Aspen vs Pine

[Yellow Turtle01]

So I've heard shredded aspen is the best for Blue Tongue Skink keeping, but I can't seem to find any that's 'shredded' and not ridiculously overpriced! Anyone know where I can buy that in bulk?
Anyhoo, I found these-
http://www.petsmart.com/supplies/bedding/premier-pet-products-aspen-small-pet-bedding-zid36-3542/cat-36-catid-600027?var_id=36-3542&_t=pfm=recently_viewed
http://www.petsmart.com/reptile/substrate-bedding/zoo-med-trade-aspen-snake-bedding-zid36-14984/cat-36-catid-500013?var_id=36-14984&_t=pfm=category&pfmvalue=faceted
Anyone have any experience with either? IMHO, those seem really pricey, considering I wouldn't be getting much!
Also, I know? pine is USUALLY a nono, but could I use it? This is the ONLY bedding type I found in bulk!
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/sto...g;-fine-premium-pine-shavings-covers-55-cu-ft

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Pine has fumes that make it pretty toxic to turtles and tortoises. I killed a Sulcata yearling with pine substrate.
You can go to the big box stores and get small grade orchid bark and lay topsoil on top of that...But no pine.
But for a skink, I'd use the Aspen bedding. I just went and looked at my bag, it's 4 cu ft for (I think) $20 at Petco. I used it for a Sugar Glider, but you won't be able to make it wet if you need humidity...It smells good and is light and fluffy and smells good. I have no 'skink' experience, but I DO have pine experience; I vote for the Aspen...HTH

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

Wow, I didn't know pine was that serious 4cubic feet would be prefect, but I didn't see it the website... did you get it in the store? I'd like to bulk so I'd have a bunch
Thank you

 

[Tom]

I find both of those to be too desiccating. I prefer to house them on coco chips. Its basically chipped coco husk. Its very clean, easy for them to burrow into, and you can keep it a little damp near the basking lamp to add moderate humidity for a Northern or ample humidity for and Indo.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Wow, I didn't know pine was that serious 4cubic feet would be prefect, but I didn't see it the website... did you get it in the store? I'd like to bulk so I'd have a bunch
Thank you

I don't know about bulk. But the bag I got has lasted almost 3 years....They are huge bags...

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

I read about the coco chips, and I actually used to use them when I had hermit crabs, so I know here to get a big bag The reason I'm not into those are the fact that they are relatively large pieces, what if my skink accidentally swallowed one and chocked?

Wow. That's a long time. That's the size bag I'd like to get

 

[lisa127]

You don't want shredded aspen, you want aspen shavings. I know they have big bags of them at PetSmart, and it's pretty cheap.

 

[tortadise]

I find both of those to be too desiccating. I prefer to house them on coco chips. Its basically chipped coco husk. Its very clean, easy for them to burrow into, and you can keep it a little damp near the basking lamp to add moderate humidity for a Northern or ample humidity for and Indo.

Way back in the day when I had some Blue tongues this is what I used too. They really like it because of the burrowing aspect.

 

[Tom]

I read about the coco chips, and I actually used to use them when I had hermit crabs, so I know here to get a big bag The reason I'm not into those are the fact that they are relatively large pieces, what if my skink accidentally swallowed one and chocked?

I've been keeping and feeding them on this substrate for several years now, and none of them have choked yet. Earlier this year I had five of them on coco chips. One went back to its owner after breeding season, so now I have just four of them on it.

They won't choke on it, and they are pretty particular about not swallowing it. I've had them grab a mouthful with a roach, and they carefully spit out all the coco chips before finally swallowing the roach.

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

You don't want shredded aspen, you want aspen shavings. I know they have big bags of them at PetSmart, and it's pretty cheap.

Oh, 0kay! That must why I'm having a hard finding any, everything is shaved, not shredded

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

Wow, that's smart.
I'll look into (both) my options before I get a guy.

 

[Tom]

Which type of BTS are you looking to get? They have different temperature and humidity requirements.

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

A Northern Blue Tongue Skink. They seem to have the best light requirements, and feeding requirements too... They also seem to be the 'friendliest' type of Blue Tongue Skin, or that's what everyone seems to say

 

[ascott]

neither.

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

neither.

What would you recommend? Trying to get the best one!

 

[ascott]

What would you recommend? Trying to get the best one!

I do not have first hand experience with this reptile....however, "if it were me" I would research their natural habitat, their natural geographical local, their native wild land....look at pics, look up health of the animal...and then I would look at my environment, geographic local and try to match the two until you achieve the best middle ground for a captive animal...but I would never use Aspen nor Pine for a captive animal to be forced to live on/in....too darn aromatic and to oily deep within the material to be healthy....

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

Forest and leaf like material, such as something you might use for a VERY tropical snake.
There is forest floor bedding and jungle floor (probably = orchid bark) andI could use coco coir too.
This was just 'recommended'