The Best Substrate

[KITKAT]

Sounds like you need a "litter dam". This is an addition to the viv that helps hold the litter away from the sliding doors.

I can also tell you that a vacumn cleaner nozzle will remove the litter from the door tracks!

[drache]

Sounds like you need a "litter dam". This is an addition to the viv that helps hold the litter away from the sliding doors.

I can also tell you that a vacumn cleaner nozzle will remove the litter from the door tracks!

litter dam?
that's an actual thing that works?
I've been wracking my brain and all I could come up with was airline tubing - my answer to many small annoying problems
so is it something I can make myself?
we don't have a "real" vacuum cleaner
I can see that it would come in handy with "real" substrate

[KITKAT]

Here are two sites that mention this type of construction. I think you would have to modify your current cage to create this. Perhaps you could glue a strip on the inside of the sliding door track, to deepen the area that holds the litter...

Arachnofreaks Forum: New reptile enclosure build

http://www.kingsnake.com/TARAS/contents/cage.doc

[GrapefruiTgirl]

Well, I think this thread may have finally put an end to my wonderings about pine/cedar shavings.
It's what I have been using, and the snake doesn't seem to mind it. It's "Pestell" brand, 100% natural, air-dried Canadian Pine, aromatic but not strong smelling or oily.
But, rather than take any chances, I suspect next time I do any work in the tank (over the next several days) that will be the last of the shavings. Does everyone agree with this? I've read so many different opinions on pine/cedar.
This decision leads me to another inquiry: personally, I don't mind if there's newspaper in there. It's relatively ugly, but my snakey makes up for any lack of appeal in the bedding. However, I have read that BLANK or UN-PRINTED newspaper is best. Surely that makes sense, however, getting that unprinted stuff is a pain in the neck, especially living out in the sticks where I do. So, does anyone have insight on whether normal printed newspaper is OK or not? I've got loads of that, and fresh stuff comes every week

[drache]

I have read somewhere that you should let it sit for a few weeks to make sure the ink is done drying and off-gassing, but I wonder whether that's still the case with the soy-based inks they are now using

[GrapefruiTgirl]

Yes, exactly. The soy and vegetable-oil based inks -- one would think they'd be relatively harmless, compared to whatever agents they used to use..

[enigma200316]

here is what I do, I use the paper as a lining and put a small amount of Aspen on top seems to work greatly............as for cedar or pine I wouldn't use it... and for feeding with the shavings so they don't eat any of it I use a plate or large lid to put the food on, and haven't had a problem so far..........

[GrapefruiTgirl]

How many peoples' snakes around here HAVE eaten some wood shavings/pieces, and what in general has been the outcome? I mean, how dangerous IS it? How common are impactions? Surely snakes eat stuff along with their food in the wild, and it probably doesn't kill many of them. Opinions?

P.S - Speaking of... I'm not the type to let an idea sit around in my head, and so as of right now, I have remodeled snakeys house around her again, removing all the shavings, leaving the brown paper in the bottom, and just placing all the rocks back in here and there, and her water pool. Gave her a couple salamanders (her favourite snack) and it's all good

[Lori P]

I keep thinking the same thing... surely wild snakes end up ingesting bark and twigs nad plenty of dirt with their meals... I guess the difference is, the substrates we give them may not be as natural for them?

[enigma200316]

well there is a bit of diff. between eatting some dirt, and a piece of wood......but as for impactions it may not happen the first or second, but
if they keep eatting the shaving it will happen eventualy, its better either to feed them in an area where they can't swallow the shavings or in a seperate tank that has no shavings in it..........of course my opinion....