Absolute best substrate for my burms?

[jtrenary1981]

Been using just paper mats, but looking for something closer to natural habitat and more appealing to the eye.  What do you think?

[Donnie_K]

I think the health and comfort of the animal is more important than a naturalistic look. That's why all mine are on paper. Especially since I have retics too and they need quite a bit of humidity.

[crown0826]

I could see using Bio active substrate with some animals but not with large constrictors they are so heavy you would have to turn the soil daily and replant plants lol. as far as mulch and stuff like that its very costly and there is a lot of problems that can happen if you use it anything from mites to swallowing the mulch. I would personally stick to paper with big burms and retics just my own opinion.

[1softkiss]

I'm the biggest newspaper fan and astro turf fan and have been for years.

Personally I've found it's a lot more beneficial in many ways and reduces the risk of mold and mildew and also deters the snakes from getting scale rot.

Maybe it's just me but I've watched way too many videos of snakes ending up with their mouth full of substrate when striking feeders.

[1softkiss]

I'm on YouTube and I've viewed thousands of snake videos and the natural environment look is attractive to see the snakes in but personally I can't keep my snakes with obstacles always in my way to hinder me working with them.

You also have to consider if a snakes always been in captivity from birth they aren't aware that their world outside their enclosure is any different from what they live in unless like myself your snakes are taken outdoors a lot.

They adapt to their environment and if they've never been outside and been on grass or in trees they have no clue if what they live in isn't their natural environment.

Just me but I never felt pretty or attractive out weighed functional. ;O)

[smilts]

Id have to agree paper is probly the best substrate for us to use.   Hard to put it like I mean it but  Ill try.   Since its easy to use it allows us to take better care of our reptiles.  I think a better inviroment could be setup with funds and room thats hard to come up with on a hobby based scale.   If we had unlimited time and a house or rather large room per large constrictor and the money to setup a controlled inviroment on scale with what they would have had then  maybe.  You know like a well setup Zoo,  but that seems impossible or nearly so.  This is all my opinion of course...

[Marine]

I also agree that paper is easier and better for larger constrictors.  Even my 2 female 6ft plus Dumeril's Boas, 4ft plus male Dumeril's Boa, almost 8ft female Redtail Boa, 4ft male albino Redtail Boa, 10ft albino Burmese Python, & pair of Leopard Geckos are all on paper.  Most of my colubrids are on aspen.  My Ball Python, Argentine Rainbow Boa, Argentine B&W Tegu, Redfoot Tortoise, & 2 baby Burmese Pythons are all on cypress mulch (for humidity).  BUT I freeze all bedding for at least 48 hours before use, because I have gotten mites from the substrate.  My Kenyan Sand Boas, Uromastyx Lizards, Sulcata Tortoises are in play sand (also frozen as precaution).  My Crested Geckos, Australian White's Treefrogs, Green Tree Python are on all natural unfertilized soil (also frozen, and after put in their cages added about a dozen night crawler worms to help naturally keep soil turned.

[illbeyoursoldier]

I keep all my snakes on Aspen. It is digestible, but you have to work to make sure humidity is right, and for a larger enclosure for a large constrictor it gets very costly to change. It gets dirty easily, but on the upside is very easy to detect dirty spots and very easy to spot clean at a glance. It forces you to pay more attention to your reptiles if anything.

However, Donnie is the humidity/enclosure pro, and he knows what he talking about. Paper IS in fact the best way to go, I just use aspen as I always have, and it works for me. However, I've spent years mastering it to an art to make it work, and I invest a lot of time in them daily.

In conclusion, I use Aspen. But do as I say and not as I do. Paper, don't go any other way.