Why Aspen is a Bad Pet Reptile Substrate! (Aspen Wood Shavings)
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- Опубліковано 7 тра 2020
- Aspen shavings and chips are two of the most popular beddings to use with reptiles, but I personally have too many issues with these substrates to use with reptiles. Moldy, dusty, sharp, dry and ugly are just some of my gripes with this choice of material. It can cause respiratory infections, scale damage, trouble shedding and more. Today, I go into detail about why you should reconsider using it.
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*sees title and looks at my 4 snakes living on aspen*
Me: *chuckles* I'm in danger
Hahahaha
Saaaaame. Every single one xD
I'd reccomend adding some facebook groups on reptiles! I'm in a couple and it's very useful to get information like at the GoHerping channel, but more easily about the exact stuff you wanna know. Most Facebook groups have loads of people in them who know exactly what combination of substrate will be best for your exact reptile, so it's very useful to learn more in dept and species specific information from experienced owners
Aspen is perfect for colubrids like milk snakes, corn snakes, etc... not great for humid species like ball pythons, common boas..
Just got a hognose yesterday on aspen then I see this video lol
When you’re not going to get a reptile for at least another 5 years but you’re still here... because... just because.
You can still dream.
It's great to start doing research early to make up your opinion :)
same
Omg same I’ve researched for snakes like crazy I know a lot about their care but I’m not allowed to get a snake. Still love watching videos of snakes tho, I’m patient! ❤️ 😂
Same xD
I'm gonna get a snake around 4 years from now, 3 years with luck, and I've been doing research for a long time. I'm still not sure if the huge amount of research it's really just bc I plan on getting a snake one day or because I love snakes xD
@@saram2905 in my opinion, no ammount of research will make you 100% prepared for an animal but as long as you continue researching and pay attention to your animals you will make a great pet owner :)
I wish you luck in your noodle pursuit
"aspen is made from, believe it or not, aspen"
And you call tell its Aspen cause the way it is
You wouldn't believe where cypress comes from
Its actually, "aspen is made from aspen, believe it or not"
I thought it was coco fibre
@@genesischandler9210 what about pine?
The extreme reluctance to mention Brian and his products was real.
What products 👀
whom 🤔🤔🤔
Neither of you watched the video, huh?
Victoria r/woosh
I do not know this Brian you speak of 🤔🤔🤔 nor his so-called “products”
The people who are talking about how it never molds, need to be reminded of climate and spore differences.
Some places things mold within days. Other places it almost never molds.
Right! Aspen NEVER molds for me (in southeast Texas, very humid, 60% humidity indoors). Aspen never molds, even when my snake over spills her water. Meanwhile, coconut fiber molds at the drop of a hat, even when completely dry. It just has to be the spore difference in my area.
@@lydiaeddins2083 Yeah same I am in the UK. My snake use to constantly knock over its water bowl but I never saw mold
This can vary even within regions or even house to house, too. I live in the woods, near a creek, in a house that gets very little direct sun. The spores are abundant, and the household humidity level can be higher than average compared to houses that get more sun. I have to choose animal bedding more carefully here than other houses I’ve lived in.
what is this. why does Alex have a new shirt. is this actually the goherping channel ?? or did i go on the wrong one ????
You ended up in a parallel universe, welcome to earth c137
Yup. Here, Alex wears TWO shirts!
He has another channel called GoHerping, this is his GoComittingFelonies channel you're on the wrong one
That was a roller coaster of a life for Bob, at least he knew that Coyote Peterson is a man of culture as shown at 0:15
I actually met Coyote Peterson at a book signing with my kids. Real nice guy in person. He signed my sons framed water bug (aka toe biter).
Alex your shirt is very distracting. I'm used to grey and this is frightening me.
Alex: *Puts effort into a video with legitimate talking points and good information*
Comments: sHiRt!
Bob has a mental breakdown
Bob is relatable
I’m bob
Mood
why is no one mentioning how nice alex’s shirt is....
edit: nevermind
Its pewdiepies and marzia tsuki merch
I'd like it if it didn't have the blue sleeve. Just the white and orange would be nice.
But most people are...
I liked plain gray better
It's a look!
