The Best Bedding for Snakes

Key Points

• The #1 Best Overall bedding for snakes is Zoo Med Eco Earth Compressed Coconut Fiber Expandable Reptile Substrate.
• The two main criterion that you should keep in mind when shopping for bedding for your snake are your snake’s environmental requirements and price.
• Each type of substrate is ideal for some snakes’ environmental requirements and inappropriate for others. We’ve included pros and cons for each type of snake bedding for easy reference.

Setting up the perfect habitat for your pet snake requires a lot of thought. One thing you need to consider is what kind of bedding you want to use. Bedding, more commonly known as substrates, makes your serpent’s floor feel comfier. It also gives them somewhere to keep out of sight in addition to their hide boxes. In fact, some species, like Kenyan Sand Boas, must have sand to burrow in or they will become extremely stressed.

Substrates also absorb excess fluid, whether it’s spilled water from your pet’s dish or from their waste. (Interesting fact: Snakes don’t urinate like most other animals. The ammonia that they produce as waste usually comes out solid along with their feces. But sometimes it can contain a lot of liquid.) Cleaning snake waste from a bare enclosure floor would be difficult and messy. But it’s easy to pick up the soiled portion of the substrate and throw it away.

Finally, substrates are a great way to slowly and deliberately release moisture into your snake’s habitat. Simply pour the appropriate amount of water into an area where your snake doesn’t tend to hang out. The substrate will absorb the liquid, which will gradually evaporate, increasing the humidity to the desired level.

Our experts researched, ranked, and reviewed the best bedding for snakes so you can select the one that’s right for your pet.

A-Z-Animals Top Picks for Bedding for Snakes

#1 Best Overall Snake Bedding: Zoo Med Eco Earth

Our choice for the best overall bedding for snakes is Zoo Med Eco Earth. This substrate is made from compressed coconut fiber from coconut husks. Because it literally grows on trees, it’s eco-friendly and renewable. You can safely compost used Zoo Med Eco Earth or recycle it in your garden or potted plants.

This bedding is available loose and in compressed bricks. Each highly compressed brick will expand to make seven to eight liters of substrate. For desert species, use it dry. If you keep tropical snakes, you can use it damp. Whether it’s damp or dry, it will break down and absorb odor and waste in your slithery friend’s habitat.   

Zoo Med has been producing cutting-edge products for reptiles for 43 years. The company manufactures more than 50% of its 1,200 products at its headquarters in San Luis Obispo, California, and 25% of the remaining products in Europe. They also have an extensive reptile breeding program that includes many species that are endangered or difficult to breed. In fact, since 2009, they have hatched more than 1,500 babies from 47 species!

Negative reviews from snake owners were hard to come by, but a couple said that this product is too dusty for snakes.

Pros and Cons of Zoo Med Eco Earth

Best Overall

Zoo Med Eco Earth Compressed Coconut Fiber Expandable Reptile Substrate

• Made from compressed coconut fiber
• Eco-friendly
• Can be used damp or dry
• Available loose and in compressed bricks

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2. Best Sand Substrate: Zoo Med ReptiSand

If you have a desert or burrowing species like a Western hognose, you’ll want to use Zoo Med ReptiSand in your serpentarium. Zoo Med ReptiSand is a very fine, quartz desert sand that contains no added dyes or chemicals. It’s available in three natural colors: Natural Red, Desert White, and Midnight Black. One is sure to enhance the look of your snake vivarium and highlight your snake’s colors and beauty.

Sand for reptiles is drier and smoother than other types, such as construction or aquarium sand. This makes it more comfortable for your pet to burrow in. It’s heavy by nature, and the weight of deep reptile sand will make your snake feel secure. Also, our reptile experts say that it’s easier to clean and remove from habitats than soil.

Since 2009, Zoo Med has contributed over $300,000 to the United States Association of Reptile Keepers (USARK). USARK is a non-profit that advocates for responsible reptile and amphibian ownership and trade by fighting anti-herpetological legislation and regulation.

There were no negative reviews from snake owners.

Pros and Cons of Zoo Med ReptiSand

Best Sand Substrate

Zoo Med Reptisand Reptile Terrarium Sand, Desert White

• Very fine, quartz desert sand
• No added dyes or chemicals
• Best for desert or burrowing species
• Easy to clean

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3. Best Aspen Bedding: Small Pet Select Jumbo Aspen Bedding

If you prefer to use wood shavings in your snake’s enclosure, we recommend Small Pet Select Jumbo Aspen Bedding.

Pine and cedar shavings are dangerous to snakes because they contain deadly aromatic compounds called phenols. Aspen, on the other hand, is completely free from phenols. That’s just one of the reasons that aspen bedding is so popular among snake keepers. Aspen shavings are also virtually dust-free. And they’re extremely absorbent, so they’re great at soaking up spilled water and waste.

