Are you looking at getting a corn snake?
Do you feel lost looking through all the bedding products available for snake habitats?
You’re not alone.
There is a lot of bedding out there; it is challenging to know what’s best.
But we’re here to help!
We did the research, and here is our top pick for the best bedding for corn snakes:
- Ideal for naturalistic terrarium type set-ups incorporating reptiles, amphibians, or invertebrates
- Use it damp for tropical species as it naturally absorbs and breaks down odor and waste products
Read on for what to look for in corn snake bedding and reviews of each product below.
Table of Contents
Guide To Best Substrate For Corn Snakes
This section provides helpful information on what to look for in corn snake bedding.
Read these elements and think about what you need for your corn snake substrate.
Material
The material is the first thing you need to look for in corn snake bedding.
Corn snakes use bedding to protect their bellies as they slide around, but they also love the feeling of burrowing into it.
Most fibers and wood chips work well, but the more natural, the better.
You also need to watch for aromatic woods and materials treated with chemicals.
Here are some common materials for corn snakes:
- Newspaper
- Reptile carpet
- Aspen shavings
- Cypress mulch
- Coconut fibers
Safety
Another thing to look for is the safety of the bedding.
As we mentioned above, there are certain materials you shouldn’t use.
On top of this, you need to buy only from trusted manufacturers.
Sure, you may feel smart to buy cypress mulch or wood whips from a hardware store, but you shouldn’t do it.
These stores aren’t worried about getting completely chemical-free.
They also may end up with material other than the mulch in there.
And this is perfectly fine for outdoor, but not for pets.
Always buy bedding from a pet maker.
Grain Size
When shopping for the best substrate for corn snakes, always check the size of the grain or material (where applicable).
Getting grains too small may cause some pieces to be accidentally swallowed by baby corn snakes.
Cleaning
From an owner’s perspective, one of the main advantages of bedding is how it makes cleaning up easier.
Bedding allows you to clean up droppings easier by letting you lift them out (as with newspaper), or it clumps around the droppings for easier scooping.
Some substrate types have natural sanitizing properties and prevent bacteria from spreading and growing.
Different substrates help with this at varying levels of effectiveness.
Companies will all say their product is the best, but you have to use it to see how it works.
We give you a head start in this area by considering our own and other users’ experiences.
Look for this information in the reviews and breakdowns below.
Cost
Corn snakes aren’t expensive pets to own, but you’re going to want to be money-conscious and balance quality with affordability.
Typically, higher-priced beddings are better quality, but this isn’t always the case.
We’ll mention the general price-point for each product and its quality in the breakdowns below.
Prices change, and deals happen, so the best way to see the exact price is to click on the check item price and see for yourself the correct amount.
Bag Size
Keep in mind not all substrate products are sold in the same size bag.
Buying bigger will usually save you money, but this makes it seem like it costs more upfront.
Pay attention to the bag size and options if you want to bulk up or test it out.
For full details on corn snake tanks, check out how to set up a corn snake tank.
Review Of The Best Bedding For Corn Snakes
In this section, we’ll break down each of the bedding products into their different features and help you decide which one is right for you.
Look at each product’s pros and cons for how customers felt about the products.
Reptile Prime Coconut Fiber Bedding
- Optimal substrate for terrarium set-ups incorporating reptiles, amphibians, or invertebrates.
- It can be used with tropical species or desert dwelling as it can be used Dry or Damp.
- It has superior Humidity retention capabilities.
This coconut fiber bedding by Reptile Prime is a quality product at an average price.
This is one we can easily recommend to anyone looking for good corn snake bedding.
The coconut fibers are safe for corn snakes, and it feels gentle on their stomachs as they move around.
The material also retains humidity, making it a better tank for the corn snake and helping avoid shedding problems.
Despite the humidity retention, it won’t add humidity, which means this substrate is used for all kinds of snakes, including tropical snakes, desert snakes, and moderate snakes such as the corn snake.
