Results 1 to 10 of 10

Hybrid View

  1. #1
    Never shed
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Fraiser valley British columbia
    Posts
    31
    Country: Canada

    Question Aspen bedding, can it kill

    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?
    Ryan
    - Canus lupus familarasis
    - Bombina orientalis
    - Thamnophis species
    - Dyscophus antongili

  2. #2
    Never shed
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Fraiser valley British columbia
    Posts
    31
    Country: Canada

    Re: Aspen bedding, can it kill

    Ive replaced the aspen with eco earth, im starting to lose my worries
    Ryan
    - Canus lupus familarasis
    - Bombina orientalis
    - Thamnophis species
    - Dyscophus antongili

  3. #3
    T. radix Ranch guidofatherof5's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    C.B,Iowa(radixville)
    Posts
    23,452
    Country: United States

    Re: Aspen bedding, can it kill

    Quote Originally Posted by Radix97 View Post
    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.
    Steve
    5 awesome kids!
    Emmy, Kale, Molly, Gabby, Hailee
    They are not just snakes. They're garter snakes.
    http://www.youtube.com/user/thamnophis14?feature=mhee

  4. #4
    Forum Moderator infernalis's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Upstate NY
    Posts
    7,920
    Country: United States

    Re: Aspen bedding, can it kill

    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.

  5. #5
    Thamnophis cymru -MARWOLAETH-'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Swansea (twinned with Mordor), Cymru
    Posts
    1,449
    Country: Wales

    Re: Aspen bedding, can it kill

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

  6. #6
    "Fourth shed In Progress" slipknot711's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    Rhode Island
    Posts
    779
    Country: United States

    Re: Aspen bedding, can it kill

    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
    Ashley: instagram-> @ashes1187

  7. #7
    "PM Boots For Custom Title" BLUESIRTALIS's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    south carolina
    Posts
    2,269
    Country: United States

    Re: Aspen bedding, can it kill

    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.
    Bluesirtalis

  8. #8
    "PM Boots For Custom Title" d_virginiana's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    North Carolina
    Posts
    2,406
    Country: United States

    Re: Aspen bedding, can it kill

    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.

    Quote Originally Posted by BLUESIRTALIS View Post
    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.
    Lora

    3.0 T. sirtalis sirtalis, 1.1 T. cyrtopsis ocellatus, 1.0 L. caerulea, 0.1 C. cranwelli, 0.1 T. carolina, 0.1 P. regius, 0.1 G. rosea, 0.0.1 B. smithi, 0.1 H. carolinensis

  9. #9
    Never shed SSSSnakes's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    NY
    Posts
    47
    Country: United States

    Re: Aspen bedding, can it kill

    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.
    Conservation Through Education
    www.jerrythesnakeman.com

  10. #10
    matris ut plures Mommy2many's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Danbury, CT
    Posts
    2,953
    Country: United States

    Re: Aspen bedding, can it kill

    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.
    Le Ann

    "Research shows that if you're afraid of spiders, you are more likely to find one in your bedroom. I'm really afraid of Johnny Depp."

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •