Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I switched my bulls over to shredded aspen bedding from newspaper because of the mess bulls make and I'm wondering if I can feed the bulls on the aspen or is this dangerous if ingested? I feed frozen-thawed rats and try to towel them off a bit before I feed but some of the aspen does stick to the rats. Am I in for trouble with compaction or injury or can they ingest/digest this fine?

Thanks, in advance for your thoughts.
Ken
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Ken Roshak
BlackSwampSerpents@toast.net

HI Ken

I feed mine on shredded aspen. Haven't had any fatalities yet. I can see the danger though.

Jason

you can always spread some newspaper over the aspen at feeding time & then remove it after they're done....

Ken, I actually got away from aspen for some time due to a snake having a problem from it. I had a king grab a mouse and the shredded "spikes" of aspen lodged into her mouth and caused a bad infection that she eventually died from. I have since went back to aspen for some of my critters, but place the food item into a bowl within the cage to help prevent this from happening again. (I also feed at night so they feel secure and do not drag the item all over the place) I also, like Randy had stated, make sure the rodents are as dry as possible to prevent the bedding from sticking to them should the animal pull them from the bowl. I actually use kiln dried pine for most of my snakes. Stuff is light and fluffy though so make sure you have a broom or vaccum handy if you choose to use it.

Joe

I feed mine in separate feeding tubs. This is to avoid bedding sticking onto the food, and to condition the snake to associate eating with the feeding tub, not my arm when I reach into the cage to do anything.

Rozy has started a bad habit of biting me when I reach into her cage; solution: feed her more! She is as big as her mother now and is only a year old. Normally she is a very well behaved girl, but when she is hungry she wants to eat the world! LOL!
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Bob
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire
Keeping cats allows man to cohabitate with tigers. Keeping reptiles allows man to cohabitate with dinosaurs.

Really good and healthy looking snake Bob!
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See all my snakes at SerpenTrack.com

Thanks! She is my favorite pit! Even if she is sometimes such a bad girl....LOL!
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Bob
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire
Keeping cats allows man to cohabitate with tigers. Keeping reptiles allows man to cohabitate with dinosaurs.

i feed in the cage on aspen bedding. i have never had a problem with it and they can pass it. i have seen it in some of my animal's feces.

I use cypress aspen and pine... not all in combination but I switch it up. I can't imagine why a snake who injests food that has bones in it, would become impacted because of soft wood. Unless there were another problem internally. I feed my pits straight from tongs and they drag the prey directly on the bedding usually. I have feed them in tubs inside the cage but sometimes they just drag the food out anyways.

I've fed pits and various other species directly on aspen for years and never had a problem. When I feed rodents that I thawed in water I make sure they are almost totally dry before putting in the cage just to be safe.
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Randy Whittington