Providing the right substrate for your ball python is absolutely essential since the ball python often like to bury in the substrate in captivity. The best substrate for ball python should retain moisture well, control odors, keep the humidity levels up, etc.
Zoo Med Forest Floor Bedding and Zoo Med Eco Loose Coconut Fiber Substrate are considered as two of the most excellent substrate for ball python. This post will discuss these two different types of bedding and figure out the pros and cons of each type in detail.
#1 Safe and All-natural
There is a risk that can happen that ball python could eat their substrate, so you should use a safe, natural substrate to ensure your ball python will not swallow toxins to their body.
Besides, the best ball python substrate should be all-natural products, without any extra chemicals, which can cause irritation to pall python skin and eyes.
Zoo Med Forest is the substrate that made of 100% natural cypress mulch, which also provides your terrarium with a natural forest look. There are some bedding products made of cypress mulch but mixed with pine and cedar chips.
Cedar and pine are toxic to python. But this will not occur when using Zoo Med Forest, it does not contain any other chips mixed in.
Zoo Med Eco Loose Coconut Fiber is an all-natural green product made of coconut fiber. It is also can be recycled into garden soil. It will be soft and comfortable bedding for a ball python.
#2 Easy to clean
In order to keep ball python stay healthy and live a long life, you have to spot clean their substrate daily, remove the waste when you notice it. And at least once per month, you should deep clean the entire cage and replace the substrate. Due to this, you will want a substrate that is relatively easy to clean. This will save you much time and effort.
You do not have to remove all of the Zoo Med forests and Zoo Med Coconut fiber during cleaning, Scoping out the soiled part and replace it with a fresh batch. Moreover, coconut fiber substrate also can break down waste make it much easier to clean.
#3 Holds on humidity
Ball python requires a high humidity level in their cage; it is about 55%-60%. This will increase to 80% when they come to the shedding period. Therefore choosing the substrate that good at maintaining humidity level is absolutely essential.
Zoo Med Cypress Mulch and Zoo Med Coconut Fiber are highly valued for maintaining the humidity in the enclosure than other substrates.
Sometimes, they likely to provide more humidity than you require if you over mist this substrate. However, these two substrates can be able to resistant to mold growth so it is not a serious problem.
Zoo Med coconut fiber holds humidity well, but when it is kept dry, it becomes dusty and messy which is a drawback of this substrate.