Substrates

There are many, many choices for what you are going to use to line the floor of your reptile's enclosure. Some are good, some are not so good, and some will just plain harm your snake. Here I will go over some of the most used substrates to cover their good points and their bad points.

PAPER PRODUCTS:

There are several paper products out there for lining your cage floors with. I, personally, use rolls of 30 lb. Kraft paper. This product is highly absorbent, mold resistant, and has an indented surface that makes it easier for your snake to move. It is made from recycled materials, totally free of inks and dyes, and is 100% biodegradable. There are two places you can get them, the first is from the actual manufacturer at Uline.com, and second from a distributor at DCL- Disposable Cage Liners. Regular old newspaper is a cheap alternative for lining your snake cage, although I don't find it nearly absorbent as the Kraft paper. Many people use it to line their cages and use nothing else. It's easy, economical, and convenient.

ASTROTURF:

Astroturf makes a good substrate, but is has its bad points too. First it is easy to put in, no folding like newspaper. Just cut it to size and you're done. Second, it looks great! There is nothing like Astroturf in a cage to brighten it up and make it look marvelous.
Now to the drawbacks of using Astroturf. Although is it easy to install and looks great, it is very difficult to keep clean. Once a snake has deficated on it, it must be removed and sprayed down, sanitized and dried out. This means you are going to need more than just one piece for each cage. It allows for the growth of mold in your cage by allowing the water to get underneath it and not to dry out. It is not cheap to buy enough for two pieces for all of your cages. And after a while the edges you cut which are now unfinished, start to fray and bits start to come off which may end up inside your snake and cause health issues in the future.

WOOD SHAVINGS, MULCHES, AND CHIPS:

While some of these products are great, some good there are several that are not to be used at all in any reptile of amphibian enclosure. These are Cedar, any kind, shavings, chips, or other. The oils from cedar can cause illness and eventually death of your snake. Any type of conifer tree shavings, like pine, are not good for the same reasons. The oils in these shavings are harmful to your snake.
Alternative to these "bad" wood products are Aspen shavings and cypress mulch. Aspen shavings are light in color like the pine shavings, but without the oils that are harmful. It is a fine shaving that is good for most small to medium size snakes. It allows for the snake to burrow and is absorbent. It is sold in pet stores all over the country for just this use. Cypress mulch is the other alternative to cedar. It is a dark wood mulch that is larger in size than Aspen. This is good for your larger snakes as Apsen tends to get in between the belly scales of large snakes and cause irritation that can lead to infection. Cypress mulch can be found in any large plant nursery, Home Depot, or Lowe's. It is less expensive than Apsen and comes in large bags. As it is not made for the pet industry, it is best to prepare cypress mulch by baking it in your oven for 30 minutes at 200 degrees. This will rid it of any little critters that have found their way into the bag.

SAND AND GRAVEL:

I do not recommend using gravel or sand for any snake, with the exception of sand boas and a few other desert dwelling species. Not many snakes are equipped to prevent the fine particles of sand getting into their nostrils and heat pits. Not to mention under their belly scales where it will cause irritation that can lead to an infection. The same can be said for gravel. Some other points against using gravel is the fact that it is very time consuming to clean every week, and is too expensive just to throw it out after one use. Basically I use child play sand bought at any local Home Depot or Lowes. After I sift out any large rocks and other debris, I rinse it our several times then bake it for 30 minutes at 200 degrees. This insures it being as clean as possible. I, myself, do not use sand for any snake. I use it mainly for Bearded Dragons, Leopard Geckos, and other desert dwelling lizards. But I have seen it used for Sand Boas and a few other species of snake

Someone pointed out another substrate that I missed, and as soon as it was mentioned I remembered seeing it in the pet store that same day. I plan on purchasing this and putting it through the same usage that the other substrates go through, then report back here. It is a product called cage carpet. Green carpet like material, that is not astroturk, but a felt-like material. It is supposed to be abled to be washed in the washer and re-used numerous times without fraying and falling apart. But I cannot honestly state that until I do it.

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Jim Dixon