iv recenly set up my viv to get tems and humidity right for my boa b4 i get him. im useing orchid bark but it makes my hole flat stink and it also has loads of little flies in it can ne i tell me a substrste that is good for rainbow boas, that does not smell as much and with no flies in it

i have a brown bark in one end of my tank, in the other end is a substrate its like egg cartoons sliced up into small bits, that smells a bit tho and my bark gives one end of then tank condensation so i cant win lol maybe try a sand?

Joe,

No need to buy expensive silly substrates. Think about the species you are buying and the normal habitat it would live in. I always recommend using Aspen or hemp for bedding / substrate. Aspen costs a bit more but both are very clean and don't smell at all!! They will also absorb spills and "bodily fluids" making it both easy and economical to clean.
Hope that helps? Oh yeah - DON'T EVER USE WOOD CHIPS!! THEY ARE EASILY SWALLOWED AND KILL REPTILES!!!! WE SEE TOO MANY OF THESE.

All of our reptiles are on aspen bedding apart from the ETB's and the GTP's that are on beech chipping.
Aspens probably the best all round and as BRB's require higher humidity levels than most snakes add some moss either in a tub or just put it in the corner and spray the viv once a day until the glass has condensation on.

Personally i dont recommend any substrates, except newspaper because of accidental ingestion.
However Aspen is probably the best of a bad lot.Using Aspen or other substrates makes it hard to thoroughly clean the soiled areas as liquids will soak in and you cannot always guarentee to get it all up, therefore maiking a small.

To increase humidity you can spray once a day, Or have a humidity box.

To make a humidity box, get a small sandwich box and fill with spagnum moss and dampen, put the lid on, make some holes and your away

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www.reptilicious.com

Hi all
I have had my corn for about 2-3 years and have allways use woodchip like for bird cages etc, but after reading this im changing!!!!

I avoid aspen like the plague. I`ve had problems with it getting in the mouth (even when the snake is removed for feeding)