where is the best place to buy the LARGE aspen chips?

Spindown · Postby **Spindown** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 7:13 pm

I"ve seen a substrate that is large aspen squares, i tried to order some sani-chips online but those little squares are so tiny its like sand. Not bad for my mice...but NOT what i was looking for as a substrate for my skinks. I've tried shaved and shredded aspen but it gets stuck in their eyelids

does anyone know what this stuff is called and where to get it? I've never seen it at my local expos or shops before.

doss · Postby **doss** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 7:20 pm

In travelling, I have found that aspen can differ in size even within the same brand depending on the region.

I buy the large bags of Petco brand aspen bedding (4 cubic feet compressed to 2 cubic feet). These have very large aspen "chips" for me, and they work well. Never have any sticking to nostrils or eyes.

But, I've seen that this same bag of bedding in other states is much smaller much of the time.

I'll do some searching online and see what I can find. Good luck in the meantime!

Spindown · Postby **Spindown** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 7:57 pm

yeah the petco brand is basically what i'm using, but i've seen pictures of this stuff so I *know* it exists

thanks! I'll keep looking, but if anyone finds it, let me know

Coomassie · Postby **Coomassie** » Wed Jul 13, 2011 4:35 am

I found mine at an expo. There is a guy who gets in the lab grade stuff so it is sterilized which is wonderful.

Elsvir · Postby **Elsvir** » Thu Jul 14, 2011 2:57 am

I order my bedding from here: http://www.nationalpetpharmacy.com/Product/7977/Sun-Seed-Aspen-Bedding-Press-Pack-for-Small-Animals-and-Reptiles
It looks just like the stuff in this image:

Spindown · Postby **Spindown** » Thu Jul 14, 2011 1:16 pm

thanks guys, elsvir thats close, but what i'm looking for is more like, Scrabble pieces almost (if you've ever played that game lol). even big shavings have caused issues with my guys and their poor eyes...I'm almost ready to give up and move to reptile carpet, only i know they love to dig so much!

I've considered eco earth or regular (organic) soil...anyone have any input on these?

Postby **Katrina** » Thu Jul 14, 2011 1:35 pm

I'm surprised shavings are causing issues - what kind of eye issues? I use pretty small pieces of cypress mulch (it varies) and don't have many problems. I assume they would deal with similar in the wild. :noknow:

Spindown · Postby **Spindown** » Thu Jul 14, 2011 2:26 pm

the big shavings arent as bad, but my skinks are silly and somehow get them in their eyes still. they tend to get bits stuck in their eyelids. Zergling actually had a pretty bad irritation in her eyelid because of this before.

Its not a bad substrate, i just really want to find the large chip substrate i've seen. Plus, it would be less likely to end up all over the house X_X. I want to find it for a variety of reasons. I'd be using it for my breeder mice, my snakes, and my skinkers.

Ectothermicfauna · Postby **Ectothermicfauna** » Thu Jul 14, 2011 4:37 pm

I get mine from the local feed store. Its the Kaytee brand only in a compressed 9 cubic foot paper 'bag'. Its like $32.90 but in AK prices thats not bad, and i go through one of these huge herkin bags like every 4 months (i have lots of reptiles though!) Which makes them very economical. And i know some people might think there would be quality issues with it but its completly sealed and indentical in every way to the smaller packages of large chip kaytee pet bedding you'd get in the plastic smaller bags. So maybe call up your feed stores and see what they have you might be surprised.

Spindown · Postby **Spindown** » Thu Jul 14, 2011 4:41 pm

awesome, i will definitely try that, thanks! Now i have a brand name to base it off of.

where is the best place to buy the LARGE aspen chips?

where is the best place to buy the LARGE aspen chips?

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