Unless you have a snake that originates from a sandy, desert environment, like a Kenyan Sand Boa, then sand is a terrible substrate for your snake cages. Most common snakes in the pet trade come from forest type environments and are not suited to live in a sandy environment.

The sand can get into their nostrils and in between the scales, causing all sorts of health problems.

Better alternatives for your snake cages are aspen bedding, coco bedding and cypress mulch. These substrates will give your snake cages a more natural look and your snakes will love them. Happy herping!

Technorati Tags: Snake Cages, Substrates

You’ve gotta have a substrate for your snake cages. Substrates are the materials used to cover the bottom of your snake cages and they serve multiple purposes. They give the snakes something to crawl around on/in, they absorb the mess when the snakes do their business, and some substrates add a more natural look to your snake cages. This is a quick run down of the 5 best and most popular substrates for snake cages.

1. Newspaper – The cheapest and easiest to maintain of all substrates is newspaper. Great choice for large snakes who don’t burrow. Just replace when soiled.
2. Indoor/Outdoor Carpet – Still easy to maintain, but a little more attractive than newspaper. Cut it to fit the snake cages, and cut a second one to replace it with when soiled. That way you don’t have to wait for the soiled piece to be washed and dried before putting the new piece back in the snake cage.
3. Aspen Bedding – One of the most popular substrates for snake cages is aspen shavings. It’s perfect for small snakes who like to burrow. Not so great for large snakes since the small particles can get in between their belly scales and cause irritation. Also not good for high humidity snake cages since it tends to mold quickly when wet. Use this instead of pine or cedar shavings which are toxic to reptiles.
4. Cypress Mulch – This is a great substrate for large snakes. It adds a natural look to your snake cages and it’s mold resistant, making it perfect for snakes that require higher humidity. The other bonus is that it’s cheap. You can get it from your local garden center for about $2 a bag. Just bake it in the oven for at least 30 minutes at 250 degrees before putting it into your snake cages to kill off any little bugs.
5. Coco Bedding – Made out of coconut fibers, this is also another substrate that adds a natural look to your snake cages. It comes in bricks that need to be soaked in water to make it expand, then dried out. It’s also mold resistant so it’s great for high humidity snake cages.

Depending on what snakes you keep or plan on keeping, one of these 5 substrates will be a great choice for your snake cages. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave a comment below. Happy herping!

Technorati Tags: Snake Cages, Substrates