I had my fantasy frog on paper towels for several months. He did fine, but you have to change them almost daily. I have him on cocofiber now because I got sick of changing towels daily. The cocofiber also absorbs smells (the towels don't and there's a gross frog pee smell, even when you change them daily). My guy was never much of a borrower so I don't think he cared about being on towels vs cocofiber, but he has a hide he likes. He's usually in the hide whether he's on towels or cocofiber.