R.I.P. Bob and his noodle
At least he had his Gucci
Fun fact: Apsen groves are often one giant organism and are all connected by one root system. Some are even believed to be miles large. So one Aspen forest could easily be, one giant tree. They are also believed to be extremely old organisms because the trees above ground may die but the root system stays alive. It's very common for a system to be 5,000 years old. There is one thought to maybe be 80,000 years old.
Thats awesome 🥰
ATLA swamp vibes
Oh cool! Like mycelium!
I was the owner of the retic he’s talking about. It wasn’t laziness that made us keep him in a dry environment, we took Jigsaw to 2 different vets and tried different antibiotics both times, as well as consulted many breeders about his RI. Both vets told us to keep his tank as dry as possible because the humidity was causing the infections. Before that we had him on Cyprus mulch. We tried our best with him and were scared that his infection wasn’t healing properly because of us and finding information on it was extremely difficult. We made the difficult decision to give him to Emerald Scales and I’m so happy he’s doing well and he’s healed. But please, don’t think we were lazy. We spent hundreds on him trying to fix it and we realized we were out of our depth and did was we thought was best.
Go herping- "the world will not explode"
2020- "am I a joke to you?"
I've had my California king snake on aspen for ~15 and haven't experienced most of the issues you seem to have! I spot clean regularly and never experienced molding, even around the water dish. She shed's beautifully, never been sick her entire life. The aspen I use is made for small animals, a Canadian brand, it's not sharp at all. I'm always surprised by the difference in quality between American products and Canadian made products... Sorry aspen hasn't worked out for you!
I totally agree! I think Canadian aspen is much different from American, and I know because I have a work visa for both! I naturally live in Canada, but I switch by the month for work. Many of my snakes are on aspen in Canada, but my ones in the states stay far away from it! They stick to coco fiber. The texture is much different! I think that aspen is very different based on the supplier, and that should totally be noted !
Would you mind sharing the brand please? Just curious to look it up!
yep, I’ve been using aspen for my cornsnake for about 4 years now, and I’ve never experienced any of this either. was actually really surprised abt the moulding thing. idk maybe the scottish air is different lmao
same ive never had issues with aspen either, my two legless lizards constantly fill up their water bowl with the aspen and ive never had it mold. Also i used coconut fiber for my cornsnake and she developed scalerot within a month, the only thing i ended up changing in her care was the substrate from coco fiber to aspen and it hasnt happened since and she has perfect sheds with it, even without a humid hide plus i find coconut fiber way too dusty for burrowing species. it was so bad when my legless lizards were on it that i couldnt clean their cage without sneezing. plus they would always be coated in a thin layer of dust from it. and it didnt help spraying it down since the bottom layers would be still dry and they would just make it dusty again when they burrowed
Can you link your apsen provider? My main issue/concern with aspen is how sharp it is and I'd love to have a softer variant for my snake
last time i was this early alex was still coughing up calci sand 😌
damn.. I felt that ;w;
This killed me
What do you mean? I thought he still was
Never had any trouble keeping my corn snakes on aspen. I even kept potted plants in their enclosures and never had any mold, even when the pots leaked a little water. However, I've got them in bio-active enclosures now because I like the whole ecosystem thing and seeing my snakes in a more naturalistic environment.
That's good! I have a snow corn and she had A TON of stuck shed in her enclosure with aspen. I regularly cleaned it and spayed occasionally to keep it from being too dry. Shes also in a bioactive enclosure that's more moist with plants! I guess some snakes just have an issue with it.
@@attacatz8945 Yup, I love how nicely they shed in bio-active :)
Adison Bates if you’re snake is having some stuck, I heard from snake discovery that you can make a humid box to help assist. Just using a plastic container and some moss and add some water helps a lot
I am currently trying to figure out which my 9 month old corn snake loves more, aspen or coconut fiber. So far aspen has kept the burrows but coconut fiber just collapses into the burrow, but he buried himself in the coconut fiber and didn't want to leave when I went to check on him in the morning. The coconut fiber keeps the area like nice and mildly humid since it is a bit dry where I live so I might switch to coco fiber permanently if he likes it. He used to live on peat previously but I get problems from the peat dust, also aspen is a bit dusty as well. So far coconut fiber keeps winning
Anyone else catch the glimpse of Coyote Peterson on Bob's TV😂
Shayan Rajan hey coyote are you OK???
