Once you get a cage for your ball python, you need to add substrate (bedding) on the bottom of the cage. There are many different options for ball python substrate, and each has its own pros and cons. In this post, you will find a list of best ball python substrate options, their pros and cons, bad substrates, substrate depth and best substrate for humidity.
Top substrates for ball pythons
- Newspaper or paper towels
- Cypress mulch
- Aspen
- Bark chips or shredded bark
- Coconut fiber
- Sphagnum moss mixed with another substrate
- Tropical soil mix
Option #1: Newspaper or paper towels
Newspaper, or paper towels, is the simple substrate option for your ball python cage. Pros of paper towels include ability to watch your ball python’s poop, ease of cleaning and low cost. Cons include the need to replace this substrate often and lack of aesthetic appearance.
It is recommended that you use paper towels for juvenile and ball pythons, to monitor their poop. Same goes to newly bought or sick ball pythons (in quarantine). Using simple paper substrate will help avoid any accidental ingestion and impaction.
What is more, always make sure to use newspaper or paper towels only, when you have just brought your new ball python home. Quarantining includes keeping your ball python on a simple substrate. Any ill ball pythons should also be kept on newspaper/paper towels.
Always use paper without ink (unprinted newspaper), as ink can leak when getting wet. Butcher paper, craft paper and paper towels are also great.
Option #2: Cypress mulch
Cypress mulch is a good substrate option for humidity loving snakes, including ball pythons. It is absorbent and can help retain optimal levels of humidity and temperatures.
Cypress mulch like this is also easy to clean, and replace when necessary. What is more, it is aesthetically pleasing. It is a good substrate for ball pythons, especially if you are struggling with humidity.
One of the cons is that it can sometimes get stuck in your ball python’s heat pits on the snout, or in the mouth. Make sure to regularly check your ball python and remove any stuck bits if you find any.
Option #3: Aspen
Aspen shavings like this is another popular choice of substrate for ball pythons. It is light, clumps easily when wet (waste) and can be spot cleaned easily.
However, aspen can get stuck in your ball python’s mouth. Also, your ball python is likely to ingest aspen shavings when eating food. In higher humidity settings, aspen shavings might also harbor bacteria if wet and mold easily.
That’s why if using aspen, you will have to check your ball python’s mouth to see if there’s any stuck aspen. To help prevent ingestion, when adding aspen, make sure that your ball python has time to compress it before you feed it (when adding for the first time).
You will have to replace the whole substrate in the tank once a month. All in all, aspen is very absorbent, inexpensive and easy to clean. However, it can mold in the tank when wet and otherwise be dry, sometimes causing scale irritation.
Option #4: Bark chips or shredded bark
Bark chips is another substrate option for your ball python. Pros of bark chips are that it’s decorative, and can helps with shedding and to regulate humidity. But however, it can also be ingested with food, causing impaction.
That’s especially true if your ball pythons loves to burrow. So, there’s no need to add a thick layer of substrate – it should be thin to help absorb waste and provide some traction.
When choosing chips, make sure to choose medium or larger grade orchid chips like this. You can also choose beech, fir bark like this or even coconut chips. Make sure to spot clean when you see poop.
Option #5: Coconut fiber
Coconut fiber, also called coco fiber, is another substrate option for your ball python. Coco fiber clumps rather easily, is soft, and will be increasing humidity in the cage.
However, coconut fiber is very fine, and can be easily ingested with food. What is more, it can get dusty and bit messy in the tank. Also, coco fiber can get stuck in your ball python’s heat pits. So, you would need to check them and your ball python’s mouth frequently and remove it if there’s any.
Option #6: Sphagnum moss mixed with another substrate
Sphagnum moss is a great addition to a substrate if you wish to bump up humidity. You can use some sphagnum moss added to your main substrate, such as cypress mulch or fir bark.
Also, you can add some sphagnum moss in your ball python’s hide to help with shedding. When mixed with another substrate, you might need to sometimes spray your moss to keep it a little bit moist.
Option #7: Tropical soil mix
Another substrate choice for your ball python is a tropical soil mix. It can help with holding humidity, is soft and can be cleaned easily. There’s no need to add organisms to make it bioactive, though.
You can buy a ready tropical mix like this one by Josh’s Frogs, or make your own mix. To make your own mix, mix around 60-70% organic topsoil, 10% sand, 10% peat moss, 10% coco fiber.
When choosing soil, make sure it doesn’t contain any fertilizers or pesticides. Another great product is ReptiSoil like this, that is a mix of peat, soil, sand and carbon.
Option #8: Reptile carpet
Reptile carpet like this is widely used as a substrate for a big variety of reptiles. It’s aesthetically pleasing and often comes in green or brown colors.
However, it doesn’t help hold any humidity (unless misted). What is more, it is not as absorbent and will start smelling once your ball python pees or poops, and you would have to take it out very often to wash fully. It can be very hard to keep clean, and you would need to disinfect it regularly.
If a carpet gets wet, that would also harbor bacteria. Reptile carpet, all in all, is not a good choice of substrate for a ball python. If you decide to use a reptile carpet, make sure to divide in parts for easier cleaning. And, have a spare one to replace when washing one in the cage.
Bad substrate options for ball pythons
There are also bad substrate (bedding) options that you must avoid using for your ball python. These substrates are either toxic or can cause health issues in your ball python. Bad substrate options for ball pythons are:
- Cedar shavings or chips – toxic
- Redwood shavings or chips – toxic
- Highly aromatic pine/cedar/other wood shavings – oils/phenols are dangerous when inhaled
- Sand – not suitable for ball pythons and pose an impaction risk
- Reptile carpet – only use if you cannot use anything else (but even paper towels/newspaper is better), harbors bacteria, hard to clean
- Alfalfa – can start molding easily, dusty
- Walnut shells – dangerous if ingested and sharp
- Gravel or stones – impaction risk, abrasive
- Corncob – impaction risk, irritating
- Carefresh – dusty
Apart from the above substrates, please do not use any wet towels or pieces of cloth in your ball python’s tank. Some people might recommend wetting a cloth and adding to one side or in the hide to increase humidity.
However, your ball python can try to swallow a cloth. This is even if a cloth doesn’t smell like food. If a cloth is too thick, your ball python might even choke.
What should substrate depth be for a ball python?
There’s no need to add too much substrate for your ball python. 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) of compacted substrate is enough for your ball python, but sometimes up to 6-7 inches (15-18 cm) is optimal for larger cages or to bump up humidity.
How often to change ball python substrate?
You should aim to change loose substrate once in 1-2 months. However, spot clean every time you see ball python waste. If using paper or non-loose substrate, change it as soon as there’s waste.
Best ball python substrate for humidity
Best ball python substrate for humidity are topsoil mix, cypress mulch, coconut husk and bark chips. Sphagnum moss added to a hide or main substrate can also help with increasing humidity.
Summary on choosing a substrate for your ball python
When you just bring your ball python home, make sure to keep it on paper towels/newspaper while in quarantine. After that, you can switch to a more decorative loose substrate.
When choosing a substrate, make a choice depending on humidity levels where you live. If you live somewhere very dry, you will prefer substrates that can keep humidity – such as cypress mulch, bark chips or tropical soil mix.
Before using any substrate, check the bag for any bugs, and similar. If you notice any, you can boil the substrate and let it cool down & dry before using. You can also bake some substrates to get rid of any possible bugs.
Thank you for reading this post on ball python substrate. To read more on ball python cage setup and care, visit this resource page.