Here are 6 real facts about using coconut fiber as bedding for your pet snake. We have added methods to use it, along with its benefits, types, and price.

Is Coconut Fiber Good for Corn Snakes? Yes, Coconut fiber is good for Corn snakes. It is used as a substrate for pet snakes because it is soft, safe, absorbs waste and bad odor, retains humidity and heat, and prevents excessive shedding with anti-mold characteristics.

The snake can have bark plants, soil, and newspaper or sheets as their bedding. 

Is Coconut Fiber Good for Corn Snakes?

When we have a corn snake as a pet in our house, we should select the best bedding. It is essential because bedding serves many purposes for them.

How to use coconut fiber as bedding for pet snakes?

This material is easy to handle, and you can set it up in a suitable housing or tank easily. Just follow these simple steps to do it.

Soak it in water

First, collect necessary materials and tools. You need a big tank of fresh water and a stir. It is available in the market in different brands. Buy any affordable pack of it.

Then pour 2 to 3 gallons of fresh water in it. Water should not contain any impurities and contaminants. 

Try to add this to make bedding of approximately 3 to 4 inches. This height is ideal for them. Then leave it there for half an hour, otherwise, it can cause constipation in ball pythons.

Take a stirrer to mix fiber in water thoroughly. This prevents the formation of any clumps. When fiber is moistened, ultimately draw out excess water from the tank.

Spread it in the tank

Then spread bedding evenly in the tank where your snake will stay. On average, 2 to 3 pounds of fiber block is enough to set up bedding of desired height and qualities.

Spread it evenly on the bottom surface of the tank. You can use a smooth surface spatula to spread a smooth sheet of fibers. You can add a heat lamp for snakes.

Storage

The best quality of these fibers is that they are recyclable. You can reuse it at any time. A single pack has two or more servings. You can store it for a prolonged time.

You can place it easily in another tank after drying it. Just seal it in a dry and airtight container.

 Maintenance

These need a lot of o care to make them long last. Keep checking the temperature and moisture level of it regularly.

Cleaning it weekly is crucial for the growth and comfort of your corn snake. You should replace the dirty fibers with fresh products. Shower fresh water on it weekly to keep it damp.

How often to replace coconut fiber bedding?

This depends upon the care and maintenance you give to it. With all the maintenance steps and precautions, you should change it after one or two months. When you change it after a long time, it is dangerous for you and your snake also. 

Why would you use coconut fiber bedding for a snake?

Many advantages make it a better substrate as compared to other bedding. 

Safe and soft

When we are choosing a place for a snake, the essential point to consider is its safety. It does not harm them in any aspect.

It is smooth and can give ultimate comfort to them. Their belly is soft, and it can not tolerate any harsh bedding.

Harsh bedding can cause many issues like scratches and on the belly skin. These are soft, and its aeration also makes it suitable for them. Oxygen content remains high in these and helps snakes to move at fast speed.

Absorb waste

These are excellent absorbent of a different material. These snakes poop out everywhere in the tank. They do it frequently in a day. This habit makes a heap of waste in the tank and makes it untidy.

They can absorb waste in it. This way, it can keep the tank clean for many days. You need not clean it daily. This way, it can prevent many infections and diseases that can spread through feces and waste material. You can easily feed quail eggs to your snake.

Absorb bad odor

Corn snake has a distinctive odor, and it spreads it on its territory. They mark their area with such smell. But when the odor is intense, it can become an issue for the surrounding environment. It makes you uncomfortable and soon spread in the house. It can absorb all the odor in the tank.

Suitable for burrowing activity

The corn snake in the active state is busy in burrowing activity. In the wild, they burrow soil and dig it to make holes.

Their texture is similar to soil. It also has a large surface area due to which digging is very easy on it.

Retain humidity and heat

Their living space should have appropriate humidity and heat. They can not survive in extreme heat and dryness. When it gets dry, it can absorb moisture from the surrounding.

It keeps them damp and moist. Similarly, they can adjust the tank’s heat as they also need some heat in the surroundings to function correctly.

Prevent excessive shedding

Shedding or molting is a natural phenomenon in all living creatures. This process is somehow different in snakes; it is essential for their growth and eliminating parasites from the body. Rough or uneven bedding can make the shedding worse in them.

They shed their skin frequently and become vulnerable to different infections and parasites. Due to its texture, it feels smooth to them and prevents excessive skin shedding.

Anti-mold characteristics

These fibers are dry and absorbent of various matters. They can also absorb excessive fungal growth in the tank. They can also destroy multiple molds and inhibit their growth. Yeast, the most common mold in snakes and it can hinder their growth drastically.

Types of coconut fibers

They fall into two categories one is brown fiber, and the other is white fiber. When the source of fibers is mature coconut, then they are called brown fiber. They have a brown color and are thick and strong.

When it comes from an immature coconut, then they are white fibers. They are white with delicate nature. They are not as strong as others. Both are divided into the following.

Loose coconut fibers

These are made from coconut husk and have a soft texture. There is no need to soak it for long to make bedding. It serves as the best place for egg-laying in corn snakes. These are loosely attached.

Compressed coconut fiber

These are compressed together in a compact form. In many cases, they are available in the form of bricks or solid sheets. They take time to get enough moisture, and soaking time is prolonged.

Cost of the coconut fiber substrate

The cost of the bedding varies depending upon the type of fibers you choose. There are different brands with different prices in the market.

Zoo-med Eco Earth loose coconut fiber is famous among all f them. It’s one pack weighs approximately 7 pounds, and its size is 24 quarts.

It is one pack enough for 2 to 3-time use. It is also available in a gluten-free form. This is beneficial for these corn snakes who are suffering from a gluten allergy.

Its price is $22 to $25.It is also available in compressed form. Exo terra soil plantation coir bricks are a compressed form of these fibers. It costs around $20 to $30.

Is it harmful to Corn snakes?

Despite all the benefits your snake can have with such bedding, there are also some drawbacks.

It can get dry quickly. When you are not watering them regularly, the fibers can get everywhere after drying.

This can create a mess in the tanks and outside. Industrial products are sometimes treated with different chemicals to make them pathogen-free. These chemicals can cause various issues and diseases in them.

Besides drying, it can also get sticky when we soak it for too long, and it will face difficulty crawling on sticky bedding.

They can suffer from intestinal problems upon ingesting an excess of these products. This leads them to miss their food and suffer a lot.