This sort of has to do with the bedding thread below, but I decided to put this in a new thread.

I switched to shredded aspen a few months ago. Normally I feed my balls outside of the cages, but with an evergrowing collection I decided to try feeding inside the tubs. I use frozen thawed food, but when I offered my pinstripe the food it got covered in the bedding. I came back a few minutes later and he had swallowed the rat, but had a huge lump in the back of his throat from all the aspen! I tried to take a pipet of water to help flush it out, but then he almost gagged his huge meal back up. At this point I was freaking out, because he was starting to freak out becasue there was something stuck in his throat, so he tried to regurg again. Then I picked some of the aspen out with tongs and he swallowed the rest. So my question is what should I do? Im pretty sure he will just pass the bedding, but next time should I try and dry the rat off first, or feed in a sperate cage, or switch beddings, or just not worry about it?

I feed all my FT stuff on deli cup lids in the cages, after they eat I just wash the lids. Some ingest stuff all the time and others don't, I am to paranoid not to try to avoid it since I know the snakes aren't in the best shape compared to those in the wild that ingest things when feeding.

You could try placing the rat on something flat, plastic lid of some kind for him to eat it off.... I feed live, so that's all I can suggest. Or if they do eat out of the cages without problems, then do that....

I don't use aspen because it's tends to mold when it gets wet but I have had many snakes ingest cypress mulch, doesn't seem to effect them unless the pieces are too big. You could always switch to newspaper...

I have fed on Aspen and I know some of mine have swallowed it and I have never had issues....But for the most part I got away from aspen because of the molding like Larry said....I'm either paper towel or cypress in my tubs now

I don't use aspen because it's tends to mold when it gets wet but I have had many snakes ingest cypress mulch, doesn't seem to effect them unless the pieces are too big. You could always switch to newspaper...

Thanks Larry,

I don't have too many problems with it molding over because I only use it for the males, and since its breeding season they are hardly in thier tubs anyway. But for my gravid female who keeps wrapping her water bowl and spilling water every where I can't keep it mold free for a second. So im considering switching over to unprinted newspaper.

I put my frozen in Ziploc bags then in the water. I hate wet rats.

I've seen my snakes ingest aspen as well as other beddings types along with their meal before. Nothing substantial, but every once in a while a bit of bedding sticks to the rats, and I've yet to see any kind of problem. I definitely try to avoid it from happening, but in my experience, I haven't seen any adverse effects.

I have used Aspen for ten years. Never once had an issue as far as snakes ingesting some of it. They ingest all kinds of sand and dirt and debris in the wild im sure. It does tend to mold if its kept to wet with little ventilation but I just change it every few weeks and no issues.

I put my frozen in Ziploc bags then in the water. I hate wet rats.

I do the same...Though the Boas really don't seem to care either way..:lol:

I usually pat dry the rats before feeding them. I prefer it because it seems cleaner to not have rat water dripping everywhere and it helps with the bedding sticking to the rat. I have snakes on aspen and cypress and cypress doesn't usually stick as much as aspen.

Thanks for the advice. This time I will pat it down a bit more and try feeding it over like a paper plate. If that dosn't work I will switch to newspaper, althoguh I was having some problems about water bowls spilling on the newspaper and creating a wet soggy envornment, perfect for water blsters. Plus honestly they just seem happier on the aspen, it must feel wierd sleeping on newspaper when you can sleep on a bed of wood chips.

Thanks for the advice. This time I will pat it down a bit more and try feeding it over like a paper plate. If that dosn't work I will switch to newspaper, althoguh I was having some problems about water bowls spilling on the newspaper and creating a wet soggy envornment, perfect for water blsters. Plus honestly they just seem happier on the aspen, it must feel wierd sleeping on newspaper when you can sleep on a bed of wood chips.

I think every bedding has its pros and cons. I really dont think they care about sleeping on paper. They dont sleep on Aspen or Cypress in the wild. The point is they can do great on a variety of substrates. Just have to decide what you like and deal with the pros and cons of that.

I think every bedding has its pros and cons. I really dont think they care about sleeping on paper. They dont sleep on Aspen or Cypress in the wild. The point is they can do great on a variety of substrates. Just have to decide what you like and deal with the pros and cons of that.

Haha I know, I just imagine them smiling a little snakey smile while curled up on a nice little bed. lol. But in real life they couldn't care less.

I have used Aspen for ten years. Never once had an issue as far as snakes ingesting some of it. They ingest all kinds of sand and dirt and debris in the wild im sure. It does tend to mold if its kept to wet with little ventilation but I just change it every few weeks and no issues.

Same here. Not a big deal if a little goes in.

Very good info everyone but you could always just go to newspaper but i must say you will replace it alot more then you would aspen, or other bedding. :cool:

i feed f/t but i dont thaw them in water i just leave them out over night and the next morning there thaw and ready to go and dry never get any bedding swallowed ... works for me for a long time

Very good info everyone but you could always just go to newspaper but i must say you will replace it alot more then you would aspen, or other bedding. :cool:

depends on the set up i only like to use the newspaper if its a big tub or cage that would take a long time to clean if it was bedding but for little 32qt tubs and what not its just easyer to spot clean kings and corns poop alot i would go through newspaper like a bat out of hell if i was using newsprint

Yeah that's one of the reasons I switched back to paper

I use aspen and often worry about them ingesting the sharp chips. I realize snakes ingest all kinds of things in the wild but i do not believe they would ever come across sharp chips. Any dirt or substrate they may ingest would not have sharp edges just do to natural weathering. What do you all think?

I use aspen and often worry about them ingesting the sharp chips. I realize snakes ingest all kinds of things in the wild but i do not believe they would ever come across sharp chips. Any dirt or substrate they may ingest would not have sharp edges just do to natural weathering. What do you all think?

The only flaw I can see is if they are hunting rodents they should be near the rodents nest which I imagine should have some wood products that they have collected and chewed on...

Plus if another animal say a deer rubs a tree the bark that comes off will have some sharp edges...

Run around barefoot and tell me how many sharp edges you come across :D