Substrate

[OregonHerpaholic]

Hi all, what does everyone use for substrate for their garters?? I normally use coco-fiber/bed-abeast stuff. But that gets expensive with weekly cage cleanings.. I have also recently had a reptile die from ingesting some..found gut blockage.

Is aspen just as good? I use it for other snakes, so more cost effective.. I know of a wildlife biologist that keeps all his snakes on round river rock. small enough to pass through if swallowed but makes cleaning a hassle.

Whatta think??

Billie

[Stefan-A]

In the past, I've mostly used peat moss and occasionally newspaper. At the moment, I'm using carpet in some enclosures and paper towels in others.

I'm skeptical about everything small enough to be swallowed and that doesn't soften up significantly or dissolve when wet.

[guidofatherof5]

I use crushed corn cob. It's cheap and goes a long way. It absorbes and cuts down on odor. Feces is easily cleaned up.
The problem is its size. It is very small and can be ingested very easily. It forces me to hand feed eveyone of my snakes. I don't think a piece or two would cause a problem for an adult snake but it could cause a blockage in a smaller one. The other drawback is the face it molds quickly and must be removed if gotten wet. It has its advantages but forces more time spent watching to make sure it doesn't get eaten. For me it works. Your doing the right thing by asking. Get a lot of opinions and decided for yourself.

[GarterGeek]

I use aspen and my garters seem to like it. They are always tunnelling and burrowing. :D
Just make sure that you feed them in a different container because aspen is very easy to accidentally swallow.

[OregonHerpaholic]

I use crushed corn cob. .

I have seen MANY snakes die with cob bedding stuck in mouth and in gut. If they get it in the water and then drink it.. I will never trust that stuff..or walnut bedding.. but thanks..

[gregmonsta]

Aspen is snake killer ... I use Carefresh bedding as well as repti-carpet. Carefresh is reputedly safely digested if accidentally swallowed.

[guidofatherof5]

I have seen MANY snakes die with cob bedding stuck in mouth and in gut. If they get it in the water and then drink it.. I will never trust that stuff..or walnut bedding.. but thanks..
I have had no problems with it. I think some if not many of those incidents you refer to occur when the snakes are left unattended during feeding. If that is how it is being used I completely agree with you.

[count dewclaw]

I use paper towels. It's not as pretty as other bedding, but I don't have to worry about the snakes ingesting some. It is also easy to clean and easy to see when it needs cleaning.

[drache]

for the most part i use cage carpet now for all my garters
it's grown on me because of the convenience and re-usability
it washes fine in the machine - i've had some for years - and i like how you can see when it needs changing before the smell builds up; because it's the right size, it changes out faster than newspaper or paper towels, and it's a bit more attractive also
I really like James' slate, but I don't think i'd want to cover an entire tank bottom, so i'm keeping my eyes open for some good sized pieces
i've some tile in a uromastyx enclosure and i like the way they hold heat, but i'm not sure what kind of tile it is - just something i found, liked and gave a good cleaning

[ssssnakeluvr]

newpapers and paper towels.....simple, easy, and disposable... :cool:

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

I use newspaper pellet and Aspen. I also like coconut fibre for high humidity animals like my sunbeam snake. Aspen is not snake killer, otherwise all my snakes would be dead! just don't leave the snakes unattended while eating! I used to use corn cob, but stopped when even though I was hand feeding babies, I lost two or three due to a piece of it being ingested. I think some of them became over zealous AFTER feeding and just grabbed a piece and ate it. I was able to save one baby by purging it all the way from his lower stomach out his mouth. (I don't advise doing that.) I like kitty soft newspaper pellet because its incredibly absorbant, it's chunky and heavy and it rarely sticks to food, and if a piece does somehow get pasty my watch and eaten, it softens when wet and will pass through.

[keelerskiddiecare]

Just was at the Herp vet on Moday at the vet colleage and was advised to use Aspen but not to keep it thick enough for the snakes to burrow in as then can occasionally scratch and eye or damage scales. So depending on the size of your snake either barely cover the bottom or make it no more than 1/4 inch thick (as per vet). Aspen is what we have now switched all our snakes to ( 2 corns, 1 king, 1 radix).

[Snake lover 3-25]

i use reptibark.... it works great is washable, not horribly expensive.... and takes away any smell there may be..... it also keeps the humidity up....:)

[prattypus]

A vote for CareFresh here.

[k2l3d4]

I use Eco Earth with my two checkereds.... It is a coconut fibers that comes in a brick....add water and presto! I put just enought in the tank for the two to burrow in and then the snakes get fed off of a plate to help insure that they are not eating any of the coconut fibers..... I saw mentioned in this thread repti carpet? what is that?

[reptile3]

I use crushed corn cob. It's cheap and goes a long way. It absorbes and cuts down on odor. Feces is easily cleaned up.
The problem is its size. It is very small and can be ingested very easily. It forces me to hand feed eveyone of my snakes. I don't think a piece or two would cause a problem for an adult snake but it could cause a blockage in a smaller one. The other drawback is the face it molds quickly and must be removed if gotten wet. It has its advantages but forces more time spent watching to make sure it doesn't get eaten. For me it works. Your doing the right thing by asking. Get a lot of opinions and decided for yourself.

Steve may I ask where you get your crushed corn cob substrate from?

thanks!:)

[reptile3]

I use Ultra Carefresh for my garters/dekayi's/ribbons

I use newspaper & apsen for my Ball pythons

[guidofatherof5]

Steve may I ask where you get your crushed corn cob substrate from?

thanks!:)

I purchase it from a local Pet shop. Comes in a 40lb bag for about $20. The company that produces it is here in Iowa but not close. The other problem is they don't sell retail. They will sell me a pallet load. The cost goes down to about $8 a bag but I can't hall that much or use that much. About $425.00 for a load. I can send you the company name if you want it. Just let me know.

[TwistidMutations]

i use carefresh and aspen they both work really well

[Repfanatic]

I use aspen for my ball pythons, red tail boa, and corns. I use reptibark for my ribbon and garters for now. When I clean the tanks out I'm going to try a product I got from the feed store that's just like carefresh, but comes in bigger bags and is WAY less expensive. I'm not sure how much I'll like it yet.