| Choosing A Substrate For Your Pet Reptile |
When you walk into the reptile supplies aisle of any major pet supply store, you'll find a
huge variety of substrates marketed towards reptile owners. These include wood
products (in chip, bark, pellet or shavings form), walnut shells, sand of varying types,
soil-like materials, ground corn cob, paper pulp bedding (AKA Carefresh), and reptile
"carpet," similar to indoor/outdoor carpet.
It can be very difficult to make a decision about which type of substrate to use for your
pet reptile. Unfortunately, many people new to the reptile hobby automatically assume
that the advice of the people working at their local pet store can be trusted because that
person must be an expert in the field. This is not always (or often, even) true--
sometimes the people working in a store have no more knowledge than the propaganda
and sales based training videos that the store made them watch during hiring.
It is our hope that this page and the links we provide will help people to make good
decisions about what substrate to use for their pet reptiles, and will prevent tragedy from
choosing the wrong type of substrate.
huge variety of substrates marketed towards reptile owners. These include wood
products (in chip, bark, pellet or shavings form), walnut shells, sand of varying types,
soil-like materials, ground corn cob, paper pulp bedding (AKA Carefresh), and reptile
"carpet," similar to indoor/outdoor carpet.
It can be very difficult to make a decision about which type of substrate to use for your
pet reptile. Unfortunately, many people new to the reptile hobby automatically assume
that the advice of the people working at their local pet store can be trusted because that
person must be an expert in the field. This is not always (or often, even) true--
sometimes the people working in a store have no more knowledge than the propaganda
and sales based training videos that the store made them watch during hiring.
It is our hope that this page and the links we provide will help people to make good
decisions about what substrate to use for their pet reptiles, and will prevent tragedy from
choosing the wrong type of substrate.
| All photos on this page courtesy of Drs. Foster & Smith unless otherwise noted. |
| Why is choosing the right substrate so important? Aren't they all the same? |
In short, no, all substrates are not created equal. Choosing the right substrate demands
that you understand the captive care your animals needs, most importantly
temperature/basking preferences, humidity requirements, and also the tendency of your
particular animal to ingest its substrate either via feeding or via licking/tasting/smelling it's
enclosure and the materials in it. If you have a good understanding of the needs of your
animal, you can choose a substrate that will prevent injuries and death from a host of
conditions that arise from improper substrate choice.
that you understand the captive care your animals needs, most importantly
temperature/basking preferences, humidity requirements, and also the tendency of your
particular animal to ingest its substrate either via feeding or via licking/tasting/smelling it's
enclosure and the materials in it. If you have a good understanding of the needs of your
animal, you can choose a substrate that will prevent injuries and death from a host of
conditions that arise from improper substrate choice.
| All substrates have characteristics that can make them ideal for one species, but a terrible risk for another species. It's up to you to know which ones are appropriate! |
Substrate Type: Reptile Carpet
Brand Names: Zilla, T-Rex, ExoTerra, All Living Things
Benefits: Can be used with any species, except perhaps burrowing species, and is
easily cut to fit the floor of most vivariums, cages or tanks. Is relatively inexpensive, so
multiple pieces can be kept to fit each viv for easy cleaning. Some brands can be washed
in a clothes washer. Can be disinfected with bleach. Provides good exposure to under
tank heat.
Cautions: Must be cleaned and disinfected often or it can absorb bacteria and begin to
smell. Does not hold humidity at all.
Brand Names: Zilla, T-Rex, ExoTerra, All Living Things
Benefits: Can be used with any species, except perhaps burrowing species, and is
easily cut to fit the floor of most vivariums, cages or tanks. Is relatively inexpensive, so
multiple pieces can be kept to fit each viv for easy cleaning. Some brands can be washed
in a clothes washer. Can be disinfected with bleach. Provides good exposure to under
tank heat.
Cautions: Must be cleaned and disinfected often or it can absorb bacteria and begin to
smell. Does not hold humidity at all.
