ingesting substrate

[michaelman25]

can a snake die from ingesting some substrate(aspen shavings)


i feed in-tank and whenever my snakes get substrate in their mouths i get VERY worried


i know that a large amount can cause impaction, but i mean like a tiny little shaving



thanx in advance

[MarcB]

Yes, shavings (no matter how tiny) have been known to cause impaction leading to death, depending on the size of the animal in question....

[michaelman25]

ok thanx for the help i will be keeping a better lookout from now on

[NadaNaga]

If you're feeding in-cage, placing the rodent on a papertowel, plate etc. may help to keep substrate from sticking to it.

[michaelman25]

thanx

[Artemis]

I have found that putting paper towels in and then the prey over top of the paper towels works SOMETIMES- but other times the snake feels like eating in his hide and drags things through the substrate, thwarting my efforts.

Best bet is to switch your substrate to paper towels. Eliminates any risk of impaction, and actually makes cleanup very easy, mites easier to see, accessible and affordable, blah blah blah.

If you are stuck on the aspen, then warm your prey in a plastic ziploc bag in warm water, and then place it on a paper towel. Even if he drags it off, the drier the prey is, the less likely the shavings are to stick to it. Still a risk, but thats making it less of one.

Artemis