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Paper towels?

A

Asher9

New member
So first off, thank you for putting up with all of my new threads, I really appreciate it.

I decided to change my snakes bedding to paper towel because it is cleaner and cheaper. I gave him another hide becuase he can't burrow anymore, and I don't want him to be stressed. He has always burrowed a lot, and without something to burrow under he has been roaming the cage, and whenever I look at him and he notices, he stops, and doesn't move.

1) should I switch him back to a bedding he can burrow in?
2) will he get used to it
3) do you think he is stressed?
 
You could try silk/plastic plants. I had a still-skittish hatchling on paper towels with plenty of hides and she settled right down once I put a few feet of fake pothos plants in. Maybe they made her feel less exposed?

Or add a background image to the sides/back of the tank if he's in a glass aquarium.
 
Well I was hoping to stick with paper towels, but if that means he will be stressed I guess I should switch to something else. He has some fake plants in his viva but still seems stressed.
 
If you put in enough layers, he should be able to get in between the paper towels. I set up new hatchlings, out of the egg, on paper towels folded in thirds, and with a flattened toilet paper tube. They either hide in the tube or under the paper towels. I find their sheds in between the towel sheets.
 
Maybe paper toweles for the floor, and a burrowing substrate inside the hides?

I started with paper toweles, but after reading Soderberg's care sheet and book, I started thinking that burrowing was important for thermoregulation, esp. over a UTH. It may be psychologically beneficial as well. My kings took to the switch like ducks to water.

I only switched because a neighbour GAVE me an unused bag of fluffy paper CareFresh. I'm very frugal, but it looks like CareFresh, aspen, SaniChips...or something similar IS going to be permanent part of the household budget.
 
your snake burrows because you give him that option. If you remove the option to burrow he will find somewhere else to hide, provided you have enough hiding places in the cage. The snake roams about and explores because that's what corn snakes do. He stops when you walk by because that's what snakes do.

I can tell you I use Reptile carpet in my cage and my snake does not have the ability to burrow. He is happy, healthy, feeds well, sheds well, and is not stressed out. Changing things around and constantly fussing with the cage stresses the snake more than creating an environment and then let it be.

I'd be stressed too if I came home to a different house every day.

Corn snakes like a lot of clutter and places to hide. As long as you provide this, the burrowing thing won't matter. He will get used to it if you let him.
 
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