Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was trying to get some feedback on using Western Hemlock Tree and Douglas Fir wood shavings as substrate...Just curious..I came across this stuff today, and have been trying to find some pros and cons...

It claims to be a hypoallergenic bedding material....Dust Free...and super absorbant..What do you guys think? Every used anything like it? Its pretty cheap, and its made locally...I was thinking about starting to use it in our larger snake enclosures...But I have never heard anything good or bad about Western Hemlock Tree and Douglas Fir as bedding...What do you guys think? Here is the link to it....

gemshavings.com/whites.htm
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Executive Reptiles
Amanda Kingsbury & David Kendrick
www.executivereptiles.com

I'd be extremely wary of ANY conifer-based beddings. This is due to the toxic phenol compunds they naturally harbor. Especially problematic if you use less well-ventilated "drawer type" enclosures. I'd stick to aspen or perhaps cypress.

Brad Chambers

I looked at the website and it says it doesnt have resins in the wood. Why take any chances though? Like the poster above me said, many conifer trees are toxic to reptiles. I have always wondered about aspen shavings as well? Arent they conifers, sort of like pine? I admit I am ignorant when it comes to this topic, however, you can just smell cedar or touch the resin in pine wood and get the hint that it isnt too good.

Anyhow, untreated cyress is $4 for like a 40lb bag and it works great..I could see if there was a huge cost involved, but for me its simple. Cypress is cheap, holds humidity well, keeps the odors down and is (pardon the pun) dirt cheap.

Cypress baby!

~Alan

No, aspen is not a conifer-it's a deciduous tree common to the western and north-central region of North America. Conversely, cypress actually IS a form of primitive conifer-but seems to lack the dangerous compounds found in most.

Brad Chambers