Is it time to change to a different substrate?

Dear VPI.

I have a question for you. Right now I have my snakes on newspaper but it has become a lot of work. So I decided to buy shredded aspen. Do you think it would be bad to switch to aspen bedding right now when the snakes are breeding. I have a lot of copulating going on and I really don't want to disturb them too much. What do you think?  Mark

Dear Mark,

I really can't say, Mark. I know that you've got a lot riding on the breeding season, so I'm going to counsel you to change as little at this time of year as possible. Be conservative. But I really don't believe that putting them on new aspen is any more traumatic than changing their newspaper.  DGB