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Too young for Aspen?

JustineNYC

JustineNYC

New member
I have a few babies left that are still on paper towel substrate.....their approximately 10 weeks old.....They dont go into their hides, they basically crawl under the paper towel and stay there......is it alright to switch them to aspen yet or should I wait longer?
 
I've had babies on aspen from day one, so don't see any issues, as long as you don't feed on it.
 
I don't see why you can't keep them on aspen. I leave my babies on paper towel just because it's easier to feed entire clutches that way. Just open the lid, the baby takes the pinky...close the lid. Cleaning is easy...just throw away the offending paper towel and replace with a new one. The babies are all being sold, so there's no reason to set up enclosures with aspen, hides and then have to feed 20 of them in seperate boxes.
 
For some reason I thought it was a danger thing (other then feeding on) cause Ive seen it mentioned here you should use paper towel in the beginning a few times......One of them tries to burrow and there is no where for her to go so I guess Ill switch them over.


Thanks guys.
 
I think most people put babies on towel when they arrive because it's easier to monitor defication and any possible regurge until the baby is well established and you know it's habits. If you feel comfortable that this baby is healthy and normal, then by all means, give it the fun stuff to play in :) It will love the aspen to crawl around in.
 
I have a couple of hatchlings arriving at my house this Tuesday. I prefer to feed in their enclosure. Should I not use aspen? My last hatchlings I kept on that reptile carpet stuff so I didn't have this question.
 
wax32 said:
I have a couple of hatchlings arriving at my house this Tuesday. I prefer to feed in their enclosure. Should I not use aspen? My last hatchlings I kept on that reptile carpet stuff so I didn't have this question.
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If you want to feed them in their enclosure, no, do NOT use Aspen. The aspen can and probably will be swallowed with their food and cause an impaction.
 
Alright. Should I just stick with paper towels? I plan to keep them in small sterilite tubs.
 
MegF. said:
I think most people put babies on towel when they arrive because it's easier to monitor defication and any possible regurge until the baby is well established and you know it's habits. If you feel comfortable that this baby is healthy and normal, then by all means, give it the fun stuff to play in :) It will love the aspen to crawl around in.
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One in particular Ive had for a while. I know shes pooping (alot) thats basically why I had her on paper towel when I first received her.....no regurges....she has a good appetite...but now that shes settled, she seems uneasy in her viv. She is always out as oppose to everyone else who stay in their hides. I know climbing and looking for a way out is normal, but she just seemed uneasy.


I switched her to aspen last night, when I put her back in there, she burrowed and I havent seen her since. Thats basically what I wanted....her to be a little more comfortable, crawl up under something and go to sleep. I dont think sitting under the paper towel sheet did much for her feeling safe or hidden.

So now shes in the fun stuff LOL
 
Sounds good. Did you have hides for her? If not, that could be why she was always looking for a place to hide. Even my hatchlings in their deli cups have hides. Little half moons of paper towel rolls to hide in. When they get wet or dirty, I just throw them out and put in a new one.
 
wax32 said:
Alright. Should I just stick with paper towels? I plan to keep them in small sterilite tubs.
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They can ingest paper towels too. We've had a couple of people with impacted snakes due to that.
 
MegF. said:
Sounds good. Did you have hides for her? If not, that could be why she was always looking for a place to hide. Even my hatchlings in their deli cups have hides. Little half moons of paper towel rolls to hide in. When they get wet or dirty, I just throw them out and put in a new one.
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Yea, shes got 4 of them actually including a paper towel roll. From day one she never went in any of them...she was always under the paper towel. I guess she didnt feel safe even in the hide.........maybe she still felt kind of exposed cause there was no substrate to hide her.

Like now she finally went into a hide but I cant see her because she also burrowed in the aspen in there.

As far as I can see she is more comfortable this way. Shes tiny so I imagine just me walking by freaks her out LOL
 
wax32 said:
Yuck. Ok, maybe I'll just buy extra tubs to feed in!
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I would definitely do that and their pretty cheap (some people use the wonton soup containers), just poke some tiny air holes in the lid. I didnt want to advise you to feed on paper towel cause I would have suspected that can cause problems too. Anything that can get wet will probably stick to the mouse/pinky.

Ive always fed in separate tubs with nothing in there, and of course, Ive never had problems that way.


When you put the snake back, pop the lid and put the tub into their viv and let them crawl out on their own.
 
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