Bedding issues and a question

[d_virginiana]

I'm starting to worry about the amount of time Harley stays under her substrate. Basically she comes out to eat and drink, any other time she is completely buried in her carefresh. I wouldn't be so worried, but every day I've been having to use a Q-tip to swap out her mouth because she ends up with dust and particles stuck to it, and I'm thinking it's where she spends ALL her time buried.
I think the bits get stuck because her mouth never quite went back to it's normal shape after the bad infection she had around Christmas; like, there's still areas where it doesn't shut 100% and stuff gets stuck on there. The infection is completely gone though, so I guess that's just scarring?

I went out today and bought some reptile carpet (and some silversides and fake plants to apologize for taking away her favorite bedding). Does anyone here use that? What do you think of it? I've never used it before, but I think that's what I'm going to have to use for her for a while at least.

[guidofatherof5]

I think Wayne (infernalis) uses some reptile carpet.

[katach]

Sounds like you are doing what is best for her. If she can get the carefresh in her mouth then there is the possibility of her getting impacted from ingesting it. Reptile carpet is good. I think I read in one of threads a while back that someone has 2, one in the tank and a clean one. They rotate them so after cleaning it can dry properly. Just be sure there are plenty of hides available since the burrowing is no longer an option. Pics are always welcome of the new set up.

[Invisible Snake]

Sounds like your garter has an askew jaw and if substrate is getting caught on the rim or even inside her mouth, a reptile carpet would be best.

I've used them in my teen years with garters, iguanas and can't recall having any problems with them, just make sure you provide her with a few hides so she has plenty of places to hide and feel secure because that was what she was doing underneath her former substrate.

[d_virginiana]

I'm not worried about her getting impacted, as it's just the dust sticking to the front of her mouth, but I think an infection is a real possibility if she stays on the carefresh.
It's weird that she hides like that since she's not at all jumpy inside or outside the cage!
I'm moving the 50 gallon that she's being upgraded to into the apartment today, so she won't be on the dusty substrate much longer.

[setfree]

Paper towels work good are cheap and easy to clean up with.

[Mommy2many]

My garters also spend alot of time buried in their substrate. No worries as long as you see nothing weird going on. I think they love to burrow.

[Stefan-A]

Check the temperature and the humidity. Provide additional hides, including a humid hide. Cover 3 out of 4 sides of the enclosure. The temperature may be off, the humidity may be off, or the snake may be feeling insecure and exposed. Or it might be something else, but they don't burrow for fun.

As far as substrates go, newspaper is in my opinion more practical than paper towels and carpet starts to smell. As far as carefresh (and paper pellets) goes, I'm never going back to using that crap.

[d_virginiana]

Check the temperature and the humidity. Provide additional hides, including a humid hide. Cover 3 out of 4 sides of the enclosure. The temperature may be off, the humidity may be off, or the snake may be feeling insecure and exposed. Or it might be something else, but they don't burrow for fun.

As far as substrates go, newspaper is in my opinion more practical than paper towels and carpet starts to smell. As far as carefresh (and paper pellets) goes, I'm never going back to using that crap.

I might give the newspaper a try then... Less expensive than the carpet anyways. I'm thinking a lot of it is where her mouth never quite went back to its usual shape after the mouth infection she had last Christmas. I've noticed that when the dust gets stuck on her mouth she can't tongue-flick until I swab it away. Maybe she's not willing to be out in the open when she can't smell/taste her surroundings well?
I'm changing her tank and substrate tomorrow (just moved the 50 gallon in tonight) so I'll see if she hides less when she doesn't have dust on her face.

[Stefan-A]

I might give the newspaper a try then... Less expensive than the carpet anyways.
Try them all, find the one that annoys you and the snake the least.

[d_virginiana]

Tried the newspaper, AND moved her up to a 50 gallon.... Then moved my frog to her old 10 gallon. All at like 3am. It was a fun night.
She seems to like it alright. I covered half the floorspace in fake ivy and plants before I ran out. It's kind of cute how she'll go to the edge of her little 'jungle' and peep out at the second half of the tank. Going out to get more stuff for it today so she can utilize the whole tank.

So far, I'm a fan of the paper for her at least.