Substrate Type: Ground Coconut Substrate
Brand Names: Eco-Earth, Bed-A-Beast, CocoSoft
Benefits: Relatively inexpensive, easy to store (one dehydrated brick is small but
expands to 4 or 5 times its size in loose bedding when water is added), smells very nice
and does a fair job of deodorizing. Provides a more natural look and opportunities to
burrow. Can be kept at a high or low humidity level depending on how much water you
add to it.
Cautions: Can be an impaction risk for young animals or animals that gulp large amounts
of it when chasing prey. This risk can be negated by feeding outside of the vivarium in a
feeding bin. Can irritate the sinuses/nostrils of burrowing animals if kept very dry.
Brand Names: Eco-Earth, Bed-A-Beast, CocoSoft
Benefits: Relatively inexpensive, easy to store (one dehydrated brick is small but
expands to 4 or 5 times its size in loose bedding when water is added), smells very nice
and does a fair job of deodorizing. Provides a more natural look and opportunities to
burrow. Can be kept at a high or low humidity level depending on how much water you
add to it.
Cautions: Can be an impaction risk for young animals or animals that gulp large amounts
of it when chasing prey. This risk can be negated by feeding outside of the vivarium in a
feeding bin. Can irritate the sinuses/nostrils of burrowing animals if kept very dry.
Substrate Type: Bark Chips
Brand Names: ReptiBark, Orchid Bark
Benefits: Looks very natural in a viv, can hold humidity reasonably well, provides
opportunities for burrowing, smells nice.
Cautions: The larger pieces of bark make this substrate a higher risk for impaction of the
gut or injuries to the mouth of animals that hunt prey on it. This can mostly be negated by
not feeding the animal in its vivarium. This substrate tends to discolor and foul water if it is
tracked into it. Some people have purchased this type of bedding and found it infested
with mites-- this can be negated by freezing the package prior to opening it. Can be
pricey, especially if larger amounts are needed.
Brand Names: ReptiBark, Orchid Bark
Benefits: Looks very natural in a viv, can hold humidity reasonably well, provides
opportunities for burrowing, smells nice.
Cautions: The larger pieces of bark make this substrate a higher risk for impaction of the
gut or injuries to the mouth of animals that hunt prey on it. This can mostly be negated by
not feeding the animal in its vivarium. This substrate tends to discolor and foul water if it is
tracked into it. Some people have purchased this type of bedding and found it infested
with mites-- this can be negated by freezing the package prior to opening it. Can be
pricey, especially if larger amounts are needed.
Substrate Type: Regular Sifted Play Sand
Brand Names: ReptiSand, Children's Play Sand, Pool Filter Sand
Benefits: Looks natural, very easy to scoop solid fecal material out of it, generally
considered safe with larger adult animals and snakes, especially if a separate feeding bin
is used.
Cautions: Sand can be a huge impaction risk, especially for small or juvenile animals. It
is easily inhaled and swallowed. It is difficult, with some types, to get liquid waste out of
the sand, so it can be hard to clean. It is very heavy, especially in large quantities. It does
not hold humidity at all and will clump up when exposed to water. It is expensive. Here is a
very good post on reasons not to use sand: BD.org Post on Sand Problems
Brand Names: ReptiSand, Children's Play Sand, Pool Filter Sand
Benefits: Looks natural, very easy to scoop solid fecal material out of it, generally
considered safe with larger adult animals and snakes, especially if a separate feeding bin
is used.
Cautions: Sand can be a huge impaction risk, especially for small or juvenile animals. It
is easily inhaled and swallowed. It is difficult, with some types, to get liquid waste out of
the sand, so it can be hard to clean. It is very heavy, especially in large quantities. It does
not hold humidity at all and will clump up when exposed to water. It is expensive. Here is a
very good post on reasons not to use sand: BD.org Post on Sand Problems
Substrate Type: Calcium Based Sand
Brand Names: Reptilite, T-Rex Calci-Sand
Benefits: The alleged benefit is that if the reptile ingests the sand, it is calcium which not
only can be digested but is a needed component of the animals body.
