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Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research

substrate

dasara Jul 27, 2005 09:42 AM

are wood pellets (used in wood stoves) suitable as substrate material for snakes?

Replies (2)

bcijoe Jul 27, 2005 10:32 AM

My biggest concern would be the type of wood used. Boas are senstive to some woods due to their oils or smells. Pine and Cedar are supposedly very bad... I say supposedly because many have used it for years without noticeable ill effects..

Second concern would be ingestion. Not sure of its size, and the size of the snakes, and whether you feed in the cage or not.

Third would be that if the snake is small enough it will likely want to burrow under the pellets to never be seen again... feeding time would be fun (for him) because he would feel like he's hiding and only needs to spring out to take the prey. but if you want a display animal, this can ruin that.

Other than that, can't think of much else right now...

take care, Joe
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Thanks and take care - Joe Rollo
'Tis not the stongest of the species that will eventually survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change' Charles Darwin

ajfreptiles Jul 27, 2005 11:27 AM

I had wondered the same thing a while back...my friend used the pet shop stuff that looks like rabbit food, he hated it, so I thought those wood pellets would be the same. I like newspaper (very cheap) and bounty paper towels. I use cypress mulch, but only in contained tubs. No more worries about them getting wood chips stuck in mouth during feeding! Andy

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