YES
No
lol no. But thank you for pointing that out
No
R.I.P Bob and his snake
F
F
F
F
f
I had my Honduran Milk Snake on mostly Coco fiber until we were gifted some Aspen when we upgraded his tank. We switched him over to Aspen and he's way more active and loves digging through it, so I think I'm gonna stick with it. I still use Coco fiber for my ball python though, so it's not all or nothing. Pick the best substrate for your specific animal's needs.
With that said, if there are any recommendations for light substrate that holds its shape I'd love to hear some. He likes Aspen, but I think it looks kind of ugly....
I use cocofiber with orchid bark (i also used top soil and sphagnum moss but not entirely necessary) that way its easy to burrow in plus its light and can keep its shape somewhat. (Also it looks better for my sake 😂). I do recommend that people give it a shot at least once to see what they think, ive tried so many different variations and this one stuck!
Same. I have super deep aspen for my kingsnake and he makes super intricate tunnels and spends a ton of time in them.
I use cypress for my corn snake and it keeps her tunnels pretty well. And it looks pretty good too. Its not the most renewable as he said, but I can grab it in my local store and it holds moisture nice (its really dry in my house RN since winter in New England, so I need to spritz her tank semi often)
Aspen is ugly if you buy the kind specifically for snakes. Don't buy that. Get the kind that in bigger packages for rabbits or guinea pigs.
Spannondorf orchid bark for sure is my favorite, jungle earth by exo terra I think is the same. I mix it with 1 part coco fiber, 1 part coco husk, 1/2 part long New Zealand spagnum moss and 3-4 parts orchid bark. I used aspen for about a year with my corn snake after I received him and he was on dry coco fiber before. I put him on aspen because the coco fiber was too dusty, but after seeing him on aspen I started to notice him sneezing. It was nothing like an ri and after taking a closer look I could see all the dust in his nostrils which is why I had to change it. I chose this mix because I tried cypress mulch and it wouldn’t hold a tunnel and was too sharp in my opinion. This mix seems to hold tunnels all right without being dusty. I think the mix is also known as abh and I’d recommend it for just about everything because you can adjust the water content without changing the characteristics of the mix. It looks great and springtails and isopods can keep it mold free.
I once put my gopher snake on ecoearth because he loves to burrow. But I put him back on aspen because the ecoearth was getting in his nostrils and mouth. I just want my boi to dig...
Lonely Okie in the wild gophers are on rocky dirt, so coco fiber would be the best for them.
Mark VaZ sometimes what’s in the wild isn’t better for them, that’s why most reptiles in captivity live longer
@@Ubraxos coco fiber is much different from soil. Coco fiber is dry and dusty. Use some of The Biodudes substrate.
You could use the moldable sand that dries and you can carve burrows into. (and doesn’t give any risk of impaction) but for now aspen is ok
my leopard gecko do be lovin his paper towel
Kayley Pentecost poor thing. They should have bedding to emulate what things would be like for them in the wild.
@@guardiansanimalrescuestate7289 They don't care lmao. They've never lived in the wild so why would they care
guardians animal rescue/ state certified 501c3 They dont live on bedding in the wild though
guardians animal rescue/ state certified 501c3 lol the animal doesnt care
@@guardiansanimalrescuestate7289 in the wild it probably would have been dead due to predation or lack of food and water.
Alex: you'll see comments about the humid hide
Comments: *New Shirt and BOB*
Im going to switch over from aspen to coconut fiber now. I have had some problems with my ball pythons shed and for some reason did not associate the problems with the aspen
good luck! aspen works for some speices but it's not best for beeps, I hope yours is happy on their new substrate!
Yes Aspen doesn't work well with pythons. It doesn't hold heat.
Beth Tyson you called them Beeps... 🥺🥺 that’s so cute omg
@@riley9703 it's a common nickname within other herp lovers I talk to 😂 "bp" is an acronym for ball python and then it's pronounced beep so plural would be beeps lol
Personally I think aspen is great for ball pythons. Because, despite what many people say, they come from a mostly dry environment in Africa. A lot of times ball pythons will go into hot, humid termite mounds, where they can have a humid retreat.
