Good Substrates

• Sphagnum moss — Inexpensive, soft, and holds moisture great.
• Reptichip — Branded coconut husk substrate. Absorbs odors and moisture very well. Personally I like the finer-textured Babychip best.
• DIY tropical mix — 40% organic topsoil, 40% Zoo Med ReptiSoil, 20% play sand. Inexpensive and holds humidity well. 1 bag of topsoil + 1 24qt bag of ReptiSoil + 1 bag of play sand works well for an average 4'x2'x2' enclosure. For a fluffier/less muddy texture, use coconut fiber instead of ReptiSoil. NOT a bioactive-ready mix!
• Bio Dude Terra Firma bioactive substrate kit — Bioactive-ready natural substrate that retains humidity well and nourishes live plants. Expensive, but lasts a long time, so it's worth the investment. MUST BE USED WITH LIVE PLANTS!

Okay Substrates

These beddings aren’t very natural, but they do a decent enough job as a ball python substrate.

• Zoo Med Eco Earth — Coconut fiber. Cheap, fluffy, and holds humidity well. Many complain that it has a tendency to get stuck in a ball python’s heat pits.
• Zoo Med ReptiSoil — Potting soil made specifically for reptile enclosures. Reasonably priced, drains well, but can get a bit muddy. I prefer to mix it with organic topsoil and play sand as mentioned above.
• Zoo Med Forest Floor — A pure cypress mulch substrate. Attractive, holds humidity well. Not very eco-friendly, though, and the larger bits can be problematic if accidentally ingested.
• Blue shop towels – Cheap, easy to replace, and more durable than paper towels, but doesn’t hold humidity well. Best for use in a temporary quarantine setup.

Bad Substrates

• Reptile carpet – Can’t handle big messes, difficult to keep clean
• Carefresh — Dusty, can’t hold humidity
• Aspen shavings/chips — Molds quickly in the presence of moisture
• Pine/cedar shavings — Oils may cause neurological damage in reptiles

Photo contributed by Kent Pimental

Cleaning

Whichever substrate you choose, spot clean as necessary. Due to the nature of snake urine and feces, complete changes of bedding and tank cleaning may be required frequently. If for some reason your python has managed not to make a mess for an entire month, substrate should be replaced monthly, or at very least once every quarter.

Although one can often save a lot of money by buying non-reptile branded items, substrate is often an exception. Cypress mulch in particular can be contaminated with herbicides, pesticides, or even mites.

If you are still worried about contamination after purchasing cypress mulch from the pet store, soak the bag of substrate in water, spread on a baking sheet, then bake in the oven at 250 degrees for an hour or so (until dry).