I was wondering if anyone has tried the recycled paper substrate on their hissers? I bought some Fresh World Bedding made from recycled newspaper and magazines, it is color safe, non-toxic and phenol free with baking soda for superior odor control and high density for high absorbency. I am going to give it a try, if anyone know any reason why NOT to use it let me know! The pet store was out of my usual cypress.... they also had some paper substrate with mint, lavander and rose petals. I don't know if the odor would bug the bugs or not.
recycled paper substrate
- Thread starter oogpister
- Start date
BugmanPrice
Twelfth Instar
The only problem I can think of is that it may mold by the time you get your hissers at a suitable humidity. I wouldn't use the scented ones since hissers eat roses and mint. You don't necessarily want you 'roaches filling up on paper. I large quantities of the baking soda were ingested that could cause problems too.
Senses-Tingling
First Instar
Baking soda is a base and has a pH of 9. This may have detrimental effects if it is ingested on a regular basis - it would mess with the internal pH of the roach. I like the idea of the recycled substrate, but I wouldn't put my guys at risk, due to the baking soda in it.
okay, duly noted. I was unaware of suitable hisser humidity. What humidity do you keep them at and how do you achieve it? I don't know that I have ever had any problems ... they don't breed rapidly, not a bad thing. They seem to live 4-5 years, mostly. I keep them hydrated with topline oasis water gel and lettuces. They don't seem to care too much for the paper substrate. I will change them out when I get by the PS again.
BugmanPrice
Twelfth Instar
I don't necessarily monitor the humidity all that much but I do mist the cage down every 3 or 4 days. I also always have fruits and vegetables in with them for water much in the way you do. The humidity doesn't have to be all that high to encourage mold growth if you have a deep layer of substrate. I, personally, would be more worried about the baking soda. I've actually had people tell me a good way to kill roaches (Wait...am I allowed to utter blasphemy such as that here?) is a fifty-fifty mix of sugar and soda because the gasses build up in their gastrointestinal system. I’ve never tried it…well you all know.