Aspen ALONE can cause shedding problems in ball pythons (and some other snakes too), but that doesn’t mean to go completely away from it. If you use a humidity box along with aspen, it replicates their natural behavior, staying in a mostly dry environment, but going into hot and humid termite mounds. This is my personal opinion, and this is what I do for my Ball pythons, and it works great! Haven’t had a problem shedding with aspen and humidity boxes!! 😁
My family recently changed from aspen to bark, cypress, and dry moss for our corn snake. He has definitely seems much happier. btw, I love ur vids man. keep it up!
When do you purchase this?
@@courtneypitt7573 I'm going to assume you meant "where" and not when. I'd just look online for the substrates or if you have a let store near you they may have them in stock
Alex, are you still coughing up calcium sand??
Yep
Bob’s life was so relatable.
Alex: Me as well as many people do not recommend sand
Collared Lizards: am I a joke to you
I've got a hognose and he does great with aspen. Zero molding issues, easy to spot clean, and his tunnels stay nicely for him
Same. Also good for my Kenyan Sand Boas. I have given both species reptichip, aspen, cocofiber, cypress, and even a sand pit (not full enclosure, just a small area). By far, the choice made by both species is aspen shavings. It was easy for me, as I designed their homes to have access to 2 different substrates at any time, and I could switch them out. My hognose never left his aspen side, and my kenyan sand boas will occasionally play in another substrate, but will almost always be found in the aspen shavings.
Agree, for burrowing snakes there is nothing better. Alex doesn't keep hogs.
@@SerafinaP He does keep hognoses and has kept them in the past.
@@lucasdelaere2634 Not as pets. They just come and go. Hes allergic and cant handle them. Not exactly an expert in hogs. I love this kiddo don't get me wrong.
@@SerafinaP He’s allergic to hognose snakes?! Is that a thing??
I tried it with my ball at first, but had a big problems and actually sent you a email asking for help and whoever answers your emails helped me with that and a couple other problems! So thank you so much! 😊
Hello,my name is something .I came from Malaysia .For your information,I've been loving the reptiles ever since I saw you on youtube.I love watching your channel on youtube since 2016.I hope you continue to make more videos for your channel fans out there.Bye!😊
I love the Bob story. So moving 💗
I think we all appreciate seeing Goby again!!!
I always love to see the more informational, educational videos! Definitely learned lots from this one.
I have a rescue ball python who was kept on aspen for 8 years. Unfortunately this has led to him having some pretty nasty dehydration issues. It’s taken about 6 months but he’s doing much better now (aspen wasn’t the only issue) he is currently on a mix of cypress mulch, coconut husk and sphagnum moss.
My corn snake is on aspen and does appear to be doing well, it holds tunnels nicely for him, easy to spot clean and I haven’t had any issues with mould. Perhaps I will look into some other options for him, I’ve heard of some people using lignocel or auboise and having good success with their corns on these substrates.
I personally do not like coconut fibre, I’ve seen a few ball pythons get their heat pits stuffed with it which freaks me out but there are plenty of other options out there.
Ball pythons actually do great on aspen aslong as they have access to water for bathing and a humidity hide
Bill Cosby I’m glad that you have had that experience.
I use a weird paper pellet/shred substrate from my local feed store for my corn snake. I think it's similar to Care Fresh? She loves tunneling in it and I love being able to clean all her little poops easily. It's not extremely dusty and even with a few big poops it still smells like a jigsaw puzzle. I hate the look of aspen for the same reason as Alex and my snake prefers super dry conditions, so it works perfectly for us.
How can Aspen cause dehydration?
Aspen is a perfect substrate for ball pythons as long as you have a humid hide in the tank.
I use a Aspen for my corn snake and I know my corn snake likes to make tunnels. While I know it molds and not great as high humidity. I feel its fine for corn snake. That said I use reptichip for my ball python and love it.
If you want a better option, I use cypress for my corn snake. It keeps her tunnels, holds humidity, has never molded, and looks good too. Just an option if you're willing to pay a little more.
i wonder if its something to do with treatment of the wood shavings? just an idea as noticed another from UK say same as me never had moulding issues at all (my corn snake enclosures have been known to hit 70% humidity before now with my humidity in my area and not had mould issues. did need to spend a small fortune on a dehumidifier though XD
@@rexana_rexana Personally I haven't been able to find an affordable source of cypress mulch that is actually clean and soft. The landscape-grade cypress I recently bought was so sharp and jagged, it hurt to touch.
