Mysterious item!

[JodiLeigh]

Yes...make sure he doesn't ingest any...I know you said he ate before you could get a paper towel down. Next time...make sure to put a paper towel down and then put the dish down on top and then put the food in...you don't want him to get an impaction from ingesting substrate. Watch him closely to make sure he doesn't drag food off the paper towel too.

What is impaction? What would happen to him if he swallows some aspen?

[JodiLeigh]

I had also left some pinkie parts under his coconut hide and just checked on it . . . and they are ALL GONE!He's a greedy little one! Very happy though

[guidofatherof5]

That is great to hear. Nice job Manny.

[angrygamer]

grr double post

[angrygamer]

What is impaction? What would happen to him if he swallows some aspen?

Impaction is a dangerous situation. In regards to snakes, it's where they swallow a piece of foreign matter and cannot pass it, rather it passes but it damages their internal organs. It doesn't take much, either.

For a while I had an area of my tank cordoned off because of this. Now I replaced the aspen with coconut husk and have a separate feeding tank all together.

I never liked the aspen too much.

I'm glad someone said something, because if they didn't I would have.

[snakehill]

Don't forget to keep his sheds. Then you see how much he's grown in between!

[snakehill]

Sorry! I guess that's not a good way to measure growth. My bad!

[angrygamer]

Sorry! I guess that's not a good way to measure growth. My bad!

why not

[guidofatherof5]

As a rule a shed is longer then the snake because the skin attached to the scales stretches out the shed.
Just not very accurate.

[EasternGirl]

Right...impaction or blockage is when they can't pass it...like Travis said it can damage the internal organs and it gets stuck. It's great that you removed the aspen from the worm. You must be very careful that garters don't get substrate on their food. If they do, and they can't pass the piece they swallow it can cause a blockage and then they can't go to the bathroom and they can get very sick and die. In cases of sharp substrate like aspen, like Travis said, it can also do internal damage. The best way to ensure your snake doesn't ingest substrate is to have a separate feed tank. You can get a small plastic storage container from a dollar store and put holes in the lid for air and use it for feeding. You just put Manny in there when you want to feed him. Just put paper towels in the bottom instead of substrate. Some people purchase small 10 gallon tanks for this purpose. I have an empty 20 gallon that I use now for that purpose...although I'm getting a new snake soon, so I'll have to look into buying a 10 gallon soon for a feed tank.