Well, first foray into snake keeping wasn't so cool

[Down]

I got my first snake about a month or so ago. Very well tempered lil snake, not darty at all, nor nippy, and very active in the tank. Was very happy to find a local breeder that had some amel stripes. Thanks in part to this site, had a fine set-up for her, with everything well researched. All was well. She started eating pretty soon, no major probs.

Well, Willow died over the weekend. I can now (from experience) say I will never use the L&M Aspen shavings bedding. When I found her, looked like she had a lump of it a little past her throat, and her mouth was crammed full of it. I know substrate questions/opinions are often talked about/hotly debated on many herps. I'm certainly not one that leans toward paper towel type solutions (I have and do keep Leos on sand) as I don't breed and have all my tanks on plain view and dig asthetics. I just thought I'd throw another "substrate story" out there.

Here's a couple pics of the dearly departed.

 

[Cindy]

So sorry to hear that, Had she just swallowed it when trying to burrow or had you fed her in the viv? is the substrate soft fluffy shavings rather than small chips of wood.... a photo of the offending substrate could be useful if it is possible. Again sorry for you loss.... don't give up mate... x

 

[CAV]

I'm certainly not one that leans toward paper towel type solutions (I have and do keep Leos on sand) as I don't breed and have all my tanks on plain view and dig asthetics.

Sorry to hear about your loss. Based on this experience, do you still feel that paper is the wrong answer for hatchling corns?

 

[Amanda E]

So sorry to hear this. I've lost a little one before and it sucked. Don't let it keep you from getting another one. They are great animals.

As far as keeping them on papertowels, well, yes, it's not the greatest, especially when they are older and can move it around quite well, but I keep 5 out of 6 of mine on papertowels. The only reason I switched to loose bedding for the one was because he's a big burrower and didn't seem happy on papertowels.

I would suggest next time to go with papertowels at least until the snake is bigger so that if it ingested some substrate it wouldn't be as hard for it to pass through the digestive system. I'm sure you do the same thing with leos, right? Keep them on papertowels until they are old enough to live on sand?

 

[Krenna]

Was it because of feeding on substrate? Or was the snake just eating the substrate? Which I can't imagine a snake just eating substrate with out cause.

Your post seems a little confusing for me.

Sorry about your loss though.

 

[Down]

I'll post a pic of the substrate later. It's the aspen that looks almost like hay or straw, not the fluffy kind.
The ingestion, from what I can tell, was from burrowing. It appeared as if she got a small piece stuck, and opened her mouth as she was moving, only to compact it further. That's pure speculation, though. I do know it wasn't from feeding, as that was done in another container.
As far as what I'll use in the future, I'm undecided. I'm considering paper towels, but I've also talked w/ a couple keepers/breeders that have had no problems w/ Repti Bark. So I'm kinda thinking about it, tose pieces are way to big to get in its mouth anyway.
As far as my Leos, I have had hatchlings on sand w/ no problems. I've changed over to tile for almost all my gecko cages though, due to it's visual appeal and ease of maintenence.

 

[Susan]

So sorry about your loss. MANY people keep their snakes on various types of substrates with no problems, and, if I cared alot about appearance, I would use either aspen or Repti Bark. However, due to the number of snakes I have, the limited amount of time I have for cleaning, and limited funds, I'm going to stick with plain old newspaper. I've lost my share of snakes over the years, but I'm glad to say, none have been due to ingestion of foreign matter/impaction.

 

[michmak]

Would this work as a safe substrate?

Hey - that's terrible! I haven't lost a snake yet (thank goodness) but know I would be very upset if I did. I was thinking as I read your post that if you like substrate that looks a little more natural than paper towel, but have valid concern with using any type of natural substrates, you might want to consider alfalfa pellets - the kind that rabbits eat. I have a leopard gecko that's blind in one eye, and she has been on pellets since I got her as a baby. If she injests the pellets while hunting her crickets (which she always does as she often misjudges where to strike) she simply digests the pellets and voids them naturally. I have my two smallest corns on pellets right now, and it doesn't seem to bother them at all - they can burrow, the pellets are easy to remove where the snakes have pooped on them, and they look natural enough.
Just a thought.

 

[Skye]

Hi Down,

I am very sorry to hear your loss. I see you live in OP KS, so do I. I can sell you a very healthy, very well cared for yearling or hatchling if you feel you would like to try again although Isorry I have no amel stripes.
With regards to the substrate, I keep all hatchlings and yearlings on paper towel because I find it easier to maintain and I only move the adults onto aspen. The L & M variety is rather sharp spiky stuff and I have now switched over to a different brand of aspen on the advice from this board. If you were feeding on aspen then impaction is indeed a likely cause of death. If you fed outside the cage then it is very unlikely that your snake would just start to eat the aspen for no reason. When some animals die they go through certain motions which can lead to them having a mouthful of the substrate due to their actions in the last few movements and this can lead to a false asumption for the cause of death.
Sorry again,
Skye