In this article, we have reviewed the best substrate for ball python. If you are in a hurry, the table below gives a quick snapshot of the top ones.
Table of Contents
Nearly 800,000 U.S. households keep snakes as pets, based on the National Pet Owners Survey. One of the favorite pet snake varieties is the ball python.
If you, too, have fallen in love with these shy and beautiful creatures and are planning to bring one into your home, you should learn all about the kind of bedding (substrate) they need.
Why Do Ball Pythons Need A Special Substrate?
You should never leave a ball python on the bare floor or in the sand. In the wild, they live in humid underground tunnels left behind by other creatures and slither out to hunt at night. These earthbound snakes need a humid environment that promotes a natural digging environment.
If you want to make your ball python feel comfortable, you need bedding that mimics the ambient humidity of their natural habitat. There are several options, such as aspen shaving, cypress mulch, coconut fiber, and orchid bark.
If you are searching for the best substrate and bedding for ball pythons, go through the article below. We have listed the best-reviewed substrates and their features. We have also included factors that you need to consider when buying one.
Our Top Choice Small Pet Select Aspen Bedding
The Small Pet Select - Jumbo Aspen Bedding - 113L is our top choice for the best substrate and bedding for ball python because of the following reasons:
- Small Pet Select Aspen bedding is 100% eco-friendly and recyclable.
- It absorbs odor and remains dry enough.
- It includes paper bedding that is free of chemicals and dyes.
- It comes ready to use. You need to add water, which expands it to 3 times larger than its actual size.
- It is quite affordable, and the packaging is available in multiple weight variants.
Best Substrate And Bedding For Ball Python
#1 Small Pet Select Aspen Bedding
Small Pet Select Aspen Bedding is 100% recyclable and expands up to 3 times larger than its actual size. It includes naturally harvested hays that are hygienic and safe for your pets.
Features and Benefits
- 100% eco-friendly: Small Pet Select Aspen Bedding is 100% eco-friendly and recyclable. The paper bedding is free of chemicals.
- Eliminates odor: Ball Pythons are naturally clean creatures and love to live in clean space. The product remains dry enough to hide the odor.
- Expand up to 3 times: The substrate is expandable and can expand to 3 times larger than its actual size. So you do not have to buy refills.
- Weight Variants: The bedding is available in two weight variants. It’s quite affordable.
- Healthy for your pet: Small Pet Select includes harvested hays. It’s essential for the health and happiness of your pet.
- Cozy bedding material: Ball Pythons need a soft and cozy bedding material. These include paper materials. They are soft and fluffy for their delicate skin.
Why should you buy it?
Are you looking for a healthy, safe, and affordable substrate for ball pythons? Small Pet Select Aspen is quite affordable and available in two weight variants. You can use them for animals like guinea pigs, chickens, or rabbits other than ball pythons. It’s expandable and can expand up to 3 times larger than its actual size. What’s more, it’s 100% eco-friendly and recyclable.
#2 ReptiChip Premium Coconut Reptile Substrate
ReptiChip Coconut Reptile Substrate is perfect for both reptiles and amphibians. It absorbs odor, making the environment pleasant for your pet. ReptiChip Substrate is available in a compacted packaging.
Features and Benefits
- Absorb: It is a natural bedding and a good absorbent of odor. It makes your snake and environment feel pleasant.
- Eco-friendly: This substrate does not include chemicals. It is 100% organic, safe, and eco-friendly, making it safe for your pets.
- Healthy for reptiles: It is healthy for reptiles and amphibians. The substrate is ideal for geckos, lizards, amphibians, and tortoises.
- Anti-bacteria: It holds and traps bacteria. Thus it prevents the formation of molds.
- Humidity level: Ball pythons prefer a humid environment, like most snakes. ReptiChip Coconut Reptile Substrate maintains optimal humidity level.
- Ready to use: The bedding comes ready to use. You need to add water to expand the ReptiChip Coconut Reptile Substrate block and create a hygienic environment for your reptile.
- Good for burrowing: The bedding looks natural. The ball python loves digging and slithering rounds it; hence this is best for them.
Why should you buy it?
Are you looking for an easy to use and natural substrate for your pet? ReptiChip Coconut Reptile Substrate is chemical-free, organic, and 100% eco-friendly. Apart from ball pythons, you can use them for tortoises, lizards, geckos, and other amphibians. The substrate maintains an optimal humidity level and prevents the formation of molds.
#3 Exo Terra Compressed Coconut Husk
Exo Terra Compressed coconut husk is a 100% natural bedding and can be a great addition to your terrarium design. It’s easy to manage and naturally bacteria and fungi resistant. It looks like a natural husk and promotes the natural digging of reptiles.
