The 6 Best burrowing substrates (2023 reviews)

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Best Overall: Buy: Croci burrowing Substrate READ REVIEW

Best For desert dwelling Reptiles: Buy: Zilla burrowing Substrate READ REVIEW

Best For Hermit crab: Buy: Zoo Med burrowing Substrate READ REVIEW

Best For snail: Buy: Exo Terra burrowing Substrate READ REVIEW

Best For growing plants: Buy: Repticasa burrowing Substrate READ REVIEW

Best For chameleon: Buy: Repticasa Coconut Substrate READ REVIEW

Best Overall: Croci burrowing Substrate

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The croci burrowing substrate should be able to handle its purpose and duties with ease. The Eco Earth is an awesome substrate for rainforest dwelling reptiles and amphibians. It's soft and has a great texture. It makes the substrate loose and moist. It's great padding, for when they dive from tall places trying to catch crickets. The babies love it and it smells sweet like coconuts.

Compared to coconut fiber blocks that one needs to hydrate, this is much finer and of higher quality and requires much less effort. This is a must for mixing hermit crab substrate and helps keep humidity up. It will be easily digested and passed through. The package comes slightly damp because of the material.

• Odor and really retains the nutrient well
• Helps to hold the moisture in the tank while the moss dries out quicker
• Works great and smells better and less dust that cedar chips
• Fits enough bedding for a 75 gallon tank

Best For desert dwelling Reptiles: Zilla burrowing Substrate

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Not everyone likes to purchase substrate for their daily usage, but the zilla burrowing substrate would be an anomoly. This brand is the best for cleaning your brass, and its cheaper size than the 5 lb bags you'll find at your pet store. It is perfect for a hamster, it is 1 ingredient (crushed walnut) and it's safe for hamsters and isn't a rough texture 10/10 will buy again. It heats up in the microwave very evenly and holds the heat for a good length of time. It is great for bearded dragon. It is ideal for desert dwelling reptiles such as. It has the look of sand but is safe if ingested. It is really nice and doesn't leave dust plumes and it doesn't discolor your pet like sand does. It’s good for pet lizards.

• Awesome product for cleaning range brass
• Stays warm by the heat lamp
• A suitable alternative to sand to recreate a reptile's desert habitat
• Stimulates natural digging and burrowing behavior

Best For Hermit crab: Zoo Med burrowing Substrate

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The zoo med burrowing substrate's superior materials makes sure that it ages well with use. These frogs (and most other frogs) need a substrate that is "impaction-safe" meaning that it's fine enough that they won't mistake it for food. It is an easy way to have a flooring for the gecko tank. It's easy to clean, absorbs most odor, and doesn't clump.

It is ideal for naturalistic terrarium type set-ups incorporating reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, or small animals. It definitely does get mites and springtails fairly fast. The bedding does dry quickly and makes a major and dusty mess when cleaning so reptile owners be warned. It is easy to clean and it lasts a long time.

• Great soft substrate for hermit crabs
• One of the new comers and featured product

Best For snail: Exo Terra burrowing Substrate

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If you often find yourself scrambling for convenient and suitable substrate, exo terra burrowing substrate should be your first option for buying. The Exo Terra Forest Moss is extremely absorbent and is recommended in humidifying shelters such as the Exo Terra Snake Cave or Reptile Cave. It is perfect for critters who need moss and moisture. Squeezing is really fun, and you can shape the moss while it is wet, which is great if you want different sizes and lengths similar to pillow moss. It is perfect substrate for plant propagation. It keeps the humidity levels perfect.

It is definitely more brownish-green and not bright green, but it looks very natural and variety is always better. It is good for a moist hide for shedding.

• Holds water good for humidity, also looks good
• Beautiful, healthy color as it absorbed the water
• Natural with no added chemicals or dyes
• Easy to tear apart and provides a lot of material for orchid growing

Best For growing plants: Repticasa burrowing Substrate

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Not everyone likes to purchase substrate for their daily purpose, but the repticasa burrowing substrate would be an anomoly. Keep plants and animals growing strong and healthy by supporting your terrarium with an all-natural coconut husk substrate. This coconut husk substrate is ideal for creating flooring or bedding for frogs, turtles, tortoises, snakes, and spiders. It allows them to maintain their body temperature more effectively, which can help increase their natural energy levels.

It works for growing plants, flowers, herbs, vegetables, and other garden plant life. They have 6 to 8 inches of substrate to dig in. These unique animals require a little extra care, especially when it comes to their terrarium balance.

• Very small mince, no long pieces to tangle around their legs
• Desert and tropical, it is very absorbent
• Stimulates natural digging and burrowing behaviors

Best For chameleon: Repticasa Coconut Substrate

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Next on the list, we've got yet another substrate that manages to win our hearts. It's the repticasa coconut substrate and it's widely considered as one of the best convenient substrate you can buy. Keep plants and animals growing strong and healthy by supporting your terrarium with all-natural coconut husk substrate. It is easy to shred to fill terrariums and tanks. It works for growing plants, flowers, herbs, vegetables, and other garden plant life.

This is an all-natural material which means it not only breaks down odors and waste but it can be disposed of outside in a garden area or in your backyard. It keeps odors down. It is not similar to coffee grounds and more like the stringy texture. It allows them to maintain their body temperature more effectively, which can help increase their natural energy levels. These unique animals require a little extra care, especially when it comes to their terrarium balance.

• Helps absorb odors and smells for a cleaner environment
• Important for growth, sustainability, and overall animal happiness
• Stimulates natural digging and burrowing behaviors