Cautions: The reality is a lot harsher than the marketing. In the bearded dragon
community, Repti-Sand was an instant hit when it was first released in the late 90's by
T-Rex. Since then, numerous documented cases have occurred where animals,
especially bearded dragons and leopard geckos, have ingested large quantities of sand,
either through feeding or simply through licking it up in an effort to obtain the calcium it
offers, and have become seriously, dangerously impacted with it. It has a tendency to
clump up when wet, and inside the animals intestines it will clump and create blockages.
This is often fatal and if it isn't, it often requires expensive veterinary treatments or
surgeries to fix it. It is a generally held consensus in the reptile community that
Calcium based sands are of too great a risk and should not even be sold to the
public! Please do your animals and yourself a great favor and don't buy these products.
For more on the risks of impaction with Calci-Sand, please see this link:
BD.org Impaction Article
Brand Names: Reptilite, T-Rex Calci-Sand
Benefits: The alleged benefit is that if the reptile ingests the sand, it is calcium which not
only can be digested but is a needed component of the animals body.
Cautions: The reality is a lot harsher than the marketing. In the bearded dragon
community, Repti-Sand was an instant hit when it was first released in the late 90's by
T-Rex. Since then, numerous documented cases have occurred where animals,
especially bearded dragons and leopard geckos, have ingested large quantities of sand,
either through feeding or simply through licking it up in an effort to obtain the calcium it
offers, and have become seriously, dangerously impacted with it. It has a tendency to
clump up when wet, and inside the animals intestines it will clump and create blockages.
This is often fatal and if it isn't, it often requires expensive veterinary treatments or
surgeries to fix it. It is a generally held consensus in the reptile community that
Calcium based sands are of too great a risk and should not even be sold to the
public! Please do your animals and yourself a great favor and don't buy these products.
For more on the risks of impaction with Calci-Sand, please see this link:
BD.org Impaction Article
Image: ReptileSupply.com
Substrate Type: Aspen Shavings, Chips, etc.
Brand Names: Kaytee or generics of varying types
Benefits: Provides good burrowing opportunities, is very absorbent and easy to clean
(scoop the poop and the clump of aspen around it to get most of the waste out). Most
brands are fairly low on dust (some are awful!) and unlike pine and cedar, which should
never be used, aspen is a hard wood that is low on phenols, the smelly chemicals that
can cause respiratory infections in animals.
Cautions: Can be an impaction risk if swallowed, especially in young or very small
animals. This risk can be negated if you use a separate feeding bin. Does not hold
humidity well. Can get moldy or musty when wet.
Brand Names: Kaytee or generics of varying types
Benefits: Provides good burrowing opportunities, is very absorbent and easy to clean
(scoop the poop and the clump of aspen around it to get most of the waste out). Most
brands are fairly low on dust (some are awful!) and unlike pine and cedar, which should
never be used, aspen is a hard wood that is low on phenols, the smelly chemicals that
can cause respiratory infections in animals.
Cautions: Can be an impaction risk if swallowed, especially in young or very small
animals. This risk can be negated if you use a separate feeding bin. Does not hold
humidity well. Can get moldy or musty when wet.
Substrate Type: Paper Bedding (Pellets or Flakes)
Brand Names: Carefresh, Yesterday's News
Benefits: Comes in attractive colors, "Eco-Friendly"
Cautions: Tends to disintegrate when wet-- definitely not useful for high humidity set ups. Can
be an impaction risk if swallowed, but this can be negated by using a separate feeding bin. Can
be very dusty-- dust can cause upper respiratory infections or get embedded between the belly
scutes (scales) of snakes and lizards and cause irritation.
Brand Names: Carefresh, Yesterday's News
Benefits: Comes in attractive colors, "Eco-Friendly"
Cautions: Tends to disintegrate when wet-- definitely not useful for high humidity set ups. Can
be an impaction risk if swallowed, but this can be negated by using a separate feeding bin. Can
be very dusty-- dust can cause upper respiratory infections or get embedded between the belly
scutes (scales) of snakes and lizards and cause irritation.