This fiber makes cleanup easier by allowing you to scoop out droppings, although it doesn’t clump as much.
Reptile Prime’s product naturally breaks down odors and waste, though for a cleaner and nicer tank.
Pros For This Product:
- Organic, natural material
- Retains heat and humidity
- Eliminates odors
- Works with different snakes
Cons For This Product:
- If it gets wet, it may stick and get messy
Zoo Med Aspen Snake Bedding
- #1 Preferred snake bedding by professional herpetoculturists worldwide!
- Provides a safe, naturalistic substrate that allows snakes, lizards, and small animals to form burrows and nests as they would in the wild.
- It has a 191% absorbency rating and is odorless-safe for all snakes.
Zoo Med’s Aspen shaving substrate will do the job just fine at a very affordable price.
This is a safe choice for the budget-conscious.
The company claims this is the choice for professional snake breeders and owners.
While this may or may not be exactly right, this product is used by many breeders and snake owners.
This aspen bedding is the most like the corn snake’s natural habitat.
It feels natural to them as they move, and it lets them easily burrow and build nests and holes.
Zoo Med’s bedding makes cleanup simple with an excellent absorbency of waste.
It also does an excellent job of preventing and absorbing odors from this waste.
There are no toxic oils or chemicals used to make this substrate.
It’s perfectly safe for your pet.
This bedding is also used for other pets, including:
- Birds
- Lizards
- Turtles
- Tarantulas
- Other Insects
Pros For This Product:
- Affordable
- Excellent absorbing and cleanup
- Snakes like to burrow in this
- Great value
Cons For This Product:
- May need to be changed more often
- Some customers report finding other materials in with the aspen
ReptiChip Premium Coconut Reptile Substrate
- š CREATE A HEALTHY HABITAT for your ball python or iguana with ReptiChip Coconut Substrate for reptiles. Its superb humidity retention helps form a tropical paradise in turtle and reptile terrariums.
- š 72-QUART COMPRESSED BRICK equals 10 lbs of safe, comfortable reptile bedding for professional breeders and serious hobbyists. Just add water to moisten and our pet snake substrate is ready to use.
- š ODOR-ABSORBING ReptiChip Coco Substrate encapsulates waste product, making your gecko, python or turtle bedding a healthy environment for your pet and ensuring your own home is pleasant-smelling.
A ReptiChip coconut substrate is a premium option with high quality at a higher price.
For those looking for only the best for their pets, this may be for you.
This substrate is suitable for a variety of pets, including snakes, but it also works with:
- Lizards
- Geckos
- Tortoises
- Amphibians
By spraying the substrate, it will change the tank’s humidity to match the needs of your specific pet.
Corn snakes do best in a little more humid environment, so a light spry would be perfect.
This will help the corn snake avoid shedding problems.
The coconut fibers absorb odors well, helping keep the tank a clean, happy place.
ReptiChip’s bedding is also very similar to the natural environment of the corn snake, so it will enjoy slithering and burrowing with it.
This bedding is all organic and made with the best materials.
It’s easy on the environment and safe for the snake.
ReptiChip also backs up this product with a 100% money-back guarantee.
Pros For This Product:
- Quality material safe and clean
- Eliminates odors well
- Retains humidity and heat
- Good value
Cons For This Product:
- Higher price (not by much)
- May be dusty if not wetted down well
Critters Comfort Coconut Reptile Bedding
- PERFECT BEDDING MATERIAL: Ideal for snakes, lizards, geckos, iguanas, turtles, frogs, crabs
- SUPERB ODOR CONTROL: Enjoy living with your pet ā odor free because of coconut coirās incredible ability to absorb, encapsulate, retain and break down moisture
- PEACE OF MIND: 100% organic coconut coir is non-toxic, dust free, and chemical and fragrance free giving you peace of mind knowing that itās safe for your pets and you, too
Critters Comfort bedding works well for many pets, including corn snakes, at a medium price.
