Substrate

[tai_pan1]

I'm currently using ground coconut husks as a substrate for my corns. I'm not unhappy with it, but would like to explore other substrate options. I know I shouldn't use pine shavings for health reasons. I'm interested to know what others are using and why. I'd like to hear pro's and con's of whatever your using.

thanks,

Mike

[Pixie]

I've used coconut husk in the past and switched to aspen bedding. The first being hard to spot all the messes. With the aspen bedding, it's not the most esthetic substrate but it does the job great, easy to see the messes and clean them up :)

[josefg]

I use paper towels as they are easy to clean. Also from paper towels, I don't risk my corn swallowing some of the substrate while eating. Apart from that, the snake also like to hide under the towels during the day and in fact never used the hide box!

[Simon]

I use aspen. I would say aspen all the way!!!

It's very easy to clean up, looks alright, and quite cheap....so I would say go for aspen!!

[Tim_Cranwill]

Simon, do you feed our snakes in with the aspen? I was doing that for a while and really watching for ingestion, but I didn't want to risk it. I have them on newspaper now, which is fine, but I was just curious and I know you keep a lot of corns.

[Simon]

No I do not feed them on aspen beddings.
I take each and everyone out of their enclosures before I feed. That way I make sure that they will not digest any aspen. Even though this takes a whole lot more time than just poping the pinkies in, I think that it's worth it

[tai_pan1]

I do what Simon does. I feed all of my snakes out of their cage. I have one that eats while I hold it in my hand, the others I feed in a box. I'll have to try the aspen. Is aspen what they use for mice?

[jay76]

i'm using repticarpet right now, but i'll be switching to aspen shortly. the carpet looks nice, but i feel sort of bad about not letting him dig around :). about feeding outside of the main enclosure - isn't there a risk of regurging?

[Tim_Cranwill]

I feed mine in their box. I use newspaper so there's no risk. I just find that they are SOOO snappy after a meal. I'm sure I'd get bitten a few times a week if I fed them in a box where I would have to remove them from after feeding.

[snakekeeper]

I would also have to agree with the aspen bedding. If you want to feed in the cage though i would go with paper towel or news paper.:)

[Tim_Cranwill]

Ok, this might sound dumb but I thought I'd ask anyway. If anything it will be educational...

Aren't their digestion systems made to digest bones and flesh? Would a small bit of substrate really effect their health?

***I'm just looking for some opinions. I'm not suggesting it's my preferred method of feeding or that it's ok to do it or anything.;)

[tai_pan1]

Jay,

I've never had a problem with them regurgitating. It's to the point now that they know it's time to eat when they go in the box. After they are done, I put my hand in and let them know that it is me before I pick them up. Then I put them back in the cage and don't handle them for at least 1 day. It works for me.


Cranwill,

mine get very excited, but they have never biten me. I think the key is letting them know it's me by putting my hand in the box slowly and avoiding quick movement. Even if they ever were to bite, I don't think it is going to hurt much. Hopefully I'll never find out!

Mike

[Tim_Cranwill]

No, it doesn't hurt, but it made me a little edgey around them for a few days. I guess I'm just a wimp though.;)

[jay76]

How old are your corns, Mike? Still rather young? Mine's still really jittery, and that's why I was worried out regurgitating. I guess feeding him in a separate box would at least give me the chance to handle him a bit more :) One the plus side, he's never even rattled or adopted the strike position for me... :)

[tai_pan1]

My two males are 2001 hatchlings, and my two females are 2002 hatchlings. One of the females does regurg on occassion and I now feed her in the deli cup she shipped in and have had no problems.

[Lisa]

We keep one of our corns on cypress mulch (it keeps the humidity up and allows her to burrow), another 2 we're keeping on astroturf but will be switching both to aspen shavings because the normal corn will contrast nicely to our normal corn's colours and will have better humidity then the astroturf.


As for feeding we hold the corns in our hands when feeding... i don't know why but they seem to like eating better out of our hands then in a dish or other container...

[Kyle Walkinshaw]

@tai_pan1

I have my corns on cypress mulch which like lisa said is good to keep up the humidity but as soon as I convert mine to rubbermaids they will be on aspen for the following reasons
a) looks fine b) much easiler to spot their mess c) easier to clean d) much cheaper so the whole bedding can be replaced more frequently than other more expensive substrates such as cypress.
For feeding, never feed on any kind of substrate other than paper towel or newspaper unless you are there to make sure nothing ingested but just to be safe don't do it.