Features and Benefits
- Natural and safe: Exo Terra Compressed husk is resistant to fungus and bacteria. It prevents the formation of moss.
- Removes bad odor: The compressed coco husk absorbs moisture. It makes your snake and environment feel pleasant.
- Expandable: The substrate gets expanded after rehydration. Thus you don’t need to buy refills.
- Value for money: Exo Terra Compressed husk is high-grade bedding for money. It can be used as standalone or in conjunction with coconut fiber-based substrates.
- Promote natural digging for reptiles: The substrate is made of compressed coconut husk and resembles natural barks. Thus it’s a great addition to your terrarium design and encourages natural digging behavior.
- Easy to manage: You don’t need to remove the soiled areas daily. The bedding is quick and easy to manage.
Why should you buy it?
Are you looking for premium quality, ready to use substrates for amphibians and reptiles? Exo Terra Compressed husk is resistant to fungus and bacteria and prevents the formation of moss. It maintains the humidity level required for the survival of frogs, salamanders, and digging or burrowing animals.
You might also be interested to read: Best Nutritious Dog Food for Boxers in 2020
#4 Freedom Breeder CocoBlox Compressed Coco Chip
Freedom Breeder offers you high-quality coco husk bedding for reptiles and amphibians. It absorbs odor and prevents the formation of molds. You just need to add water, and it gets expanded to 2.5 cubic feet or 72 qt. Hence you do not need to buy refills often.
Features and Benefits
- Safe and hygienic habitat: It got triple washed and cleaned to remove dirt, small fibers, and particles. It creates a safe and hygienic habitat for your pets.
- Eco-friendly and biodegradable: CocoBlox coconuts got harvested by farmers. It includes coconut husk and is therefore sustainable and chemical-free. It’s perfect for your pets.
- Expansion: You need to add water, and CocoBlox gets expanded to 2.5 cubic feet or 72 qt. Thus you don’t need to buy refills.
- Maintain optimal humidity level: Freedom Breeder CocoBlox includes coconut husk that absorbs large amounts of water. It drastically maintains the optimal humidity level.
- Keeps the environment clean and fresh: Reptiles like ball pythons love a clean and fresh environment. CocoBlox absorbs odor. It keeps your enclosure smelling fresh.
Why should you buy it?
Are you looking for eco-friendly and expandable bedding for reptiles like lizards, tortoises, geckos, or amphibians? Freedom Breeder CocoBlox is 100% eco-friendly, absorbs the foul smell, and makes it feel fresh and clean. It maintains the humidity level required for the survival of pets.
#5 Exo Terra Coco Husk Substrate
Exo Terra Coconut Husk has an intrinsic fresh and pleasant “wooden” smell and keeps the environment clean and fresh for your pets. It has an aesthetic appeal, and python morphs love slithering around it. The coco husk is soft and fluffy for their delicate skin.
Features and Benefits
- Maintain optimal humidity level: Exo Terra Coconut Husk absorbs large amounts of water. It drastically maintains the optimal humidity level.
- Anti-bacterial: It’s naturally anti-bacterial. It resists mold and fungus growth, thus keeping your pet safe from skin infections and irritations.
- Healthy Substrates: Coconut husk is easy to work with. It helps in maintaining a hygienic environment.
- Removes bad odor: Ball Pythons prefer an odorless environment. Exo Terra Coconut Husk has an intrinsic fresh and pleasant “wooden” smell.
- 100% eco-friendly: The bedding is 100% eco-friendly and includes non-toxic materials. Thus it promotes a healthy burrowing environment.
- Soft and Cozy: Reptiles like Ball Pythons need a soft and cozy bedding material. This substrate is fluffy and soft for their delicate skin.
Why should you buy it?
Are you looking for high absorbent bedding for tortoises and ball pythons? Exo Terra Coconut Husk is 100% eco-friendly and chemical-free. It includes sun-dried coconut husk that absorbs moisture and prevents the formation of bacteria and molds.
You might also be interested to read: The Best Canned Foods for your Dog in the Market Right Now
#6 Zoo Med Aspen Snake Bedding
Zoo Med Aspen Beddings are favorite among reptile and amphibian breeders. It is quite affordable. And the light color looks great in the snake’s vivarium. The aspen bedding is cozy and feels soft on the delicate skin.
Features and Benefits
- Maintain humidity level: The aspen bedding absorbs about 200% water of its actual weight. It drastically maintains the humidity level.
- Keeps the environment fresh and clean: Ball pythons prefer a clean environment. This bedding is cleaned to remove dirt, small fibers, and particles.
- Safe and Hygienic: Zoo Med Aspen Snake Bedding is free of retardant chemicals. It includes non-toxic oils like cedar and other wood shavings and is safe and hygienic for your pets.