This may be the best choice for trying coconut bedding without paying a high price.
As with most coconut fibers, the material is perfect for corn snakes but also for the following pets:
- Other snakes
- Lizards
- Geckos
- Iguanas
- Turtles
- Frogs
- Crabs
The coconut does a great job of encapsulating and breaking down odors from the waste.
It also helps make the cleanup easier by clumping somewhat around the waste.
Critters Comfort designed this bedding to be non-toxic and included no chemicals or other substances in making the bedding.
This also makes the bedding fragrance-free, another sign of no chemicals.
One of the best additional features of this coconut fiber bedding is the specific design to be dust-free.
Many other coconut substrates end up being dusty and causing sneezing, but this one avoids this problem.
This is also an organic product and is safe for the environment.
Pros For This Product:
- Coarse material suitable for burrowing
- Odor-free cleans up easy
- No chemicals
- Good value
Cons For This Product:
- Packaging may get ripped easily to make a mess
- Doesnāt retain humidity as well as other coconut beddings
Zoo Med Eco Earth Compressed Coconut Fiber Substrate
- Ideal for naturalistic terrarium type set-ups incorporating reptiles, amphibians, or invertebrates
- Use it damp for tropical species as it naturally absorbs and breaks down odor and waste products
Zoo Med’s version of the coconut bedding is a premium option with excellent quality at a higher price.
This is an option for those who want the best for their snake pets.
This fiber works well in any humidity.
Just wet the fibers before you put them in the tank, and the quality material will retain the moisture for a long time.
For corn snakes who need a little humidity in their tank, this will help reduce problems with shedding caused by dry air.
This coconut bedding does a great job of eliminating odors, as many other coconut substrates do.
The main difference with this one is how it also traps and isolates bacteria.
This keeps the tank cleaner and reduces the chances of infection and illness in your pets.
The fibers trap the waste for making cleanup easier as well.
The Eco Earth product is intended to have minimal impact on the environment from start to finish.
This also makes it much safer for your corn snake to use from an owner’s perspective.
Also, please put this in compost and reuse it even after the corn snake has put its waste into it.
Zoo Med sends this in “bricks” rather than just bags, unlike most beddings.
This is beneficial for you as the owner.
When opening bags, you lose some of the freshness of what’s leftover, even if you seal it back up nicely.
The brick is packaged, so you don’t end up losing the freshness of the ones you don’t use.
Pros For This Product:
- Holds moisture very well
- Eliminates odors and traps waste for sanitation
- Environmentally friendly and safe for pets
- Packaging helps you save on product costs
Cons For This Product:
- Higher price
- Requires preparation before use
Commonly Asked Questions
What do corn snakes need in their tanks?
Corn snakes need a tank, heater, lighting, bedding, water, and furniture in their tanks.
Read more on how to set up a corn snake tank.
Do corn snakes need heat at night?
No, corn snakes don’t need heat at night.
In the wild, the sun and heat go down.
It would be best to simulate this by turning off heat and lights at night in captivity.
This helps reinforce a natural day-night and sleep cycle.
You should, however, keep an eye on how low the temperature gets at night.
While it’s OK to get cooler, make sure it doesn’t dip below 65Ā° degrees Fahrenheit (18Ā° C).
Chances are, your house won’t be below this either.
But if it does dip below, use a smaller wattage or lower setting on your heater.
Can you use sand for corn snake’s bedding?
Use sand for bedding, but it tends to cause more problems and work for you.
Sand may be accidentally ingested and cause impaction, making the corn snake not want to eat.
Also, when the corn snake excretes its waste, you need to take care of it as quickly as possible.
Other beddings (such as coconut or aspen) will trap the waste.
Some will even break it down.
Conclusion
We hope you will find our picks for the best bedding for corn snakes helpful.
Any of these products would be perfect in the right situation, so use our information to help you decide which one is right for you.
