There are many substrates on the market today. Knowing your animals needs is the best place to start. Knowing what you want the enclosure to look like comes second. There are two general rules to follow when making the final decision.

1; Chose a substrate that will not cause impaction or hurt your reptile when eaten.

2; Avoid substrates that contain harmful oils or colored dyes.

How often you have to change or clean the substrate is going to depend on the reptile you are keeping. Some need to be cleaned weekly others can be spot cleaned daily and changed monthly.