Maple or birch for substrate

Does any of you know if we could use maple or birch chip for Corn substrate instaid of aspen?

Why not just stick with what you know works to avoid possible problems? As for your question, I have no Idea

reptile_addict said:

Why not just stick with what you know works to avoid possible problems? As for your question, I have no Idea

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Is there something wrong with trying to learn new things r_a?

reptile_addict said:

Why not just stick with what you know works to avoid possible problems? As for your question, I have no Idea

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Thanks R_A for your constructive comment.

I wonder if Connie Hurley did get the same answer when she talked about the possibility of cuting the mice before giving them to the snakes... (or the person who had the idea first if it was not her) Or when someone start to use aspen instead of pine or cedar.

I will not use it if it could be a problem with it. That is why I ask this simple question to know if someone knew the answer. :shrugs:

Note to r_a

reptile_addict said:

Why not just stick with what you know works to avoid possible problems? As for your question, I have no Idea

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Looks like someone needs to re-read their note to self

As for the actual question... sorry, don't have any insight there.

Here's the link to a corn breeder in the UK that uses birch chips as substrate. You can email him and ask him questions about it. :wavey:

http://www.martinsreptiles.co.uk/cornsnakecare.htm

Caroline, birch and maple are both considered hardwoods. Generally they have much less aromatic oils than soft woods such as, pine, cedar, and aspen. I would say they're both fine, but would chose the birch over the maple. I kept my snakes on pine for years before aspen was readily available with no problems. The real key with wood shavings is ventilation. All the chatter about toxicity is overstated IMO. :cheers:

Thanks Jen and Mike. I will email this guy in UK.

I prefer to use aspen because we know it is safe. But the place I can buy aspen from at a good price, also make maple and birch. They will not making aspen from another 2 weeks. Since I need new substrate and I am tired of paying 7$ for a little bag, I taught I could buy them instead. Someone else suggest that because they were not conifer like pine or cedar, it would probably be ok. Will also, like you suggest Mike, take birch if I can. It seems more like aspen then maple. Will think about that and will see what the guy in UK say.

Thanks again.

P.S.: And thanks for the other too for the support.

I would have to agree with Mdorfer. Don't see any reason why they wouldn't work, and I have never heard any problems with them. But I have never tried them myself, or knew anyone who did. I didn't read the reference cited in another post, but probably will when I get a chance. If the shavings mentioned were available to me cheaper than aspen, and if I liked the "feel" of them as far as being the right size, shape, softness, and also absorbent, I would probably try them on several cages and check them out for myself.

I have always enjoyed trying new things - trial and error were all that were available back when I first started back in the "dark ages", lol! But I am usually cautious with something new and try it sparingly at first. Sometimes I find something new that is better or cheaper (or both) than what I have been using all along. And sometimes it turns out to be no good. But I would have never found out some interesting methods and supplies without cautious experimentation.

There was one thing I forgot to mention, since pine was discussed.

I too used pine for many years before I ever knew about aspen. And I didn't have any REAL problems. But over the years, many of my older adults would gap their mouths slightly, never quite closing them, although they seemed very healthy. Those animals are long gone now and I seldom see that in my older animals any more. My theory is that many years of constant exposure to pine caused some scar tissue or possibly some other respiratory irritation, causing the incomplete mouth closures. Even though general health was fine, I do blame that problem (without any real evidence) on the pine. However, as was pointed out, had I provided more ventilation, the problem might have been considerably lessened.

Just something to consider.

I use beech chips and I've very happy with the aesthetics and all.

I use aubiose, is there somebody else that uses it? I'm not sure if it's available in the U.S because it's made of cannabis plants. here is a link http://www.aubiose.co.uk/

it's made for horses but here in Belgium it's the cheapest and the best IMO.

here's a pic of it ( I know that isn't a corn, but it's about the bedding, not about the snake)

that link doesn't work verry well, here's another one

hmmm, not much better at the moment. I think there is something wrong at imageshack.

kathylove said:

I would have to agree with Mdorfer. Don't see any reason why they wouldn't work, and I have never heard any problems with them. But I have never tried them myself, or knew anyone who did. I didn't read the reference cited in another post, but probably will when I get a chance. If the shavings mentioned were available to me cheaper than aspen, and if I liked the "feel" of them as far as being the right size, shape, softness, and also absorbent, I would probably try them on several cages and check them out for myself.

I have always enjoyed trying new things - trial and error were all that were available back when I first started back in the "dark ages", lol! But I am usually cautious with something new and try it sparingly at first. Sometimes I find something new that is better or cheaper (or both) than what I have been using all along. And sometimes it turns out to be no good. But I would have never found out some interesting methods and supplies without cautious experimentation.

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Great stuff Kathy, thanks for the contribution!

Maple would probably be just fine to use. All maples are non toxic. We eat syrup made of their sap. My iguana loves maple leaves and has been snacking on them for 9 years. My chinchillas love to chew on dried maple branches, and they are very sensitive to plant oils and chemicals. It has been perfectly safe for them. Personally, I would use maple chips if they were available. It's a non-aromatic hardwood.

Thanks!

Thank you all! I will try it and see what happens. I will try to get some next week and will keep you inform.

I would tend to go with maple as well. Birch trees are really a rarity around here and I'm not familiar with them enough to know if they'd be good or not. Although I doubt that they would be.

Like was said before, I know people eat maple syrup, my goats have eaten maple saplings leaves, bark, wood and all and no ill effects. My family even puts dried maple twigs on our charcoal grill for a really nice coloration and sweet smokey flavour to our grilled meats (Try it!).

MaeglinCalaelen said:

I use aubiose, is there somebody else that uses it? I'm not sure if it's available in the U.S because it's made of cannabis plants

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In the English language that's called Hemp. There is a brand available at Petsmart that I've tried and really like.



However, its more expensive than Aspen so I don't use it anymore. If I could find a larger supplier of it for cheaper, I'd probably use it. I just don't like buying little bitty bags for $6 that doesn't have enough in it to full up 2 mouse tubs. =P

Hemp would be a great thing to use! Its easily grown, renewable, multiple things can be made from hemp, its soft, super absorbant and smells nice.

But as we know living in the US, anything that looks like marijuana is evil.
And not to mention, the US is run by the big 3: Oil, Lumber, and Idiots. Good luck getting alternatives around those.