Can i use cedar wood chips for my snakes bedding?
No. Cedar has toxins that are poisonous to reptiles.
Are pine shavings bad for snakes?!?
Pine is harsher and also tends to be more dusty. You should use aspen. Not expensive and works great. And Ladie they dont "chock" (think you meant choke?) on the pieces. If you feed F/T in a tank with shavings you have to make sure that none of the shavings stick to the food because a snakes digestive system will not break it down and can cause a bowel obstruction. But you shouldn't be feeding in the same tank the snake lives in anyways bc you don't want your snake to associate food with the lid opening on the cage. This can cause you to get bit! =) You should feed in a seperate empty feeding bin/tank.
How hazardous are pine shavings for a corn snake?
The corn snake I care for has been acting strange for the past 1 1/2 weeks. He absolutely DID NOT want to be picked up. I never saw him move so fast to free himself from my hands... and he didn't even try to bite that poor little guy. I figured he was getting ready to shed and left him alone at first. I then became suspicious and concluded that the only change in handling had been the addition of pine shavings as the substrate. I had no idea that pine shavings are toxic to corn snakes. A Petco employee had actually recommended the pine shavings. Also, a book I bought recommended Aspen but made no mention of pine shavings being toxic. I immediately removed the pine shavings and went back to the artificial turf I had originally used. I feel so bad for the snake... and my question is this: Does anyone know if the 3 month old snake will suffer long-term damage from his 1 1/2 week long exposure to pine shavings? Thanks in advance.
Cedar shavings and Ball Pythons?
The ventilation is certainly helping with the air-borne toxins but the toxic phenols produced by the cedar is oil based. It will also be on your rats that you are feeding off. It also is not doing your rats any good in terms of liver function and likely is affecting their breeding ability. They are immersed in the cedar 24 hours a day and constantly cleaning it off their fur and ingesting it. Aspen is really your safest option.
How bad is aspen bedding when a snake eats it?
Just keep an eye on the snake he/she should pass it hopefulley. They wouldnt sell this stuff it wasnt safe to a certain point! For substrate, I recommend aspen bedding. Pine bedding is also acceptable, but you must NEVER use cedar bedding, as this will cause respiratory disease and even death in reptiles. Some people may prefer to use paper towels or newspaper. While not as attractive, these substrates make cage cleaning easier. If you are concerned about the snakes health when using aspen try using paper towels or newpaper !!
What is the best substrate for a bull/gopher snake?
The finest pine shavings you can find. If you use large pine shavings, it can hurt their belly, and has more of a chance of causing impaction. Do not use cedar; it puts out poisonous fumes. Also, fine pine shavings are easy to burrow into, which these snakes love to do. It is also easy to clean and stays warm from the light. Also, try to find dust-free pine shavings.
Is Aspen Snake Bedding okay for (baby) corn snakes?
ya its fine..Aspen bedding is the #1 recommended snake bedding i myself use it for my ball python and it works great i have used it and compressed coconut fiber they both work well main thing is never use mulch cedar or pine. i don't care much for mulch too many sharp pieces and cedar and pine contain oils that are linked to respiratory problems in reptiles as far as the problem of ingestion as concerned by other users i myself prefer to feed all my snakes in separate "feeding " tubs to reduce the risk of such an occurrence. plus it also helps the snake not associate the opening of its cage with feeding hope i helped and happy herping :)