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Need some advice

waldo

waldo

Crazy Tarantula Lady
I frequent another forum that is for lizards, they have a snake sub forum that I read through periodically and have just recently started posting in as my experience grows.
There is one member, with 20 year reptile rescue experience who has managed to convince everyone to throw out the aspen and use fake carpet instead. He has said that the aspen can get stuck in their vent when pooping and kill them. I am concerned that he may be causing some snake to stress out.
I finally feel comfortable enough in my knowledge to publicly disagree with him but wanted to double check with you guys. Has anyone ever had any problems with aspen substrate? Do any of you see a problem with him telling all snake owners from corns to BRB to be on carpet?
I didn't think much of it until one of our member lost a ghost hatchling, the snake was eating at the breeders but once he went to his new home and was placed in a carpeted tank, he stopped eating and died. I was concerned that he was stressed, of course he might have just been sick.
I'm I over reacting?
 
Thats silly, I've been using aspen for years without problem. How on earth can a piece stuck in their vent kill them? Reptile carpet isnt that great, no matter how well you clean it bacteria can still be in it, and after awhile it starts to stink.
 
Tortoises I've kept on carpet have grazed it, and then I've found it coming out undigested. So it isn't trouble free, either. (But it does go through the washing machine nicely)

Nanci
 
I doubt its ment to go through the wash though, I've heard after awhile it starts to really fray and fall apart.
 
newspaper

when i fees my snakes i put them in a curver plastick boxs on newspapers. so they dont swallow the aspen. but otherwise there is no problem. it is a not as pretty but you can put news paper al the time. its easyer to clean.
 
I could see calling into question aspen in a breeding tank. I could imagine that smaller pieces of aspen could get stuck to the everted hemipenes, and probably cause some discomfort, pain, or more serious damage. But... do snakes "evert" anything to poo?? I've never seen a snake poop, so I don't really know. :shrugs:
 
I feed my snake is a seperate container too, this fellow also says that feeding outside the cage is stupid.

He's not very happy that I publicly disagreed with him, you see he is a herpetologist with 30 years experience so of course he can't be wrong:nope:

I figure its fixin' to get pretty ugly but I think people need to know this guy is off his rocker and that there are more options to snake care then newspaper and carpet.
 
I respect the guy you are talking about and consider him to be a "good friend", so far as internet friendships go. Does that mean we never disagree? No. He has his own quirks, for sure, and can't understand why I chose to feed my corn outside his tank, in a feeding container, but we agree to disagree.

Keep in mind that he keeps mostly Burms and other massive, massive snakes, so feeding outside the cage is pretty much impossible.

I think it's good that two opinions are being shared. I think that anyone who will take ONE piece of advice without doing further research is probably going to have bigger issues than whether their corn is on paper/carpet or aspen though.
 
waldo said:
I feed my snake is a seperate container too, this fellow also says that feeding outside the cage is stupid.
Click to expand...
If he just has carpet in his tanks, I can understand feeding in the tank but it is not stupid to use a seperate container.
 
I cant imagine using carpet for big snakes, what an awful mess that would be trying to clean. Burm urine is extremely harsh, almost corrosive.
 
Hypancistrus said:
I respect the guy you are talking about and consider him to be a "good friend", so far as internet friendships go. Does that mean we never disagree? No. He has his own quirks, for sure, and can't understand why I chose to feed my corn outside his tank, in a feeding container, but we agree to disagree.

Keep in mind that he keeps mostly Burms and other massive, massive snakes, so feeding outside the cage is pretty much impossible.

I think it's good that two opinions are being shared. I think that anyone who will take ONE piece of advice without doing further research is probably going to have bigger issues than whether their corn is on paper/carpet or aspen though.
Click to expand...

I respect your opinion of this guy.
I don't think he is a bad person but I don't agree with his "my way is the best" attitude, it seems like he is using his experience to throw his opinion around and thats not right.
Thats why I asked about the aspen before I publicly disagreed with him about it.

I also understand not feeding his massive snakes outside their vivs, that would be silly and dangerous but why does he tell people with corns and balls not to do it?

As far as people taking his advice and not doing their own research, they should but not everyone does. Like I said this discussion is taking place on a lizard forum so most the people there don't know about snakes. Along come this "expert" and everyone is tickled silly thinking they can take everything he says as the gospel.

I'm really concerned about anyone giving totally one sided advice. People, especially newbies need to be aware that they have different options, this guy makes it sound like there snakes will drop dead if they are put on aspen, its silly.

it may seem as I'm picking on him but I'm not, he's not the first or the last person I've had serious disagreements with in regards to reptile care.
 
waldo said:
it may seem as I'm picking on him but I'm not, he's not the first or the last person I've had serious disagreements with in regards to reptile care.
Click to expand...

The only part that concerns me is this:
waldo said:
I figure its fixin' to get pretty ugly but I think people need to know this guy is off his rocker and that there are more options to snake care then newspaper and carpet.
Click to expand...

I just don't see a need for things to "get ugly" over something as simple as a disagreement between two obviously devoted reptile keepers over what substrate to use.

But then, I also don't think it's horrible to keep your corn on newsprint. Lots and lots of breeders do this, and the snakes burrow under the paper instead. :shrugs: To each his own, I say... though I do see your point on multiple opinions, and applaud you for offering yours. :)
 
Yeesh, I can imagine trying to clean big snake poop off it as well. I swear a Doberman breaks into my Boa's cage every time to go to the bathroom.

I had carpet once for my iguana and it frayed and the string went around his tail. I was devastated when I found out his tail was infected and he passed away 2 days later. I prefer using anything but carpet on my herps.
 
The only part that concerns me is this:

Quote:Originally Posted by waldo I figure its fixin' to get pretty ugly but I think people need to know this guy is off his rocker and that there are more options to snake care then newspaper and carpet.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I was pretty mad when I typed that. I made a passing reference to him without mentioning names and he came back pretty upset so I figure we might end up bumping heads.
 
:grin01: I noticed!! I never knew you were a member here, btw. Saw you around that board all the time and never connected the dots. :rolleyes: Silly me.
 
DaemoNox said:
I cant imagine using carpet for big snakes, what an awful mess that would be trying to clean. Burm urine is extremely harsh, almost corrosive.
Click to expand...


lol i agree theres a big diff between my boas poo and my corns :D
 
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