I also have not had any issues with corn snakes on aspen, and to minimize the unnatural look of the substrate, I add plenty of leaf litter.
I actually use a mix of cypress and aspen! Looks pretty natural, holds just the right amount of humidity, and keeps tunnels intact
I have six corns and I have never had mine mold. I do change mine every month and a half to two months and spot clean all the time. Corns don't need high humidity so maybe do less spraying, I do my "plants" only. Reptichip would be great for your BPs, it seems your this guys only follower that recognizes that BPs need higher humidity. We use Reptichips for our crested geckos.
*Glances at my Sand Boa's enclosure with aspen*
Edit: I feel like a lot of this comes from people just not researching what works best for their reptiles. I haven't personally had any issues with the aspen yet aside from the dust and the fact that it gets EVERYWHERE but I might switch to coconut for a while to see if it works better
Coco fiber can get dusty if dry so I'd recommend mixing it with something :) I use a funky mix between vermiculite and ecoearth lol
i just jad the exact thing with my western hognose! im scratching my head thinling about what i could get that holds burrows like aspen but isnt humid... ahhhh memtal breakdown sounds about right now.
Ah the joys of reptile keeping 😂
DEFINATELY this! I've noticed a lot of crested gecko care guides for E.G just mention 'room temp is fine' but depends where you are in the world. pretty much need a heat mat where I am. Took alot of trial and error to find what works best for mine and it will differ im sure from alot of others. and omg YES aspen is a nightmare for getting everywhere lol
I’m in the same boat. I spot clean all the spilled water everyday (my one boy must think it’s fun, everyday half of his water is gone because he decides to tip it), so I’m not concerned about mold. But when he brought up the dust, which never came up in my research, I panicked a bit. But I like the aspen so far, I guess I’ll just have to continue keeping an eye on my ksbs to make sure they don’t start having any issues.
I've been keeping my corn snakes on aspen for years and I've never had a molding problem with the water bowl, or shedding, but it's good to know this and I will be looking out for this in the future.
Those first 25 seconds were some of the most emotional journeys I have ever witnessed, I will always remember Bob... always
I love how open minded he is. “I don’t do this, but I can see how it would work”. No bashing other keepers methods, thank you👏🏼
not really, in other videos he says aspen is stupid for ball pythons 😂 but idc, it's just him saying his opinion
I don't have reptiles. I'm deathly afraid of snakes! I do, however, love animals, and I love learning new things so I'm subscribed to your channel and I watch and enjoy your videos!!! Thank you!!!
Love this information! I’m looking to get a blue tongued skink in the next year or so. I’m spending time researching in the meantime to ensure I properly take care of them first. I would love to see a video on how reptile care is over complicated.
Im a new subscriber so Im catching up, lol. I just love your humor!! I had my first two snakes when I was way younger (32 now). I had a snow corn snake i got from a friend who got her from a tailgate breeder.....yeah....my other was a ball-python i got from my sister. I made the mistake of having her on Aspen foooor.....3-4 years? Thank God she never got sick. I ended up finding homes for both as my life got more and more hectic. Anyway, i have a new Ball python now that is almost 2 years old. Im having a lot of trouble keeping live plants in her cage (mainly cause she keeps smooshing them.) I use a mixture of organic top soil that has some moss mixed in with it and coconut fiber. I tried to find a soil that holds moisture, is safe for her, and can help plants thrive. Ive had Pathos, snake plants, and a fern was my most recent attempt. They all die even with proper water and full spectrum lamp bulb. I unno what Im doing wrong. I just want to giver her nice clean, fresh atmosphere. What I want to do is set up a completely bioactive terrarium for her....but there is soooo much conflicting info out there im so lost.
One of the only pet youtubers that doesn’t like aspen for snakes and is super dramatic about how “quickly” it molds. Guys, for things like corn or king snakes aspen is damn near perfect
I used Aspen for all my snakes until just recently, I was so sick of it moulding on me!! I now use cypress mulch and orchid bark mixed for my king snake and the dimpled scales he had for the longest time actually started to go away, which shocked me. I think some of these species we call arid are actually in need of more humidity than we realize, it's safe to say my king snake loves his new substrate A LOT more!! Great video Alex!
