Buying the right substrate for your Royal Python is extremely important. In fact, the choice of substrate for your terrarium is decisive for proper maintenance. Snakes often refuse to eat or are aggressive on certain substrates or when you’ve just acquired them. Changing the substrate is a good way to get them to eat, and to make them more comfortable.
Many hobby breeders don’t bother to do their research when buying their Python regius. And yet, buying the right terrarium, lamps, food or even choosing the right substrate are all mandatory to keep your snake alive.
Before giving you the list of good substrates for your royal python, let’s just ask ourselves the question: What exactly is a substrate?
In a hurry? Here’s the best substrate for your Royal Python, read the guide as soon as you can to find out why.
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Qu’est-ce que le substrat d’un Terrarium ?
Substrate is the name generally given to the basic support on which reptiles or amphibians live in your terrarium. It’s the equivalent of bedding for a rodent. It’s also the base on which plants grow, i.e. what they’re planted in. In short: the floor of a vivarium.
Some substrates are suitable for animals living in arid zones, such as desert bedding or excavator. Others are more suitable for reptiles or amphibians living in humid and tropical zones, as they retain moisture (Sphagnum moss, vermiculite, hummus). Some are better suited to aquatic or semi-aquatic animals. There are substrates for every type of environment and animal.
But which substrates are suitable for the Ball Python?
Although I’ve already covered this subject in the Regius Python care sheet (which I invite you to read), but here’s a more complete and detailed guide!
Which substrate to use for a Royal Python?
The royal python lives in a semi-arid environment, i.e. relatively hot and not very humid. They are generally found in the savannahs of West Africa. So you’ll need to provide it with a substrate suited to this type of environment.
Substrates and beddings suitable for Python regius:
Now that you know which substrates are suitable for your [SECONDARY KW], let’s see why you should choose one over the other by analyzing the advantages of these different soils.
Aspen Bedding
Aspen shavings have several advantages that make them an ideal substrate for royal pythons.
For a start, aspen is non-toxic to your snake (unlike cedar), and this bedding allows your snake to dig without any risk. Last but not least, this substrate retains odors, and makes maintenance easy as it’s dust-free if of high quality (ZooMed for example).
It’s surely one of the best substrates for a Python Regius, and many breeders are raving about it.
- Litière pour serpent
- Aucune huile toxique comme de l’huile de cèdre et...
- Sans odeur, facile d’entretien et dépourvu de poussière...
Coconut chips
Coconut chips or fibers are also a good substrate for regius. They have the advantage of absorbing odors (especially from excrement). They absorb humidity efficiently, which helps maintain the level required by the PR (Python regius).
Last but not least, there’s no worry about mold, and very little chance of the royal python inadvertently swallowing any. So it’s pretty safe, inexpensive and effective!
- Matières : Coco Substrat
- Le volume compressé permet d'obtenir un gros volume de...
- Litière de coco séchée au soleil, très absorbante et...
Cypress mulch
Like the previous alternatives, cypress mulch is a very safe substrate for a royal python. It’s highly absorbent and retains moisture well. Your snake shouldn’t accidentally ingest any either.
Finally, as for the others, cypress is not toxic, and your python regius will have no trouble digging into this base.
- Paillis de cyprès 100% naturel
- conservant l’humidité de l’enceinte
- pour les serpents, les amphibiens, les tarentules ou les...
Beech shavings
Beech shavings are very aesthetic, and a good quality aggregate (substrate) 100% suitable for king pythons.
If you buy top-quality shavings like Trixie’s, they’ll all be the same size, and none of the ends will be too sharp or too thick: enough for your snake to burrow in with complete peace of mind!
This type of shavings is also very hygienic thanks to its high moisture absorption, and it’s dust-free.
- Fragile:non
- Dimension (L x L x H ) : 13.46 x20.94 x13.46 pouces
- Poids:12.61 livres
The kitchen towel
Using paper towels as a substrate has a number of obvious advantages:
- It is very easy to clean
- It is absorbent.
- Your snake won’t risk intestinal obstruction.
- It’s hygienic and dust-free.
Le seul désavantage est purement subjectif : il n’offre pas cet aspect “naturel” dans le terrarium de votre reptile. A vous de décider si ça vous importe ou non.
- Matières : Coco Substrat
- Le volume compressé permet d'obtenir un gros volume de...
- Litière de coco séchée au soleil, très absorbante et...
Substrates to avoid for a regius python
- Sand
- Cedar chips
- Gravel
There are a plethora of substrates unsuitable for a python regius, but these 3 types of substrate are dangerous for your snake for various reasons, and are unfortunately often found in the terrariums of uninformed or ill-advised people.
Sand
Sand found on the ground or in pet shops presents an all-too-familiar problem: the risk of intestinal obstruction due to accidental ingestion!
In fact, a reptile that eats sand (whether unintentionally or not), risks death or severe stomach pains and return visits to the NAC vet. To be avoided.
Cedar shavings
Cedar shavings should absolutely not be used for a python or any other snake, as they emit toxic fumes. So it’s important to carefully examine the wood shavings you intend to use, and make sure there’s no cedar if it’s a mixture.
Gravel
Gravel has several shortcomings that make it an unsuitable substrate for pythons. Firstly, it is often dusty, which is dangerous for reptiles in general. What’s more, it’s difficult to clean properly. Last but not least, it also presents a serious risk of involuntary ingestion, resulting in intestinal obstruction. To be avoided.
How to care for your Royal Python’s substrate?
For reasons of hygiene and therefore health, it’s essential to clean your snake’s substrate from time to time. It’s also advisable to change it from time to time to avoid the development of bacteria or other hygiene and odour problems.
Royal python on its substrate in a terrarium
As a general rule, you should check and clean your snake’s substrate at least once a week. However, the substrate you choose will influence the way you go about it. For example, with paper towels, you’ll need to change them completely relatively frequently, whereas with shavings or mulch, you can clean only the dirty spots.
In both cases, you need to replace the substrate or clean it in small patches as soon as it becomes contaminated by excrement, urates, dead skin or excessive amounts of spilt water. In addition, it’s advisable to remove and completely replace individual substrates about once a month.
Finally, if you have chosen your substrate carefully from among those recommended in this article (excluding paper towel), you have a 100% natural substrate. To dispose of it when it’s used, simply compost it.
Conclusion
As you can see, choosing the ideal substrate for a king python is not that simple. Between health risks due to toxicity or substrate ingestion, hygiene, comfort and even aesthetics, you need to choose carefully, and be aware of the dangers that await your regius.
I hope this guide has helped you, and if it has, don’t hesitate to leave a comment – I really enjoy reading them!