What substrates can be used for Ball Pythons?

Hello and welcome to Herpcenter! Ball pythons are great snakes!
I would start a new aquisition out on plain old newspaper to begin with. This will allow you to better monitor the waste as well as keeping an eye out for the possibility of external parasites.
After a few months you can go to one of the wood substrates like aspen bark or cypress mulch. I have used both but am partial to aspen.
Stay away from cedar and pine both are toxic to snakes. Also stay away from gravel or sand.
Be aware that if you have any sort of a particulate substrate you will need to remove the snake for feeding.
Have you checked out our care sheet:
www.herpcenter.com/showthread.php?t=2725

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

I agree with Merlin on this, we always keep new or young snakes on paper, it's easier to monitor thier stool. Here in Jersey I use cypress mulch for older snakes because no one has aspen (just make sure it's not the dyes kind). Do you feed frozen or live? We have ab article on that as well at http://www.herpcenter.com/showthread.php?t=2754. BTW, welcome to HC!!!

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Answers are great. But I prefer questions!

Visit me at www.jaysreptiles.com

Thanks Jay.

i saw coconut bark in the store the other day... i know cedar and pine are toxic, but are there any other substrates one should stay away from? Eve loves to burrow a little bit in the substrate, and because of the bulkiness of the coconut bark, i thought I might get a little more for my dollar in that sense.

anyone tried it?

My hubby uses it for the land portion of his newt tank. Seems like it'd be good if you're having humidity issues. When you expand it, it's almost exactly like dirt, so it probably holds humidity. I personally haven't tried it for snakes though.

Coco bark is fine to use, holds humidity well. For our BPs we just stick to newspaper now, as with many of our snakes - although it doesn't look as nice, it is cheap, easily obtainable, easy and quick to clean, and the snakes use the whole enclosure as one big hide because they can sneak under the paper!

Other substrates that can be used include the aspen bedding or the wood chips, although these materials aren't so good for the higher humidity. Moss could also be used, although don't allow the humidity to get too high, or you could use paper towels or carpet.

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"If you know everything you may as well blow your brains out because the reason for existence is to learn more everyday." - Mark O'Shea, 2004

Hello,
I use aspen shavings with my corn and my BP. It is attractive, and they can burrow in it if they choose.
I use a feeding tub for feeding. There is no substrate at all in there.