Cyprus Mulch Question

[GootySapphire]

How many people here like this stuff? I am just curious, because a wholesaler for our pet shop said its the number one seller and should be used for ball pythons. I disagree, I think those big huge chunks could easily cause impaction in a snake. I always suggest for my snake customers to buy Aspen bedding or eco earth coconut bark.

 

[dirtborder4life]

cypress mulch

I use cypress mulch in my ball's tank.It holds moisture a million times better that aspen,so you dont have to mist nearly as often to keep the humididty up.I feed him in a feeding tub,so i dont worry about him ingesting any of it.It also has a very natural look:razz:

 

[Matthew]

Zoo's across the nation use it. I use it. Never had a problem.

 

[P-Rice]

Cypress mulch is great for blood pythons because it holds humidity so well. It is also great for monitors, tegus, and prehensile tailed skinks. I buy it from a garden center instead of a pet store. Only because it is cheaper and comes in a bigger bag, which is a plus when trying to cover the floor of 4x2x2 cage.

As long as you do not feed the snake in the cage you should not have a problem with impaction. My monitor and prehensile tailed skinks have a bowl to eat out of, which avoids the impaction problem.

 

[Thoth]

I use it with my tokays and its big enough (or they're smart enough) that they don't ingest it when snatch up crickets,

 

[Lasiodora]

Cypress is the only thing I use for my bloods and chondros. It retains moisture well and keeps the humidity up. I feed them in their cages. In fact I leave pre-killed rats under my male chondros perch at night. They are gone by morning. I've never had a problem.
-Mike

 

[Ms. Peaches]

I use it with my gravid boas. I don't line the whole cage with it just keep it in a tub for them to get in and out of it. I agree as long as you don't feed your snakes on it, you won't have a problem with impaction.

 

[ErikH]

I have heard that the impaction thing is overrated. I have heard breeders say that the snakes digestive system can disolve cyprus mulch just as easily as it does rodent bones. I personally don't use it, except for a humid hide when my Ball Python is due for a shed. I use newspaper because it's free, and you know when the cage is clean, instead of sifting through mulch.

 

[Ms. Peaches]

Yeah I heard many stories supporting imapaction due to wood substates as well as an equal amount of them stating it won't be a problem. I just choose not to use it for basically the same reason as you...newspaper is quicker to clean just swap it out spray the cage with some Nolvasan solution wipe clean and add new paper. Well sometimes it requires more then that but you get the jist of it.

 

[MicahHall]

My local pet shop gave it to me when I bought my Red Tail. I got the whole its the best thing you can use lecture, and I was dumb enough to buy it hook, line and sinker. It was horrible for us. Dusty stuff, endless sneezing, and my wife didnt even want to open the tank. Needless to say, we switched to the newspaper on the advice of multiple AB members and even though its might not be very "pretty" its a million times more functional. I actually made a call to the local newspaper here and they are willing to give me some of the extra unused paper.

 

[Ms. Peaches]

Micah how is your boa doing BTW