Change your bedding more often. I have never had my substrate mold. Clean husbandry is very important.
Thank you for making my quarantine better
Very informative!!
Thank you so much for this video! I'm currently using Aspen for my cal kingsnake, she got an air humidifier, so constant 50-60% humidity and I haven noticed any mold ever since I started using Aspen. But! I will definitely switch to coconut fiber!
the dust from aspen shavings can actually cause resperatory infections in hamsters and other small mammals as well
I've always noticed the aspen shavings I would buy for my hammy were pretty dust free for the most part
I’m early! Ahhh I love ur vids so much, they truly make my day!
Thank you for taking care of animals during these times :)
I just made a big bag of reptichip and I think you've convinced me to change some of my snakes off aspen. Thanks
I used aspin for my corn snakes and I never had an issue but I wouldn’t use it for anything that needs humidity but I’ve never had aspin mold in 5 years
Pet smart lady who hates her job and life: buy aspen it’s perfect for ball pythons
TR4CIO I work at a Petsmart and not all are bad with their animals. Some stores don’t like to follow the policies like making sure animals actually go to the vet, or making sure Leopard Geckos have humidity boxes.
Hanna-Leigh Adams I understand, I live in a predominantly “white Karen” area so they kinda have to do all that so people don’t complain, but I’ve still overheard and seen some pretty dumb shit while buying something there
I read that in a dull bored voice lol
OMG so that is what that grey color is that is in the aspen.😮 I have been searching for this answer for awhile now. Thank you so much!
I was using Aspen for the longest time and had to use a humidity box and Miss. Noodle was still having partial sheds all the time. Thanks to this video, I've gone to coconut husk and she's had 2-3 full sheds since !
Why is no one mentioning the Auschwitz reference at the beginning
lindsey hatch what?
lindsey hatch oh shoot, wait, I just found it
I was searching for a comment like that so badly like wtf
Yea it kinda grosses me out
I saw it immediately and wrote a comment... I'm a little shocked!
The passive-aggressive attack on aspen 🧚♀️😍
No objections 😌
Lol
Hello Alex! Great video and I do not use aspen in my enclosures. I mix seagram moss with forest floor. It keeps the humidity level where it needs to be. For my desert dwellers, I am using paper towels temporarily until I am able to get some tile that looks like sand.
Great video Alex! Some real good points here!
I just bought some Aspen bedding to use for my first snake I will be getting soon. Do you think I should get a new bag of coconut fiber? Or do you think I'm fine.
Art with Emma you should be fine but try to get coconut fibre after
What type of snake do you have ?
what species?
Kallie ann Middleton you fine
A Honduan Milksnake.
*Alex’s Mind*: Okay just smile and say somethin’ nice about Brian.. *Alex* “He got dirt.”
Lol ikr XD
I’ve been using aspen wood shavings for my albino corn snake for 4 years and she has been having rough sheds for a long time, I’m gonna do some research and look into a new substrate, thank you so much.
I recently got a leopard gecko and your videos were the reason why I got one and I love him thanks
I would recommend lignocel. More specifically, ProRep Snake Life Lignocel. It’s literally the best thing ever!
It’s similar to aspen but 100X better!!
It’s A LOT softer, easier to burrow in, there’s hardly any dust, doesn’t get mouldy; it’s a DREAM!!
But it’s a tiny bit more expensive but worth every penny.
ive used that before and its fab!
Lea Jones isn’t it!
why is it that when i zone out he sounds like idubbbz?
nice
I don't watch idubbbz
I actually covered this in my dissertation at university. I researched particulate matter within reptile enclosures with different substrates. Essentially found the amount of particulates & size within reptile enclosures; ones with Aspen had particulate matter 10x what's considered safe for humans, despite our respiratory systems being much more complex than most reptiles.
Well damn I’m glad you put this video out , i was watching your old videos and was like yeah aspen is good ima get that
I extremely doubt Brian shakes the dust out.
