Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Since I started keeping snakes I've always heard - don't feed on loose substrate. However, I've noticed recently that I hear sooo many people say they feed on aspen with no problems and have for years. Many are breeders. The breeder I got my sand boas from fed them on it. Like I said, I've always heard not too due to impaction, etc. But thinking about it, I've never heard anyone say they had a snake die or get ill from such impactions. Instead I'm hearing people say they've never had a problem with it. So now I'm confused and am wondering if (a) impaction is perhaps more of a problem with certain species or hatchlings, or (b) this is just one of those things that someone came up with and it just got passed along as gospel by everyone else. I mean it seems that yeah it would be a possibility. Anyway, seems I've had too much time to think this week since I'm on vacation....
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A lot of people argue about loose substrate. I feed on aspen, cypress mulch and spagnum and do not have problems. Now as to sand boas. I keep them on sand-without water and have no problems with feeding anything.

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

I KNOW of several hatchlings that have impacted and died on aspen, various bark and I think one was on sand. I know the first thing my vet suspects in such cases is the substrate and he has told me that he has seen snakes die impacted on particulate substrate. I have never fed animals on loose substrate. Whether an adult, larger snake can impact on it or not is certainly a question, but I don't see the point in doing it. I do have my sand boas on cellsorb or yesterday's news but feed elsewhere. I did get a yearling ratsnake from a friend that refused food for three weeks until it passed a bunch of 'yuck' that closely resembled his cellsorb substrate.

There is also the carry over from the lizard forums. Though the claim on the monitor forum is that at the right temps a monitor isn't in danger from ingesting dirt I certainly doubt that is true of tons of sand or bark. I KNOW of beardies and leopard gex that have died impacted.

I don't think it is all just gossip. But I do think the main danger is to smaller species or hatchlings. Most substrate is not gonna block up a larger snake.

I suppose another way of KNOWING would be call around to the vets and see how many they have necropsied. But I know my vet is not keen on it.
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Sonya

Haven't we warned you about tampering with the structure of a chaotic system?
Mrs. Neutron

I posted a message a while ago about my jungle carpet getting reptile bark stuck in her mouth. I don't know if she would have gotten it out her self or not if I wasn't watching her. I really try not to feed my snakes on their substrates. I put the F/T meal either on a little lid of some kind or take my snakes out of their tanks an put them in another tank with just newspaper. This works great for me and I also know they have eaten. If I were to leave my milk's fuzzies in his tank I don't think he would eat them since he's very shy and hides 24/7.

BUT I don't see how snakes deal with ingesting stuff in the wild. Certainly they don't get a meal on a clean plate....

Just my opinion :0)

I feed my snakes in their cage on aspen. I do stick around to make sure they dont get an entire mouthful but I dont worry about it too much. I figure if they can pass some bone and fur, surely they can deal with a little piece of aspen or bark. EP
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