Substrate Type: Ground Corn Cobs
Brand Names: Kaytee
Benefits: Attractive, smells nice, "Eco-Friendly", provides good burrowing opportunities
Cautions: Tends to mold when wet, high impaction risk if swallowed, especially in young
or smaller animals. Can be rough or abrasive on the skin. Can get trapped or stuck in
eyes and other orifices, causing infection. Does not hold humidity well.
This is a really good bedding for gerbils and other small mammals that produce little urine,
but it's not a very good reptile substrate.
Brand Names: Kaytee
Benefits: Attractive, smells nice, "Eco-Friendly", provides good burrowing opportunities
Cautions: Tends to mold when wet, high impaction risk if swallowed, especially in young
or smaller animals. Can be rough or abrasive on the skin. Can get trapped or stuck in
eyes and other orifices, causing infection. Does not hold humidity well.
This is a really good bedding for gerbils and other small mammals that produce little urine,
but it's not a very good reptile substrate.
Substrate Type: Ground Walnut Shells
Brand Names: Zilla, Kaytee
Benefits: Visually appealing, similar to sand. Easy to scoop solid feces out.
"Eco-Friendly" Good burrowing opportunity
Cautions: Can be very sharp and a risk to tearing or abrading skin. Small pieces
represent a similar impaction risk to sand and can get caught in eyes and other orifices,
resulting in infection. Tends to mold when wet. Very expensive compared to other types of
bedding. Solid feces are easily removed, but because the shells are not absorbent, the
liquid flows to the bottom of the enclosure and accumulates, causing a build of bacteria in
the lower portions of the vivarium.
Brand Names: Zilla, Kaytee
Benefits: Visually appealing, similar to sand. Easy to scoop solid feces out.
"Eco-Friendly" Good burrowing opportunity
Cautions: Can be very sharp and a risk to tearing or abrading skin. Small pieces
represent a similar impaction risk to sand and can get caught in eyes and other orifices,
resulting in infection. Tends to mold when wet. Very expensive compared to other types of
bedding. Solid feces are easily removed, but because the shells are not absorbent, the
liquid flows to the bottom of the enclosure and accumulates, causing a build of bacteria in
the lower portions of the vivarium.
Substrate Type: Wood Pellets
Brand Names: Kaytee
Benefits: Absorbent, can be purchased in bulk, provides good opportunity for burrowing
Cautions: Tends to disintegrate when wet, and will stick to all surfaces at that point. Can
be very dusty. Expensive compared to chipped or flaked wood products. Pellets made of
pine or other soft woods high in phenols should be avoided due to the increased risk of
respiratory infection such products cause.
Brand Names: Kaytee
Benefits: Absorbent, can be purchased in bulk, provides good opportunity for burrowing
Cautions: Tends to disintegrate when wet, and will stick to all surfaces at that point. Can
be very dusty. Expensive compared to chipped or flaked wood products. Pellets made of
pine or other soft woods high in phenols should be avoided due to the increased risk of
respiratory infection such products cause.
Substrate Type: Alfalfa Based Rabbit Pellets
Brand Names: Kaytee, Generics of varying types
Benefits: Absorbent, can be purchased in bulk, provides good opportunity for burrowing,
little to no impaction risk because animals can easily digest alfalfa or at the very least
pass it as a component of their feces. Inexpensive, especially when purchased in bulk.
Cautions: Tends to disintegrate when wet, and will stick to all surfaces at that point. Can
be very dusty. Can mold if left wet for too long.
Brand Names: Kaytee, Generics of varying types
Benefits: Absorbent, can be purchased in bulk, provides good opportunity for burrowing,
little to no impaction risk because animals can easily digest alfalfa or at the very least
pass it as a component of their feces. Inexpensive, especially when purchased in bulk.