I am currently use aspen with my sand boa but tonight I’m an switching to coconut
Update: I changed her bedding
How did it work?? My sand boas refuse to deal with any substrate other than Aspen and I feel Aspen is the best for them because my dumb snake tries to eat the coconut
Thanks for the information, I didn't know that aspen can mold so easily. But we don't use it in any of our enclosures-they are all bioactive. The only snakes we have on aspen are the ones we've adopted from other people and the snakes come in tanks with aspen. After quarantine, we upgrade them to bioactive.
Thank you for this video I've been planning on getting a ball python and didn't know what to do for the substrate this was very helpful once again thank you
haha i love when he says bob has a metal breakdown it shows coyote peterson
Holy shit the Auschwitz Reference was not okay
Some very good points... I'm a first time reptile owner (Ball Python) and I did have that overload. I settled on Aspen as other channels recommended it and the spot cleaning and cheaper price increased the appeal, but I think I will give Coconut fibre a go after this bag in done.
I'm so glad I moved the snakes I don't have to a coconut fiber set up a couple years back.
Used to use aspen for my corn snake. It was a nightmare to clean a “squishy” poo out of it.
Switched to beech reptile wood chip substrate never gone back. My baby sheds so much better now, and it’s so much easier to clean.
The uromaxtic (idk how to spell it) is beautiful
Thanks for this, I bought Aspen just to clean my bp tank but I decided to buy coconut shaving, especially since I been having issues with humidity
So if you don't like aspen what do you keep your sand boa on. I'm thinking about getting a sand boa to add to my collection of animals, so what should I use?
are we just gonna ignore how that said “arbeit macht frei” or???
imunderpressure uggjhg dame, so many people are sensitive and can’t take the joke
Hey @GoHerping (and everyone else), I am getting a corn snake soon and I have been doing research. At this point, I feel like Bob when searching for certain things. So, I have a few questions
1.) What would be the cheapest bedding to use that has no risks? (so, not things like aspen. I live in the US, so US beddings please lol)
2.) What is the minimum size tank for an adult, and what size would you recommend?
3.) What temperatures do they need in their cages? (warm side, cool side, and humidity)
4.) Do they NEED any sort of lighting? (UVB, red light, etc.)
5.) Would it be best to use a heating pad or a heat lamp?
If there is anything else I NEED to know before getting one, if you could let me know that would be very helpful.
Thanks guys!
1.) Hemp bedding is an alternative to wood bedding such as Aspen or lignocel.
2.) Not sure what the minimum size for an adult corn snake would be but I recommend a 4ft x 2ft x 2ft tank for when they're an adult.
3.) The cool side should be room temp, the warm side should be about 29°C and the humidity can be between 30% to 70% (higher humidity is ideal for shedding).
4.) The corn snake needs twelve hours of natural lighting, I personally don't use a lamp for my boi (I have the sun shining on his tank during the day) but thats my preference.
5.) I use a heat mat because of how my corns tank is set up and the shape of the tank itself, it really depends on which variant you feel is best for your setup and tank. It can vary on what type of tank you get, I have a wooden tank so I use a heat mat.
Corns like to burrow a lot so add a little extra bedding to reduce the risk of your snake burrowing to the bottom of the substrate and burning itself on the heat mat (if you use one).
lolface pug Thanks a lot. That was very useful! ^^
You're very welcome, I'm happy to help out :)
Hey! I have a gopher snake which is pretty similar to corn snakes in husbandry, I have her on a heat mat because I don't fully trust heat lamps and its set to 85 with a thermostat (essential! heat mats can burn the bottoms of snakes if not regulated) and since corn snakes are an arid species humidity isn't too much of a concern. I don't think lighting is necessary for most snakes but they do need to have some sense of day and night. Cage sizes can vary, i have my adult in a tub around the size of a 40 gallon tank, you want the snake to be able to stretch out almost completely. The only tip I have is researching appropriate meal sizes and schedules for your specific snake as that can be confusing to beginners. Finding information is hard, good luck on your snake journey !!
Thank you for making the video on it! I’m not a fan of using wood shavings for enclosures for the most part. Just like you mention, the dust is not something i want my pets to breathe in. I also have asthma so i try to limit dust to not trigger it. And the essential oils released from the woods are something I’m concerned about too. Dogs and cats are sensitive to it so i cant imagine a smaller creature dealing with that.
