the coco husk attracts gnats?
Nope!
I came back to this just because I wanted to see what your thoughts were on an age old question 😂
haha damn this is an old video 😂
Can you mix Aspen and eco earth
Sure, why not!
Anyone have any suggestions of substrate i can mix with coconut fibre to better maintain the humidity? Something preferably that wont mold
Cypress mulch or coconut husk would work!
@@AnimalsatHomePodcast im getting too high of a humidity level, im asking for a subtrate to mix with coco fibre so that it lowers the humidity
Ah I see, hopefully someone chimes in to help! Although one thing I’ve noticed, once coco fiber actually dries out (takes a few weeks) it drops the humidity quite a bit
Is it okay for my ball python to have just coconut fiber or will it cause scale rot
Yep it’s perfectly fine providing you don’t keep the substrate wet. Coconut fiber itself is not wet to the touch.
@@AnimalsatHomePodcast thank you it seems kind of damp but i did just put it in
Right out of the bag it might feel slightly damp but it will dry out fairly quickly
Is cypress mulch ok for my ball python?
You may run into issues with humidity (too much humidity) with cypress mulch. You might want to consider a coco husk based substrate instead
@@AnimalsatHomePodcast thank you definitely gonna look into it.
No problem!
What morph is your ball python?
Actually I don’t have one! Just the title of the video, I have boas and a carpet python! How about you?
Animals at Home I have a ball python
Can snakes not like their substrate
Hmm interesting question. Really, snakes will put up with whatever you give them. However you can definitely choose a substrate that allows them to behave as naturally as possible (which I recommend). Ie. Choosing a burrowing substrate if they like to burrow for example.
I been using her normal substrate. But went out and got coconut fiber loose and forest floor and mixed together and she's not hiding much just curious. Maybe it's more me than her lol she's a ball python stressing me out lol
Ya give her some time! I can take weeks for them to get used to a new change. Eventually you’ll be able to tell which substrate she seems the most comfortable on
@@AnimalsatHomePodcast thanks
So nobody use reptichip
I’ve never used it because I can’t seem to find it in my area. But as far as I know, it a very similar to the coco husk product I show in this video
Ideal substrate? They live in the wild on normal dirt/earth so that is what i get for my snakes. I go to a nearby forest and get my substrate, leaves, branches right there. It's free and it's good. And no, i don't cook or boil or freeze anything!!!
Free is good! Although I would definitely recommend sterilizing it in some way. They certainly live on natural dirt/earth in the wild but their immune systems have evolved to handle the bacteria/pathogens native to their environment. Your snake doesn’t necessarily have an immune system set up to properly handle pathogens from where you live if that makes sense. Having said that I’m sure you go could years (maybe you have?) without issue, but in my opinion better to be safe than sorry
What the fuck man? :)) The cypress mulch doesn't "release moisture by breaking down in the bag"... They package it already wet for the end user. Also, you can never get it as wet as it initially was? :)) You wanna bet on that? It's just wood- you can spray it as much as you need, ffs.
Cypress trees grow in wetlands which cause the wood tissue to be saturated with water. Once the trees are cut down, shredded and bagged the moisture leeches out of the tissue. Once the wood dries and the cells within the wood desiccate, it is very difficult to "re-hydrate" the mulch. Yes you can spray is down and make it wet but it will not absorb the water/retain moisture in the way it did fresh out of the bag. Possibility you have had a different experience with the product? Thanks for watching! PS- when you use swears in the comment, UA-cam does not notify me of the comment (I have no idea why), hence the delayed response!