Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Has anyone had any unexplained upper respiratory issues and also uses sani-chips or the like as a substrate?

Very rare, but I have had what looked like respiratory infection using wood chips. There was mucous and sneezing sounds. Turned out, it was simply irritation from the dust. Once I moved the snakes to newspaper, they cleared up within the day.

A substrate does not cause RI persay. RI is not common at all in temperate zone colubrids unless the husbandry is terrible for too long. Irritation to dust is much more probable. These snakes live in dusty dirt, but not wood dust.

Sani-Chips are very benign as far as wood products go. Some snakes, again probably very few, may be sensitive to the dust, and not just to sani chip but to other wood substrates as well if they contain fine dust.

My post was too vague. I meant IN PEOPLE.

Do you keep them in your room? I am no doctor and i could be way off here but i dont see how this could cause a problem unless you yourself have some allery towards it. But you would have to be spending alot of time near/around it which is why i asked if there in your room. If kept in a reptile room when your just feeding/cleaning i dont see how it could cause a problem.

I just recently bought another house and while we were moving i had a rack around were i was sleeping for a few days and i noticed i had a little trouble breathing during that time but i also smoke alot so idk.

Best of luck to you