I use coconut fiber with coco chips, keeps humidity correct all the time, her sheds are always beautiful
I looked up "The best substrate for a ball python" and this is the answer I got *Aspen*
Any recommendations for an aspen alternative for a western hognose?
aspen is fine for a hoggie 🖤 it's just not best for humid animals
Cypress mulch! I've heard it holds burrows just fine and can stay dry if you don't water it
I agree with Beth! Hogs love the burrowing and they don't need the humidity.
Keep the aspen for the hognose
thank you for asking this, i thought i might lose my mind!! and thank you everyone else for your answers too!!!!
I literally only watch your videos when I'm doing the washing up. At no other time, I'm not sure why but that's how it is
Love your videos! Keep working hard!!❤❤
my employers choose to use aspen for their two snakes at the science centre i work at. i’ve been trying to get them to change it forever. i have to spot clean under the water dishes all the time because it molds within 2 days. :(
Maybe recommend cypress? Its a little more expensive, but you can get it at your local petco usually if you're only filling two tanks (depends on size obvs) But it could be a good option. I can only attest to cypress and its worked for me.
We need a care guide for bearded dragons.
Hold on, u used aspen in ur Kenyan sand boa set up video, and I bought it bc I have seen so many good things with aspen and sand boas, should I change my bedding when I run out of the aspen bedding???
I use stuff made from recycled newspapers for my baby garter snakes. Seems to hold tunnels well for them and I haven't had a mold issue. They've shed well too, no complications.
Uhm did you put "Arbeit macht frei" in the paint drawing of the mental asylum?? That is far beyond inappropriate ( and I say that as a German...)
And I say the same as a human being
Edgy humor that isn’t actually funny is what he gets off to
Gurl ich bin so hart bei dir in dem Fall. Ich hab es gesehen und mich an meinem Kaffee verschluckt.
Dann hab ich einen Kommentar geschrieben und der wurde direkt gelöscht.
Versteh mich nicht falsch, ich hab nen echt schrägen Humor aber 😅 hui.
I use aspen for my californiae and he seems great on it? And I'm definitely one of those people who overcomplicate stuff 😂 I always do way too much research and ask (good!) breeders and do like a fuck ton of research on their natural habitat and then try to replicate the best stuff for them lmao. Personal opinion on aspen is that it's fine for many species (such as my kingsnake) but not for some (anything that needs higher humidity, such as ball pythons).
edit: spelling
Ok so, I have been wanting to switch my substrate from aspen to something else but I don’t know what to choose for my Honduran milk snake. Any suggestions?
I was mixing aspen with coconut fibre 1-12 to hopefully make a firmer substrate for my bearded dragon would it be better to just not use the chip mulch or is that a good mix? I get if your to busy to answer just general question
Would you use aspen for corn snakes because my corn snake loves burrowing and it’s great for holding burrows but just wondering pls answer just want the best for my noodle boi
i think he goes over substrate in his caring for cornsnake video from 2018?? i think he recommended aspen but you should check that video out.
Emma Kate I would recommend using a coconut substrate as it still allows them to burrow
@@loki_jay I did but I'll likely update guides to put aspen at the bottom of this list
aspen works great for corns in my opinion! I use it for my California Kingsnake and with other snakes I work with. It's not best for anything that needs more humidity like a ball python or higher 🖤
I’m almost out of aspen so I’ll probably try coconut fiber next
Funny I just recently switched my ball python to Aspen and he's been staying under his water bowl since... I assume he doesnt like it , going to the store for coconut fiber tomorrow... hopefully this works better.
antwanique lee You might try using organic manure-free topsoil. Works wonders,
Have used aspen, had the same issues. One thing you may not have mentioned, It is gross to clean if you have an animal that produces copious loose stools.
It may have high absorption, but you would still be cleaning a puddle. Everything I have (Sneks, spooders, lizlords) is on a mix of cocofiber and cypress mulch.
I have tubs for moist, and tubs for dried out so I can use it universally. This can still mold (mostly under water dish) but it takes longer, and spot removal clears it up well. Also, just stirring up the substrate every couple of weeks helps release more humidity if it is moist and aerates the substrate. Thanks for the videos.
Yo dope video bro! I really enjoyed this video very helpful to beginners!