Newspaper Ink?

[Yungair23]

Anyone who uses newspaper as a substrate concerned about the ink coming off on their boa's? I just misted my cage today and i touched the newspaper and ink got on me? I dont have to mist often 1nce a week but is it ok for that ink to come off like that? is it safe?

[Eric From Cincinnati]

I think if you go to the local newspaper you can find where they are printed and get some that has no ink on it yet. Not sure if its feasible everywhere but clean newspaper should be cheaper than a newspaper and man...it don't get no cheaper than that.

[Aaron_NSBM]

I have heard that the ink kills mites...by any means thats why I use cypress multch for my snakes...I love it because it gives it a "natural" look to it..

	Mites Mites, close relatives of fleas and ticks

[Somnambulist]

I've never been concerned about the ink myself, but after my family got annoyed with my constant stealing of the paper before they could read it, I came up with a good alternative: You can buy huge pads of blank newsprint (the paper newspapers are printed on) at any craft store for just a few dollars. I got a 100-page pad of 18"x24" paper for about five dollars, I think.
This has always been convenient for me because my boa will actually refuse to go down on the bottom of his terrarium if I use anything else (he's always been picky...he would stay up in the vines 24/7 if I put anything else down).

[RehabRalphy]

To clear some things up:

Before 1987 Newspaper was made with a toxic ink. Due to health concerns and the FDA, the government formed a bill in 1987 to stop the use of toxic ink in newspapers. Now the ink they use is soy ink. Soy ink is a kind of ink made from soybeans. As opposed to traditional petroleum-based ink, soy-based ink. I wouldnt worry about your boa getting some on it, thats not a problem. I'm a newspaper fan myself.

[telefrag]

Ditto, newsprint should be safe.

i'd probably avoid the glossy stuff, or color pages, but standard black and white should present no problems.

[Yungair23]

Ok thanks i have been using it so i can feed in tha cages and i dont mind the look. Thanks for the help