Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I know you prob get asked this a lot, but I couldnt find a post that delt with it so here I ask!
I originally wanted aspen chips for bedding, then I realised that I would heve to feed in a seperate container, and I thought that would cause more stress than needed. So then I thought reptile carpet, but then I thought that it might not be a sanitary. What are your guys opinion on the subject? Thanks again for you help.

It won't hurt to feed in a seperate container then gentle put snake back into its enclosure. I did this all the time when my corns were little. Never had a problem with regurging.

I also used the reptile carpet but found it got messy and you can't spot clean it as well. What I've read you can do is have 2 or 3 pieces of the carpet so when one is soiled replace it then wash the soiled one.

I use newspaper over the UTH now then reptile bark. Newspaper cheaper then the carpet...

Feeding in a separate tub is fine, there is no added stress, and it also helps reduce accidental food bites. My first snake was a Red Tail Boa (a young one, not full grown). This was way before I ever had a computer or knew about the internet. I used reptile carpet and fed in the enclosure. Trigger would reach up and snatch the mice from my hand, they never touched the ground. How cool to have a snake that hand feeds! Until I wanted to take him out to hold him that is. As far as he was concerned, if it was entering his enclosure and was warm, it very well might be food! I got bit pretty much every time I tried to pick him up. Never made the connection between my feeding in the enclosure and the biting when trying to pick him up. As for the Aspen, if you get the nice clean shredded kind it holds tunnels really good. There are some cheaper brands now, I forget the brand that really holds tunnels good, it's very light in color and finely shredded. The other advantage is that if you put a nice layer down, it turns the whole enclosure into a hide, because he can go under the Aspen. This helps him feel secure and thermoregulate at the same time. You do need to watch the UTH, Aspen will hold heat. Put your hand under the Aspen right on the glass over the UTH and be sure you can hold your hand there. If it's too hot then get a rheostat, or if you still have some of that carpet, you can lay the carpet down and put the Aspen over it. Just be sure he can't get under the carpet. The rheostat is the safer way to go. Good luck!

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Lyns Lair
Frogwatch USA
WNY Herpetological Society

0.1 Cat (Mia)
4.2 Ferrets (Wolf, Shadow, Verdell, Sullivan, Boo, Peach)
1.0 Carpet Python (Bear)
1.0 Malagasy Blonde Hognose Snake (Wilbur)
1.0 Yellow / Everglades Rat Snake (Pumpkin)
1.0 Russian Sand Boa (Fang)
0.1 Normal Corn Snake (Mysty)
1.0 Anery Corn Snakes (Suezo)
1.0 Banded Water Snake (Ripley)
0.1 Golden Greek Tortoise (Sunshine)
0.2 Mississippi Mud Turtles (Squirt & Shyanne)
1.0 Green Iguana (Norbert)
1.0 Whites Tree Frog (Trevor)
2.0 Solomon Island Eyelash Frogs (Chompy & Gimli)
1.0 AFT Gecko (Cocoa)
5.5 Leopard Geckos (Trouble, Scooter, Simba, Firenze, Teddy, Mystique, Freckles, Dotty, Zipper, Twister)

I don't even use "reptile carpet". I went down to home depot and bought 3 feet of green astroturf for $8. This covered my 29 gal. and 20 long 2 times over. I cut two strips for each tank. After every second feeding and using of the bathroom, I pick up the snake and let him crawl around my arms/neck/whatever and change out the carpet with another piece, and wipe out the bottom with a damp paper towel. then i put the second piece in and put the snake back in and on to the next tank. total cleaning time is about 5 minutes every week...easiest substrate to take care of.

As far as feeding goes, when I was moving my licorice stick from Pensacola to Panama City a couple months ago (3 hour drive...he was staying with my aunt), she fed her right before I left. I handled her with a bulging belly, put her in this sterilite container for the 3 hour trip home, took her over to see a friend and he handled her, got her home, tank set up, handled her again to put back in the tank, and she was fine. no regurg problems.

Good luck!

this is my 29 gallon.

this is what i have setup for my two baby bairds
[img]http://students.uwf.edu/crt4/snakes/trailerpark.jpg[/img[
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The reason mainstream thought is thought of as a stream is because it's so shallow. -Unknown

Battling ignorance one stupid person at a time.

Current snakes:
1) Female Licorice Stick Black Ratsnake - Lola
2) Neonate Black Ratsnake (Het for Lic Stk's) - Frankie
3 & 4) 2 Bairds Ratsnakes - Rosie and Jose

I use reptile carpet with my ball python, but would never use it for my colubrids as they defecate more often and cleaning would be a lot more work - not too bad I guess if you only have 1 or 2 snakes. Many people feed outside enclosures with no problem. I know a lot of people actually feed on aspen with no problems. You can also use Bed-a-Beast: looks natural, easy to spot clean, pleasant smell and you can feed on it. Just a pain to prepare, but worth it to me.
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Check Out My Albums

1.0 Ball Python "Aragorn"
1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa "Gimli"
1.0 Saharan Sand Boa "Frodo"
0.1 Rough-Scale Sand Boa "Arwen"
0.1 California Kingsnake "Gentoo"
1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Indigo"
1.0 Snow Corn snake "Chile"

0.0.1 Crested Gecko
0.0.1 Irian Jaya BlueTongued Skink

0.1 Australian Cattle Dog/Pointer
"Kira"

Hey!

Just wanted to give an alternative to both aspen and carpet. I use a product called Carefresh. It's made from paper pulp and has similar consistancy to aspen bedding (allowing snakes to burrow). Because it's made from paper there is little to no risk for respiratory infections. It scoops great to for easy cleaning.
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Ellen

0.1 Children's Python
0.0.1 Chondro
0.1 Jungle Carpet Python
1.0 Bearded Dragon
Approx 25 corns - numbers always changing

eh...i've heard good and bad stuff about carefresh. true that they can't get respitory infections from it, but if it's ingested it creates a block...can't be passed out. With the large mess corns and rats create I wouldn't use it for a fully grown snake, just because you have so much to clean out. This guy I know has used crushed walnut for years on all kinds of full grown snakes (over 4 feet in length) and had no problem with any of them. Just my 2 cents.
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The reason mainstream thought is thought of as a stream is because it's so shallow. -Unknown

Battling ignorance one stupid person at a time.

Current snakes:
1) Female Licorice Stick Black Rat snake - Lola
2) Neonate Black Rat snake (Het for Lic Stk's) - Frankie
3 & 4) 2 Bairds Rat snakes - Rosa and Jose