- Good for burrowing: The aspen bedding looks natural and is perfect for reptiles and amphibians. Your python will enjoy burrowing underneath the substrate.
- Shredded and expandable: The aspen bedding is shredded and expands to cover a large area. You do not need to buy refills.
- Affordable: You will find the aspen husk quite affordable. The packaging is available in four weight variants.
Why should you buy it?
Are you looking for absolutely chemical-free beddings for reptiles and amphibians? It includes non-toxic oils like cedar and other wood shavings and won’t harm if accidentally ingested. It provides a safe and naturalistic environment for the creatures. Apart from ball pythons, you can use them as bedding material for lizards and other small animals.
#7 Zilla Snake and Lizard Litter
Zilla Lizard Bedding uses aspen hardwood chips that are laboratory grade and are specially treated by heat, giving your pet ball python ultra-absorbent bedding.
Features and Benefits
- Ultra-Absorbant: The aspen chips used in this bedding are specially heat-treated to make them high absorbing material.
- Hypoallergenic: Your ball python bedding should ensure your pet’s health at all times. This bedding contains no harmful oils and is hypoallergenic. It is the safest environment for your baby.
- Easy Cleaning: The aspen chips are sized perfectly for spot cleaning. They are light in color, which makes it easier to spot the dark-colored droppings.
- Economical: The substrate is available in 4, 8, and 24-quart options. All the options are quite inexpensive.
Why should you buy it?
Aspen shavings are the preferred substrate for ball pythons. If you are looking for an economical variant of aspen shavings, then this is one of the best options available for you.
You might also be interested to read: Best Litter Box For Rabbits.
Buyer’s Guide: Best Substrate And Bedding For Ball Python
In this section, we will talk about the things to look for when buying the best substrate for a ball python.
Humidity Retention
Ball pythons live in regions with high humidity. Our households have an average humidity between 38 to 48 percent, and it is quite lower than the humidity levels in which pythons live. It is essential to buy substrates retaining high levels of humidity in your pet’s enclosure. You can go to aspen shavings or coconut coir.
Please use a hygrometer for measuring humidity levels in your pet’s bedding. Try to keep the humidity level between 55 to 60 percent. Humidity is a crucial factor that helps them in respiration and makes them feel good.
Material
The material of the substrate is another important determining factor.
One of the most well-known materials is aspen chips. These are reasonably priced. They cluster around the droppings well, making the cleanup process simpler. Cypress mulch is another material. This bedding material looks more like a natural forest floor and can retain moisture.
You can go for coconut coir, though they are more premium and uncommon. Coconut lessens smells and microorganisms and helps in maintaining proper humidity levels.
Cost
Cost is another factor. Balance cost with the size of the bag and the frequency with which the substrate will get replaced. It requires you to change the bedding in one or two months alternately. Keep this in mind when buying bedding for a ball python.
Frequently Asked Questions: Best Substrate And Bedding For Ball Python
How often do you need to change the bedding?
The rule of thumb says that you need to change the bedding every 30 to 60 days. It’s because the ball pythons often do not relieve themselves. You can say that they are low-temperature creatures. Substrates that are excellent absorbers of heat and moisture can last for three months.
What is the best substrate for ball python?
The best material for a ball python is the one that’s a good absorbent, retaining a considerable amount of moisture. It needs to have an odor-controlling property too. Considering the fact, perfect bedding would be aspen shavings, coconut coir, or cypress mulch.
If you need sustainable material, you can go for substrates made of coconut coir or coconut husks. In case you are searching for material that makes burrowing easier for your pet, go for aspen shavings.
What is the best brand for ball python substrates?
It’s difficult to name the brand that manufactures ball python substrates as all have strengths and limitations. Some of the brands manufacturing quality substrates include Med, Zoo, Critters, and Comfort. These brands gained recognition in the industry for producing high-grade materials and their ability to mimic beddings that are quite comfortable for ball pythons.
Conclusion
For the health and well-being of your ball python, don’t use any ordinary bedding. Please select one that suits your pet and provide them with a healthy environment like the ones mentioned above.
In our opinion, the Small Pet Select - Jumbo Aspen Bedding - 113L is the best choice among the various options that we have considered because it is 100% recyclable and expands up to 3 times larger than its actual size. It includes naturally harvested hays that are hygienic and safe for your pets.
The ReptiChip Compressed Coconut Chip Substrate for Reptiles 72 Quart Coco Chips Brick Bedding (Breeder Block) is our next best choice because it absorbs odor, making the environment pleasant for your pet. ReptiChip Substrate is available in a compacted packaging.
If you are looking for a value for money option, you can also consider the Zoo Med Aspen Snake Bedding (24 qt), which offers great value and features at a very reasonable price point.
References:
[1] https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2020/03/ball-pythons-west-africa-exports/