Small Pet Select Jumbo Aspen Bedding is soft and fluffy, which we’re sure your snake will appreciate. Unlike some other companies, it’s shaved off of logs instead of being reconstituted from paper mill sludge. Then it’s kiln-dried. It doesn’t contain any additives, dyes, toxins, or anything else that could irritate your beloved pet. Plus, this eco-friendly bedding is recyclable and compostable.  

Small Pet Select is a small, family-owned business that was established in 2012. They believe so strongly in the quality of their products that they offer a no-hassle, no-questions 100% satisfaction guarantee.

We were unable to find any negative reviews for this product from snake owners.

Pros and Cons of Small Pet Select Jumbo Aspen Bedding

Best Aspen Wood Shavings Bedding

SMALL PET SELECT Small Pet Aspen Bedding

• Made from 100% kiln-dried aspen shavings
• Totally recyclable and compostable
• Contains no aromatic hydrocarbons
• Ecological-friendly

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4. Best Fir Bark Bedding: Exo Terra Forest Bark Natural Fir Reptile Substrate

Exo Terra Forest Bark Natural Fir Reptile Substrate is another excellent wood-based substrate for snakes. Unlike cedar and pine trees, Douglas fir doesn’t contain toxic aromatic oils. It makes the perfect substrate for snakes that prefer tropical and forest environments. That’s because fir bark has hygroscopic properties. This means that it can control the humidity level in your snake’s microclimate by absorbing and slowly releasing moisture.

Exo Terra Forest Bark Natural Fir Reptile Substrate is made from 100% natural Douglas fir bark. It stimulates snakes’ natural burrowing and digging behaviors, which can make them feel safe and secure. The company tumbles the bark to smooth any jagged edges and remove dust. Then, it treats the bark with heat to eliminate bacteria.

Exo Terra is located in Montreal, Canada.  It’s part of Hagan Pet Foods, which was founded in 1955. Exo Terra participates directly in several conservation efforts to protect reptiles, amphibians, and their habitats. These efforts also include captive breeding projects. 

There were no negative reviews from snake owners for this product.

Pros and Cons of Exo Terra Forest Bark Natural Fir Reptile Substrate

Best Fir Bark Bedding

Exo Terra Forest Bark Natural Fir Terrarium Reptile Substrate

• Made from Douglas fir bark
• The bark is treated to eliminate bacteria
• Control the humidity level
• No toxic aromatic oils

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Choosing the Best Snake Bedding: What to Look for

If you’re shopping for the best snake bedding, you need to take two main factors into consideration: your snake’s environmental requirements and price.

Your Snake’s Environmental Requirements

When it comes to bedding, it all boils down to creating the optimal environment for your snake. For example, sand-dwelling snakes and tropical species have very different housing requirements, humidity levels, and substrate needs. A Kenyan sand boa will only flourish if they have a sand substrate. A ball python, on the other hand, will thrive with aspen chips or similar bedding.

Price

The cost of substrates varies widely by type. And some, like compressed coconut fiber, end up being far cheaper than the “per ounce” cost because it expands considerably. When it comes to substrates, the bottom line is that you should purchase the type that best meets your snake’s environmental needs. Even if it’s more expensive than other substrates, your pet will be happier and healthier thanks to your informed decision.

The Different Types of Snake Bedding: Pros and Cons Compared

When you’re searching for the best snake substrate, first you need to understand the different types that exist. There’s compressed coconut husk fiber, sand, Aspen shavings, and Douglas fir bedding. Each has clear pros and cons. Be sure to select the one that’s most appropriate for your snake’s ideal living conditions.

Compressed Coconut Husk Fiber

 Sand

Aspen Shavings

Douglas Fir

Verified Review: User Experience

The majority of negative reviews had to do with quality. There were a handful of complaints regarding dustiness for Zoo Med Eco Earth, Small Pet Select Jumbo Aspen, and Exo Terra Forest Bark. And one reviewer stated that they “found pieces of plastic and sticks inside of one of the compressed bricks” of Eco Earth.

The vast majority of the reviews were extremely positive, with comments like this one for Zoo Med Eco Earth: “This works well as bedding for snake enclosures. It allows me to use a natural product that holds in heat for the snakes to absorb while being able to clean up their messes easily.”

Another wrote the following review for Small Pet Select Jumbo Aspen, “With my snakes it allows them to burrow and do their tunneling while being easy to spot clean. Even when they tip over their water it’s easy to clean up with a paper towel and dry out the wet spot. The water doesn’t soak everything like happens with some substrates.”

Up Next

• Pet Snake Guide: What You Need To Know
• How Much Do Pet Snakes Cost to Buy, Own, and Care For?
• Do Snakes Make Good Pets, Actually?