Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi all... I usually use aspen for my snakes but thought I'd try some crushed walnut substrate for a while because it looks better. It anyone familiar with this stuff? Is it digestable?

Thanks in advance,
MissHisssss

It is supposedly digestible and it better be because it almost definitely will be. I think it's a great substrate except I put bark on top because the walnut sticks to wet or just slobbered on rodents.
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International Snakes Meetup

Way back when I got my first three cal kings, I had all three on crushed walnut. I fed in little plastic critter keepers in the snake cage... and my beautiful high-white grabbed his meal and dragged it out through the walnut shell stuff. I thought to myself "This is digestible, no worries". A few minutes after he eat I look over at the snake cage and he's writhing like mad. I get up and just as I get close enough to see he regurgitates the mouse and starts slithering all around the cage with his mouth open, shoveling up the substrate, and sending him into a frenzy. He started whipping his head about and blood splattered on the sides of the cage. I quickly undid the top and pulled him out. The moment he was off the substrate he calmed down. I cleaned his mouth out as best I could and had my husband replace the cage substrate with paper towels. Poor guy was very traumatized. luckily he recuperated, never regurgitated any other time. I stopped using the very pretty but seemingly dangerous substrate at that time. Now that snake is a papa.
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~Sasheena

Kingsnakes
2.4 plus 5.1.2 hatchling Cal Kings
1.1 Blotched Kings
0.1 AZ Mountain Kings
1.2 Cornsnakes
0.1 Tiger Rat Snake
0.1 Jungle Carpet Python
1.0 Rosy Boa
0.0.7 Sonora Semiannulata

not only that scary story, but...

crushed walnut will grow mold in a heartbeat.

so... not so much on the crushed walnut.

it may look good, but it's not good for snakes. and it's more expensive...

i would *not* do it.

bc

This is not Desert Blend... it's called Kaytee All Natural Walnut litter for birds. The Repitle shop I got it from uses it so I figured it was ok... but now that I've read the package... I will go back to aspen. It advises against the birds ingesting it, so I figure my snakes will be harmed if they swallow it too.

Thanks for all your advice.

MissHisssss