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Help! I need an alternative bedding that's safe!!!

Has the bedding you got got either Ceder or Pine in? These are toxic to snakes. Aspen is the recommended choice. I myself don't have it, I have bark specially for reptiles which doesn't contain Ceder or Pine. Even I would prefer Aspen, I just haven't got round to getting it yet!
 
If he's allergic to aspen, i recommend trying coconut bark. it's a little more expensive, but is a good non-toxic alternative to aspen.

i noticed that when i tried aspen, it caused me to sneeze a lot. i have sinus and allergy probs. the coconut bark is not as dusty.
 
There's also a product called Carefresh that is made from recycled newsprint. I use mostly aspen, but my male coral snow was a little sneezy, with no other signs of R.I., so I switched him to Carefresh. No more sneeziness. It's ok, though I prefer using aspen.
 
Hi! If you use Care fresh, the Carefresh Ultra is less dusty. Newsprint and papertowels work too, but are not as pretty, and they can't burrow in them.
 
I'm allergic to pine and cedar (what most petshops sell as bedding) so I use aspen on the mice and paper towels for the snakes.... carefresh ultra works well but is a tad more expensive
 
yeah the aspen has so much dust with it that i sneeze and the snake sneeze...but it is cheap.......and the big bags go a long way........i think im going to go back to using carefresh........aspen and carefresh are the best........
 
I use the care fresh ultra stuff and I love it... it doesnt smell like the aspen does (imo) and its not dusty like aspen. Its easy to handle and cleans well. My snakes are still able to tunnel through it, and it comes in a variety of colors too.. :)
 
I use Cypress mulch, the kind you get at Home Depot or Lowe's. Not the real red kind that has dye in it but the natural looking brown cypress mulch. 1 bag can last forever it seems and it's only a few bucks.
 
chaoslycan said:
is it safe?.......ill have to check it out if it is
Click to expand...


If you mean the Cypress mulch, yes it is. I have read several sites recommend it for Corn snakes and I was making sure because I use it with my Kings.

http://www.anapsid.org/corn.html
If you use pine or aspen shavings or cypress mulch, the urine and feces can be scooped out with a cat litter scoop, with fresh chips added as needed.

http://www.repticzone.com/caresheets/1103.html
Cypress mulch, and orichid bark all work well.

I have read other sites saying the same.
 
is it really messy? im moving into a city in a few months...and im trying to find a good substrate that isnt to messy for everyone......
 
Not really, when a snake poops I just use a papper towel and it picks up in one clump. When I clean all the cypress mulch out I use a dust pan and drag it under the mulch, usually done in 2 scoops. A dust pan is makes cleaning so easy when worked right, I never use the small hand broom it came with as the mulch is very easy to scoop.

Cypress also absorbs any liquid the snake poops out. Cypress mulch looks natural and gives the snake a good grip when moving around on it plus they like to hide under it if you give them enough. I also set my water bowl on the aquarium glass and put mulch around it, this keeps it in place.

One last think I like about Cypress, have you ever put down a bunch of cypress around your plants in your yard as a ground cover. You walk out side and IMO it smells so good.
 
Kingetula said:
If you mean the Cypress mulch, yes it is. I have read several sites recommend it for Corn snakes and I was making sure because I use it with my Kings.

http://www.anapsid.org/corn.html
If you use pine or aspen shavings or cypress mulch, the urine and feces can be scooped out with a cat litter scoop, with fresh chips added as needed.

http://www.repticzone.com/caresheets/1103.html
Cypress mulch, and orichid bark all work well.

I have read other sites saying the same.
Click to expand...
Yes, but they are referring to a type of Cypress Mulch that is processed specifically for the pet trade. NOT the cheap stuff you get at a home center, that stuff is usually loaded with insects and their larvae. I wouldn't recomment using garden mulch.
 
Actually a lot of people on the Chondro forum (as well as myself) use cypress mulch from the garden stores. Unfortunately, here on the west coast you can't get it so I have to pay the big bucks for the Forest floor bedding by zoo med for my chondros. Any insects found in the mulch are completely harmless to your reptile and if you really feel worried, dry it and bake it if necessary.
 
MegF. said:
Actually a lot of people on the Chondro forum (as well as myself) use cypress mulch from the garden stores. Unfortunately, here on the west coast you can't get it so I have to pay the big bucks for the Forest floor bedding by zoo med for my chondros. Any insects found in the mulch are completely harmless to your reptile and if you really feel worried, dry it and bake it if necessary.
Click to expand...
Interesting, I just always assumed it was bad. Certainly would be economical.
I would think it would at least have to dry out for a while, every bag I have ever bought was wet and damp :shrugs:
 
To be honest, not to say it doesn't happen but I never had problems with bugs or anything of the sort. I spread a small layer of the mulch in the aquarium and in a few days it's dry. At least with my Kings the cage substrate should dry but I have never had an issue with them and cypress mulch. I would think Corns would be fine as well for the few days it is wet but just in case put some one news paper or whatever and let it sit in the sun all day, that will dry it up fast.

You get a huge bag for like $2 something and it last forever it seems.
 
Well with chondros it needs to be damp, so it's great that way. I use aspen in the corns cages though.
 
I have been keeping corns for quite a few years now and have found that newspaper is best for my use. Granted our corn collection grows well into the 20's in number. Most everything is kept either in Herpcages.com racks (Doug Barr) or a couple of homemade melanine racks. So there is not much point in trying to make it pretty for me. Newspaper is a very cost effective and safe alternative to any commercial bedding. One of my biggest fears with using anything else is the ingestion of the substrate by one of my snakes. This can cause serious health issues.

If you are looking for something for the aesthetic value then I would go with the carefresh. It comes in designer colors...Kinda like Corns!

Mike Pinkston
 
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