substrate

uhh.....yeah, alot of the sort, i've done numerous tests on it, also different kinds, if you were smart enough to try out some experiments, maybe you would agree. when aspen is processed, they use other woods to improve scent and moisture absorbtion....so i think im sure that what im saying is true...i've done atleast 15 tests along with other herpetologists.....

What sort of tests have you done? Could you ask the other herpetologists to come here and provide their findings as well?

Remember for a test to be valid, scientifically speaking, it MUST be able to be reproduced with predictable results. I sincerely doubt the validity of these tests! PROVE IT.

Additionally, TRACES of cedar won't be harmful!. Snakes don't live in a sterile environment in the wild!

umm you know what, I actually would suggest sand. thats what i use and it works great. i always see my baby diggin around and poppin her little head back up. its the cutest thing. make sure its deep enough so the snake could dig around. you can also get sand that has vitamins and/or calcium.

I use sand, playground sand. The same thing I use with my beardy. I sift it to get all the rocks and clumps out first. Some people bake it, but I don't bother. My hog seems to love it, she does what ladyserpent's does. I think it's funny when she buries her head into the sand and stays like that, it's like she thinks she's completely hiden cause her head is . I also have 2 logs in the cage, one on the heated side and the other on the cold side. They allow her to go inside, under and over, and she loves to use them.

I agree, I also use sand. Well, mainly sand and i have a little bit of cypress mulch in there just for a different look. My little hoggie always buries herself and she will pop up just her head, with sand all over it, and look around. Very cute

I would like to see those tests too, since I use aspen in my other snake enclosures. They have been fine on it, and a lot of people use it as well. I have never hear of aspen having traces of cedar in it.

Calcium-enriched sand, a layer of rocks, "repti-bark" (or any mulched wood that's snake-compatable; I stick with store-bought varieties since they're usually clean and reptile-safe)... Hognoses like to burrow. It's what they do. So lots of substrate is a good thing. They also REALLY like a hide-box with moss and high humidity. And for whoever argued against high humidity for w. hognoses earlier... well, I think it's just fine as long as the temp. is not too low. According to my hogs it's better than fine; they have to be coaxed out of the damn thing.

HMMM... I still dont think high humidity is a good idea. they are a desert snake and desert snakes dont live well in too moist an area.

what do you guys think about white fir and eucalyptis chips, thats what this bedding i got from the pet store is made out of.

I use aspen and mine are doing fine (I use it for all my other snakes too). If you do use sand, I would not recommend calci or vitasands. In lizards these have a tendency to clump together in the digestive tract (the particles are too large to be readily dissolved) and form blockages. These calcium masses will also neutralize stomach acid and may interfere with digestion. If you want to learn more, this article: http://www.pythons.com/calcium.html makes for an interesting read.

-Alice

i also use regular sand, my snakes love it, and its easy to clean , I never feed them in the sand. i,ll take them out give em' a quick rinse if they have sand stuck to them , then i place them them in seperate containers and feed them this way.once they are done eating i put them back in the sand. never had any problems with compaction.