Is Aspen bedding a good substrate?

[Spankenstyne]

At least we all agree that Aspen sucks....

Oh now it's ON!

[ConcinusMan]

No, aspen does not "suck" not at all. What made you think that we "all" think it sucks, Wayne? I just don't use it personally. It does not "suck" at all.

Now, peat moss and baked leaves sucks bigtime. That's right Stefan, I said it. Oh, it's on now

Let's not forget that these arguments are a matter of keeper taste and cost, and availability. What's more important is our snakes comfort and health.

[Spankenstyne]

I thought he was just kidding? I mentioned using and liking Aspen, I figured he was joking with the winky face in there.

[Stefan-A]

No, aspen does not "suck" not at all. What made you think that we "all" think it sucks, Wayne? I just don't use it personally. It does not "suck" at all.

It does suck. It gets moldy quickly, it doesn't absorb anything, it doesn't hold humidity, it doesn't soften up when it's ingested and it sticks to everything except feces. And it's dusty. Much more so than peat.

[Barak666]

Well, the opinions seems to diverge. It thinks I will use a mix of coco peat and bark on almost all the ground surfaces but few inches before the water I will put a piece of driftwood (2,5"-3" in diameter) to retain the soil and between the log and the aquarium, I will put some river pebble. On the soil mix, I will try a floor covering plant.

Today, I will take a look at the below average pet-shop we have here to see if they have these products at a reasonable price.

[infernalis]

It does suck. It gets moldy quickly, it doesn't absorb anything, it doesn't hold humidity, it doesn't soften up when it's ingested and it sticks to everything except feces. And it's dusty. Much more so than peat.

1. I have had a few snakes over the last few years DIE with aspen inpaction... It does not breat down and the slivers will puncture soft tissues inside the snake and cause medical problems if not death.....

2. I have had cages grow blue/green mold (with big scary hairs) all around the water bowls because Garter snakes like to swim and slosh water all over the floor of the cage.... Bark/eco earth does not mold like that.

3. One of my snakes never left an intact single piece shed on aspen or crefresh, but as soon as I switched him over to a substrate that holds humidity (bark/coconut mix) his sheds came off in one solid piece.


If those conditions are acceptable to you, then please just buy aspen....

[gartermorphs]

I use bark and eco earth for my normals and carefresh for my albinos!

[Barak666]

Well I just arrived from the pet-shop and they only have the zoo-med Repti Bark at 15$, first I find it expensive (as every thing they sell there) and it is write on the bag 100% fir bark, I always think that confiner bark (and conifer in general) was not good for reptiles...

So I might order something else via internet, it will be least expensive...

I plan to mix this coco husk and this coco coir Do you think it will make good substrate?

Thanks all

[infernalis]

Looks good to me...

[Flicker]

Nobody even talked about rabbit alfalpha pellets... Are they too lowly to be considered? I've decided to upgrade to them from my "paper towel" substrate.... which has been working fine, but isn't too lovely.

Rabbit pellets are pretty darn cheap when you get them at the feed store and are easy to clean up, and will disintegrate internally (or so I've read on the care sheets) so are safe.

I suppose they would be prone to mold if left too moist? and they don't look "natural" but I can't think of any other issue with them.