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Best Substrate??

MyLittleGuyCyrus

MyLittleGuyCyrus

New member
Hi All!

I was wondering what the best substrate is? I have heard many mention Aspen on here. I guess my real question is: I am using Cocunut Husk Substrate. It comes in a brick and you soak it in water and then after it is all said and done it looks like dirt. Is this stuff OK? Cyrus seems to like it, he is constantly burrowing in it. Thanks in adavance!
 
I've never used coconut husk, but I'm guessing that at least until it dries out, it's too wet to use as substrate for a cornsnake. I've used a lot of other substrates, and I like aspen best.
 
I use the coconut husk substrate. You wring it out and then I set it in the sun to dry (stirring frequently). I place it in the viv slightly moist and it dries after a bit of time (sometimes a day). Mine seem to really like it and they burrow like MLGC said.

Also, it just looks SO natural. I love it. It's also really easy to clean. You just use tissue and grab the messy part out and throw it away. Plus, if it gets wet by the water bowl, you don't have to replace it. It will just dry on it's own.
 
I like, and prefer, coconut husk. However, it's a bit too expensive for me. I'd wind up spending $100+ to replace everyones bedding with it every month. I currently use cypress mulch ($7 for a 20lb bag at a mulch store) that I microwave to kill off any buggies/parasites.
 
Ball pythons like it.
Anyway, I think that if there's dew on the inside of the tub, then it's too wet, and you're risking all sorts of potential health problems.
If you like the stuff, and the snake likes it, then offer a 'moist hide' with an appropriately sized hide box with a little of in the bottom.
Dew doesn't show up all the time, but when I had a rack with back heat in a cold room the hot side would evaporate the water out of it, and it would condense on the cold side wall.

That being said, I think that corns would be more comfortable with a touch of added humidity, as they regulate their humidity in the wild, as they don't always have a ready source of water in the wild. So while it does make them more comfortable in that they may need to drink less, balance that against mold, possible bacterial growth, possible RIs, and it's just not worth it unless you have unusually dry conditions, shedding problems, or the like.

If the snake is in an aquarium with a screen top, then it's good to offer a humid hide box in dry weather, but too wet isn't good, either.
People have been keeping snakes on aspen/hemp/sani-chips for a long time, and those seem to be the most trouble-free for the keepers, and offer the snake a clean place to hang out. While it does seem too dry at first glance, remember we offer them constant access to water, something they don't always have in the wild. If you offer a corn a humid hide, they seem to like it a LOT, and hang out in there, but they're just trying to regulate their humidity, and conserve water, thinking that it's not gonna be available. (But we know we give them constant access to water, so it's ok to keep them a little dry.)
 
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