Making a New Setup

[EasternBlackNeckedGarter]

Hey guys, I just have a few questions. I'm thinking about redoing my blackneck's tank, and I was wondering if cypress mulch would make a good substrate. I'm using aspen right now, but I want something that looks a bit more natural. Also, is ZooMed Excavator a good idea? I was thinking about using it as a backdrop, among other things.
I'm planning to put Excavator along the back and sides, then fit some limestone bricks in a corner with a limestone slab on top (As a natural-looking hide). From there I would make a few tunnels in the Excavator, lay some Ash Juniper (native to Central Texas) branches along the back/sides, and wait for the Excavator to dry. Then I would fill in the bottom with cypress mulch and add a water dish.

[guidofatherof5]

Do you feed in the enclosure? If so, I don't suggest any kind of wood shavings. The risk of the being ingested it too high. Bad things happen when shaved wood is swallowed.

[EasternBlackNeckedGarter]

Do you feed in the enclosure? If so, I don't suggest any kind of wood shavings. The risk of the being ingested it too high. Bad things happen when shaved wood is swallowed.

I've always fed her in the enclosure, but I leave her mice in the water dish. She seems to be more accustomed to eating that way.

[EKS56]

It may not be the prettiest set up but old news papers sure are easy to keep clean.

[guidofatherof5]

It may not be the prettiest set up but old news papers sure are easy to keep clean.

Cheap and easy to get too.

[EasternBlackNeckedGarter]

Yeah, I understand. I have reptile carpet if that would work. I was just wondering otherwise because Mort seems to enjoy burrowing in aspen.

[guidofatherof5]

Yeah, I understand. I have reptile carpet if that would work. I was just wondering otherwise because Mort seems to enjoy burrowing in aspen.

They all love to burrow but the risk is too great in my opinion.

[slipknot711]

when i first started keeping garters i had them on aspen bedding, i had a few die and i gave up on keeping them for a few months after that. im not saying it was the bedding or not but i use reptibark(to keep it more natural looking) now and have not changed any temps or food or anything i was doing previously and ive successfully raised over 25 babies with no issues and my adults are fantastic... this is why i personally dont like the wood shavings. my experience.

[snakegirl909]

I Currently have my eastern melanistic in a nice large display enclosure with aspen. The rest of my garters are on paper towels. I feed her out of the enclosure though. I think woodshavings of anykind (except pine and cedar of course!) would be fine if your extra careful. BUT... with that being said, I do prefer newspaper or paper towels cause they are easy to clean and cheap. I think that it's really just up to you.

[chris-uk]

Personally I like to enjoy looking at my snakes, and keeping them on newspaper would taken something away from that pleasure for me. I'm currently using Lignocel, which is similar to aspen but processed in a way that doesn't produce sharp splinters. I feed almost all of mine in their vivs - I didn't have any problems with aspen when I used it, had a spell using Repticard (stopped using that because it needed changing so much more frequently to keep else it would smell), and now I use Lignocel.
Substrates always come back to personal choice, I think it's safe to say that none are ideal so it's a case of deciding which factors are most important to you.