Cautions: Tends to disintegrate when wet, and will stick to all surfaces at that point. Can
be very dusty. Can mold if left wet for too long.
| What options exist if I want a non-particulate substrate? |
Substrate Type: Paper Towels or Newsprint
Brand Names: Any brand or type
Benefits: Can be used with any species, except perhaps burrowing species, and is
easily cut or torn to fit the floor of most vivariums, cages or tanks. Is relatively inexpensive,
or even free in the case of newspaper. Provides good exposure to under tank heat.
Allows for easy monitoring of feces and urates. No impaction risk. Relatively absorbent
and easily disposed of during cleaning.
Cautions: Can be very labor intensive if numerous animals are kept. Can allow for
spread of feces and unsanitary environment if animal crawls through it. Newspaper ink is
non-toxic, but can discolor white or light colored animals.
Brand Names: Any brand or type
Benefits: Can be used with any species, except perhaps burrowing species, and is
easily cut or torn to fit the floor of most vivariums, cages or tanks. Is relatively inexpensive,
or even free in the case of newspaper. Provides good exposure to under tank heat.
Allows for easy monitoring of feces and urates. No impaction risk. Relatively absorbent
and easily disposed of during cleaning.
Cautions: Can be very labor intensive if numerous animals are kept. Can allow for
spread of feces and unsanitary environment if animal crawls through it. Newspaper ink is
non-toxic, but can discolor white or light colored animals.
Substrate Type: Slate or Stone Tiles
Brand Names: Sold at Home Depot-- non-stick
Benefits: Can be used with any species, except perhaps burrowing species. Can be
disinfected with bleach. Provides good exposure to under tank heat. Slate in particular
wears down the nails of lizards so you don't need to trim them as often. Very eco-friendly.
No impaction risk. Looks very "sharp" in a viv.
Cautions: Must be cleaned and disinfected often which can be labor intensive. Does not
hold humidity at all. Not at all absorbent-- feces must be cleaned up promptly for
sanitation.
Photo below shows these tiles being used in a leopard gecko vivarium.
Brand Names: Sold at Home Depot-- non-stick
Benefits: Can be used with any species, except perhaps burrowing species. Can be
disinfected with bleach. Provides good exposure to under tank heat. Slate in particular
wears down the nails of lizards so you don't need to trim them as often. Very eco-friendly.
No impaction risk. Looks very "sharp" in a viv.
Cautions: Must be cleaned and disinfected often which can be labor intensive. Does not
hold humidity at all. Not at all absorbent-- feces must be cleaned up promptly for
sanitation.
Photo below shows these tiles being used in a leopard gecko vivarium.
| So in general, which substrates are best for which species? |
Snakes:
Newspaper/paper towel, reptile carpet, aspen, Bed-A-Beast (for humidity loving species or
naturalistic vivs)
Lizards:
Slate tiles, newspaper/paper towel, reptile carpet, aspen (for burrowing lizards that aren't
prone to licking), Bed-a-Beast (for burrowing lizards or naturalistic vivs), alfalfa pellets
Turtles & Tortoises:
Newspaper/Paper towel, slate tile, reptile carpet, Repti-Bark, Bed-A-Beast, Alfalfa pellets
Amphibians:
Bed-a-beast, reptile carpet, plain paper towel (avoid newspaper because of the sensitivity
of amphibian skin to chemicals), alfalfa pellets, for toads and other species that require
less misting and humidity
Newspaper/paper towel, reptile carpet, aspen, Bed-A-Beast (for humidity loving species or
naturalistic vivs)
Lizards:
Slate tiles, newspaper/paper towel, reptile carpet, aspen (for burrowing lizards that aren't
prone to licking), Bed-a-Beast (for burrowing lizards or naturalistic vivs), alfalfa pellets
Turtles & Tortoises:
Newspaper/Paper towel, slate tile, reptile carpet, Repti-Bark, Bed-A-Beast, Alfalfa pellets
Amphibians:
Bed-a-beast, reptile carpet, plain paper towel (avoid newspaper because of the sensitivity
of amphibian skin to chemicals), alfalfa pellets, for toads and other species that require
less misting and humidity
Photo courtesy of Google Images
Photo courtesy of Google Images
Mason Dixon Reptiles "Pyxie"
