your substrate should be moisture-friendly and resistant to mold, but if your enclosure is set up properly you shouldn't need to use damp substrate to maintain adequate humidity. are you using a glass tank with a screen top? modified storage tub? pvc reptile cage?

I use coconut fiber for my two. Haven’t had any issues out of it

I am very new to having a bp and I have been told countless time that Aspen is a no go

I don't remember why but I think it had something to do with the fact that it can grow mold easier then other

I am currently using loose coconut fibers

I use reptibark. holds humidity well, top layer dries out quick to prevent scale rot. only problem is storing it. I would need three bags of it to fill my bps tank, or half of one breeder block, and the block is cheaper. but, that means I have to store the wet breeder block in an airtight container. mold has a field day with that. I've never had a mold issue with it in her tank, just storing it. I waste 15 dollars some months (the block is 30, if I recall correctly). but again, as to why I recommend it: holds humidity well, great price (probably fill 2 or 3 forty gallon tanks or multiple tubs with one breeder block), scale rot, if substrate is done right, should be a non issue. why I dont: some people have reported their reptibark being infested with mites. now, they're normally wood mites, harmless to snakes, but keep that in mind. and 2, it's a bitch to clean! I use a lot to keep the humidity up, and I have a tank, so scooping all of it out takes a toll on your back lmao. but those are my two cents. wishing you and your snake the best of health!

I stand by forrest floor mixed with eco earth

I have used coconut husk (can not recommend, my bp hated the texture and it turned her entire enclosure into a big game of "the floor is lava"), than I switched to reptile soil (a brick made out of coconut, that expands if you put it in water). That worked well, my snake was okay with it, but the top layer dried out quickly and turned dusty, so I had to spray it down twice a day and mix through it with my hand to keep it nice and fluffy. Now I use kiln dried european pine and it's the best so far. The top layer dries quick after spraying, but it doesn't get dusty and the substrate below retains humidity for hours, preventing big humidity spikes and drops. The texture is finer than coconut husk, but not as fine as reptile soil. My Bp likes it, she digs through it and lays on it comfortably. It is very important however, that you use kiln dried european pine, because american species produce more oils and are also often not kiln dried, which can cause skin and respiratory irritations if used as substrate. If you life in America it might be hard to find. Good pine bedding should not be dusty and only have a mild, earthy smell to it.

I use two parts eco earth, one part repti chip typically, coco coir and coco husk. Bottom inch just eco, then 2 inches of eco and chip mixed in a 2:1 ratio than an inch of just chip on top for a dry layer. Looks are subjective but my humidity is good and in the mornings I can see where she's being borrowing in the night

I use a combination of coconut and cypress. Our Care Guide has a complete list of acceptable substrates if you'd like more options: https://www.reddit.com/r/ballpython/comments/arz5iw/welcome_to_rballpython_click_here_for_our/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share

I personally use coco-fiber. I find it holds humidity well without molding and isn't too dusty like other substrates I've tried. I also really like how it looks.

For non-bioactive I use coconut husk. Reptichip is a good example.

I have one BP that I keep in a bioactive enclosure. If you go this route you will want to create a drainage layer, and then a soil layer on top. You can buy pre-made soil or mix up your own. In this you will plant your live foliage (making sure it is snake safe) and add springtails and isopods.

Coconut husk is widely used. In my experience, Coco Blox has molded easily so I’d recommend ReptiChip. A blend of coco husk on top with a loose soil like Eco Earth on the bottom holds humidity really well

Bioactive or non-bioactive?

Thanks for the snek tax

For substrate i like to use a 50/50 mix of coco husk chip and coco fiber but coco husk by itself also works fine. For temps, it should be 87-90° on the warm side/75-80° on the cool side and for humidity ideally you want it to be around 70-80% but 60% is the minimum

https://preview.redd.it/2ywakyv93waf1.jpeg?width=360&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=754ff6f497a09e3ef251e9240ed5e340cb8351b0

Found this website which seems like it might have answers to a lot of your questions.

Tank size: “According to the latest recommendations released by the Federation of Herpetologists, ball python enclosure should be at least 0.9 x 0.45 x 0.3 times the snake’s length.”

Humidity: “…the sweet spot for humidity is 50%-60%. If it gets too humid, it can lead to skin or respiratory issues. However, when they shed, the humidity can be raised to 70%-75% to help them shed their old outer skin more easily.”

Substrate: “Ball pythons need a thick layer of substrate to cushion their bodies. It’s best to choose materials that retain moisture effectively and resist mold, such as coconut fiber, reptile carpet, organic topsoil, etc. Avoid using cedar shavings or poplar savings.”

Hope this helps, and have fun with the new friend you’ve brought home!

these are fine but would need to be mixed with a thicker substrate. like reptichip. i use fiber as a bottom layer and then a nice layer of chips on top. that way the fiber doesn’t get dusty and it will keep humidity at 70+ without having the top of the substrate damp.

If you have more than enough income and want to take care of them very well, get them some bio dude terra firma. It's the red carpet of substrates.

Either or both of these are fine! Personally I don't like reptisoil because it has a bit more odor to it from the peat moss and carbon in it, but that's just personal preference!

Check out our welcome post, the basic care guide and shopping list will give you lots of options for substrate, enclosures and everything else.

The coconut fiber works well for me! I mix it with the chips!

From my understanding in the wild they don't really make their own but live in one's made by mammals. So they will be happy as long as they have places to hide.

This is kinda of a lot of stuff but it’s only around 80$ and it holds humidity AMAZINGLY for me. Play sand, top soil, coco fiber, peat moss and sphagnum moss most of the stuff comes it really big bags so I don’t think you would need to buy anything twice

I use reptisoil coco blocks!:)

Wow this is cool. Did you make sure it can hold the weight?

Thank you for everyone’s suggestions! I’m going to look into all of them and hopefully get these set up before mid month. :)

I use a mix of sterile potting soil and coconut fiber.

Glass enclosures are very hard to keep the humidity up. You will want to cover most of the screen lid with tin foil to seal in moisture. You can also make the substrate deeper (at least 3 inches). I do an organic top soil mix, moisture should be like a moist cake texture. Top layer I like using reptichip or orchid bark. You want your top layer dry to the touch to prevent rot.

A big or extra water dishes help too.

For the mean time you can add a humid hide with damp spaghum moss to help him get off that stuck stuff while the overall humidity in the enclosure stabilizes

I like a topsoil mix. Additive free topsoil (Scott's is good if you're in the US), with some play sand and some cypress and/or coconut mulch. I do those in about a 65/10/25 ratio. It's easy to mix and manage, and it's cheap. The mulch is the most expensive part of the blend, especially if you use reptile brands.