Ball python Substrate

Drache613 said:

Hello,

We have a ball python & he is around 15 or so, I would have to look at my diary for him.
Our substrate is simply green felt! It is very easy to use, safe & simple to keep clean. We
just cut out several pieces to fit the bottom of his tank so that we always have a clean liner
for his tank. I just wash it out & then hang it to dry.
Felt is available in a variety of colors too if you don't want green.
A lot of people use aspen chips which I believe should be safe. I personally have never used
a loose substrate before but if used properly it shouldn't cause impaction. They normally are
not known to ingest substrate.

I hope this helps out!



Thanks! I use green felt already for my ball python, and I am looking for something that can hold humidity for him. I am not a huge fan of loose substrate either; it is messy, has risks all around, etc- I have my Bearded dragon on this textured PVC mat, for example;
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07P5P9RZ2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1



however, humidity wise, with my situation for my ball python on the green mat, it just isn't quite providing him what he needs, and I need to find a loose substrate to aid me with it
I also emailed the lady at reptifiles, for help too.
Really appreciate it though; I am so glad that the non-loose substrate works for you- it is definitely tricky to have to pick out a loose bedding instead.

For example,
-Lugarti bedding is very fine, can be packed down, impaction free, and holds humidity; but I would be spending $1200 a year on that.

-Bioactive is the new thing; but I tried it before, and don't think it works great for Ball Pythons; the idea is that it is self cleaning, and maintains live plants, but I didn't like it when I tried it, didn't like the self-cleaning idea, and know that plants would be quickly destroyed by a single night-adventure for him

-Coconut husk can get stuck in the pits on their nose, and even the branded reptichip has reviewers mentioning foreign pieces of plastic, metals, etc in their bag.

-Coconut fiber is dangerous by itself to ingest; can also get stuck in their heat pits

-Aspen chips, as you mentioned, unfortunately can mold
-Pine and cedar shavings- oils can cause neurological issues

And Reptisoil is muddy.

The reptifiles lady likes to mix organic soil, reptisoil, and play sand as a bedding- but doesn't go into whether it needs a drainage layer, how often it needs to be replaced, etc.

It is definitely tricky :lol:

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Drache613":7c9taz3n said:

Hello,

Yes, it is tricky to find just the right substrate!
What we have done is simply add a large water dish that he can't knock over that sits
away from the heater but can be moved to be on top of the heater when shedding. It
has worked for as long as we have had him.
Let us know what you decide on!

Tracie

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FlapJack16":1rsixdb0 said:

Drache613":1rsixdb0 said:

Hello,

Yes, it is tricky to find just the right substrate!
What we have done is simply add a large water dish that he can't knock over that sits
away from the heater but can be moved to be on top of the heater when shedding. It
has worked for as long as we have had him.
Let us know what you decide on!

Tracie

Click to expand...

Hey Tracie!

After emailing the lady from reptifiles, I came up with something for substrate.
She likes to mix playsand, organic topsoil, and reptisoil, layer with sphagnum moss, and change out every 3 months.
I liked that; except for the reptisoil part, which I looked into.
Reptisoil is $20 per 24qt bag online, and $30+ for shipping. It isn't in store near me. I would need 2 bags each time, so I would end up spending $70+ every three months on dirt. And, it would only be one part to the substrate, it would only be 1/3 of it!!

I was thinking though; maybe it is pricy since it is a specific mixture, and it is probably more regulated for reptiles- nope.
It is a mix of peat moss, soil, sand and carbon, and isn't too well regulated;
One amazon reviewer:
"Update: I have been using this for several years with good results but the latest batch is full of moth larvae. They have matured and taken over my basement. Now spending a small fortune on moth traps. A box which includes six traps is FILLED weekly. It is too late for me but if you buy this stuff make sure to microwave in batches to kill off the moths."

and then apparently, it has a new "formula" that has sharp pieces of wood in it too...
So the money isn't even getting something better than regular soil.

So yeah, anyway,
I am going to mix organic topsoil, sand, coconut fiber, and layer with sphagnum moss, and change out every 3 months, as i came up with, with the reptifiles gal

But it is nice; all items are cheap; $5.10 for the sand, $6.99 for the moss, $7.49 for the coconut fiber. And it is effective as well; holds humidity, and doesn't require a drainage layer!!

It is still much more of a hassle to buy, mix and add the substrate, plus adding water 1-2 times a week and stirring, plus rinse and repeat every 3 months.
I am glad the felt and water bowl work well for you; there is definitely a risk in my mind using loose substrate, no matter what you choose, so I wish I could keep my precious reptile carpet :lol:
It's why I have my BD on a textured PVC mat, too

Only thing I need to find out, though, is an organic, additive free, fertilizer free topsoil I can pick up at home depot or lowes... I asked about it in another post, maybe you have an idea?

Just thought I would update ya!

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