Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I had been using newspaper as a substrate for my 5 year old BCI. I feed F/T jumbo rats to him. I checked on my Boa about 1 hour after feeding and I found 4 or 5 sheets of newspaper about half way down my Boas throat. The paper was completely flat when he started eating. I quickly grabbed the end of the paper and held his neck till we worked it out. This is what was left of the paper.

Any body else have this problem? I dont know why he tryed to eat his paper. Im thinking about switching to Aspen shavings.

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Adrian De Leon
Hissenia Reptiles

I had a baby get a paper towel about 4 inches down and like yourself luckily checked on it and was able to pull it out. i think they get it intertwined with the rodent.

Do you still use paper towels for your substrate?

thanks
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Adrian De Leon
Hissenia Reptiles

Yes I still use them. It was just a freak occurence but I always keep a close eye on them while feeding.

We had a recent rescue(est.2.5 year old)that ate two sheets of paper towel,it wasn't noticed until after she had passed them a week later The strange thing about it was the fact both ends of the substrate were secured by a large dish and a hide.Nothing ever appeared out of place in the quarantine cage

My guess is she had consumed the paper prior to her arrival here,which appeared to be all she had eaten in some time based on the fecal content.

Very strange indeed ........
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TnK

ill have to keep a closer eye next time.
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Adrian De Leon
Hissenia Reptiles

Many years ago....I worked in a reptile shop here in Miami. We had gotten in a rather large import b.c.i, I would have to guess it to be over 7'. A few days after it arrived I went to check on him and change his water when I noticed a blue towel in his cage. IT was all compacted and wet......where ever he was prior to coming to us he had eaten the towel and then regurged it at the shop.....and this was a full sized towel...the kind you use to dry yourself off after a shower... He wolfed down some rodents a few days later and never had any issues after that.

Pretty wild what can find it's way down the gullet of a large snake...

Jared
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~ ASK ME ABOUT MY BALLS ~

wow. interesting story
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Adrian De Leon
Hissenia Reptiles

My Hog Island is very aggressive when eating and has tried to eat the towel she is on. In short, I now feed her in a bare plastic tub out of her cage. It’s better all the way around. Ask some others about the troubles with feeding snakes in their enclosures.