Aspen bedding, can it kill

[Radix97]

Recently i moved my snake into a 5 gallon tank and changed the bedding from paper towels to aspen bedding (Zoo med) So far she loves it, and burrows through the terrarium and she pops out her head every now and then. But today i tried feeding her her second meal in the tank. The earthworm got covered in the aspen bedding once she grabbed it from the tongs, as soon as i realized it could be swallowed i took it from her and tried feeding her in a deli cup. She didn't eat in there because of the stress of taking her out i think, but can the aspen impact her and kill her? She's reaching one foot and is alert and healthy. what's your opinion on feeding snakes in their enclosures?

[Radix97]

Ive replaced the aspen with eco earth, im starting to lose my worries :)

[guidofatherof5]

Recently i moved my snake into a 5 gallon tank and changed the bedding from paper towels to aspen bedding (Zoo med) So far she loves it, and burrows through the terrarium and she pops out her head every now and then. But today i tried feeding her her second meal in the tank. The earthworm got covered in the aspen bedding once she grabbed it from the tongs, as soon as i realized it could be swallowed i took it from her and tried feeding her in a deli cup. She didn't eat in there because of the stress of taking her out i think, but can the aspen impact her and kill her? She's reaching one foot and is alert and healthy. what's your opinion on feeding snakes in their enclosures?


Yes. Many bedding can cause impaction. Sharp wood shavings can also cause perforations in the digestive track.

[infernalis]

I'm getting more and more sold on the bio active dirt concept.

swallowing soil is something all animals do in the wild, heck some even do it on purpose.

Meanwhile, I feed my garter snakes in poly feed boxes, if they are stubborn about it, leave them overnight, the food is almost always gone by morning.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

Put a piece of cardboard in the viv and offer the food over it. that always worked tidy for me

[slipknot711]

i just got rid of all my aspen bedding i had two snakes die of impaction. my fault for not making a feeding tank i guess. but i refuse to use the stuff anymore

[BLUESIRTALIS]

I have used aspen and cypress mulch for over 15 years now with great success! Aspen to me is great for the snakes to burrow, not bad to look at, and very easy to spot clean! My snakes love aspen bedding and it's very affordable. It don't matter what type of bedding you use it is better to feed in a separate empty feeding container if possible. I once heard of a snake swallowing a whole paper towel.

[SSSSnakes]

I used aspen for 30 years with no problems. If I was feeding something that would be sticky, I put it on a paper towel. Now I use news paper, because it is free and easier to clean.

[d_virginiana]

I keep all mine on Newspaper. With plenty of fake vines and leaves they get don't seem to miss burrowing or hide all the time. I don't have to worry about the ones that like to run away and drag their food across the ground eating substrate.
I use eco-earth for animals that need a higher humidity, but it just get's so dusty when it's at good garter humidity I don't like it for them. The little particles are just the right size to irritate one of their mouths if you have one whose lips kind of pull back before a shed.


I once heard of a snake swallowing a whole paper towel.

I once watched one of my albinos chew on a fake flower for ten minutes because it had pinky blood on it. One of the reasons the reptiles I don't keep on newspaper are fed outside their vivs.

[Mommy2many]

I use aspen in all of my tanks, feed in all of my tanks and do not have any issues. I use the shredded aspen though.