New, (practically) free, bedding idea!!!

[Blue Apple Herps]

So I can no longer find the finely shredded aspen anywhere. All I can find is the large chunky stuff. And I don't like just newspaper. So I got to thinking the other day about what to do and I had an epiphany!

I thought "what about using shredded paper for bedding?" Its free (I get sooooo much junk mail) and would be a good way to reuse all that paper. So I went to Staples, and picked up a paper shredder that cross-cuts (only $30 after $40 off!). And spent a few minutes shredding junk mail and old newspapers I had in the recycling bin.

And the results: so far so good! I only managed to cut up enough to do a couple of tubs. But it seems good so far. Its small enough that it will be scoopable for spot cleaning, and is also nice that the snakes can bury in it if they want. Plus its free and eco friendly!! (minus the cost of a paper shredder). Here are some pics of it and a snake on it (sorry its a bp, haven't gotten to the corn cages).

 

[VickyChaiTea]

Hey, whatever works. XD Not very pretty imo.

Also, probably gotta watch out for dyes and whats in them. Might be something in there that could hurt the snake, but I doubt it.

 

[CassieK]

I work at an office and thought about doing that but the oil that is used to greece the blades is toxic if ingested so I havent wanted to risk it.

 

[The_Thunderer]

I think it is an interesting idea. Just be careful on the shredder. Most of them aren't as "durable" as you think. I bought one for my previous job... died after 2 weeks of shredding. That was in 2004... so technology MIGHT have changed a little.

 

[Jenstar]

I personally think it looks pretty nice. I like it better than the plain non shredded news paper we use for are bps. BTW, Your bp is gorgeous. I just got a spider myself and I love her.

 

[mynamesrick]

I used this for a while with the corns i bought from Rich z.. just used the stuff they were shipped in! Worked alright but i switched back over to aspen.

 

[VinnyJ]

I had the same epiphany about 5 years ago but it was for mouse and rat bedding. It worked ok but didn't absorb the waste very well so it ended up being more work keeping the smell down. I never thought about using it for snakes though. I'd be a little cautious shredding anything but newspaper though. I know newspaper ink won't bother them but I'm not sure about all the ink that is used to print various junk mail. The other thing I'd be concerned about is getting it on their food and them eating it. I feed in the cage so that would be a problem.

 

[Blue Apple Herps]

I work at an office and thought about doing that but the oil that is used to greece the blades is toxic if ingested so I havent wanted to risk it.

Interesting to know, I'll have to look up on this.

I think it is an interesting idea. Just be careful on the shredder. Most of them aren't as "durable" as you think. I bought one for my previous job... died after 2 weeks of shredding. That was in 2004... so technology MIGHT have changed a little.

Thanks for the heads up. So far I've been trying not to over work it. It shreds up to 8 sheets, but I don't do any more than 4 at a time. The manual also warned of over working and over heating, so I shred for a few minutes and then give it a rest. Maybe this will prolong its life.

I personally think it looks pretty nice. I like it better than the plain non shredded news paper we use for are bps. BTW, Your bp is gorgeous. I just got a spider myself and I love her.

Thanks! She was one of my 1st two bps. She went on hunger strike in summer of '08 so didn't put on any weight, but we're past that now and she's getting pretty big. I'm hoping she'll go this year! Going for some bees.

I had the same epiphany about 5 years ago but it was for mouse and rat bedding. It worked ok but didn't absorb the waste very well so it ended up being more work keeping the smell down. I never thought about using it for snakes though. I'd be a little cautious shredding anything but newspaper though. I know newspaper ink won't bother them but I'm not sure about all the ink that is used to print various junk mail. The other thing I'd be concerned about is getting it on their food and them eating it. I feed in the cage so that would be a problem.

Yeah, I could see it not being good for rodents. But with the snakes I'm checking them every day so will spot clean as necessary, so odors shouldn't be a problem I think. And I also thought about the ink issue, but from what I could find, pretty much all inks aren't toxic as they've phased out the toxic stuff many many years ago.

And as for ingesting, don't think its any more of a hazard than the finely shredded aspen stuff I was using.


But I'll update in a few weeks after I've been using it longer.

 

[wade]

I have used it with success. I wouldn’t worry about the oil on the machine. When mixed in will all the paper it is going to be in very small quantities. They probably use the same oil on the machine that shreds the aspen.

If you want to get pretty you can buy colored newsprint for cheap. Then you could have one tub blue and the next one pink.

The only down side I saw was that it is messy. It is really hard to handle it without getting it all over the place.

 

[Cornsnake124]

i used it for a while, it worked good.

But, i just went back to cypress..

and why don't you like the bigger pieces? i use regular cypress mulch...

 

[Blue Apple Herps]

I have used it with success. I wouldn’t worry about the oil on the machine. When mixed in will all the paper it is going to be in very small quantities. They probably use the same oil on the machine that shreds the aspen.

If you want to get pretty you can buy colored newsprint for cheap. Then you could have one tub blue and the next one pink.

The only down side I saw was that it is messy. It is really hard to handle it without getting it all over the place.

Thanks for the insight Wade. Yeah its messy and I got it all over the floor, but so far nothing my vacuum can't handle.

i used it for a while, it worked good.

But, i just went back to cypress..

and why don't you like the bigger pieces? i use regular cypress mulch...

With the larger aspen I've found the pieces to have a lot of rough edges that worry me about nicking the snakes. And I've never really liked cypress personally.

 

[vetusvates]

I think it looks cool, Matthew, especially in your pictures....in kind of a modern/post-modern Jetson's sort of way.

 

[sweet~nichole~marie]

It's what I have been using for over a year now and have had no problems. I like it for all the reasons you listed; free, environementally sound (reuse BEFORE recycle ), easy to spot clean, dust free, fluffs up so they can burrow, etc. May not look "natural" but, oh well!