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stiepejs
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
19 Posts |
 Posted - 03/04/2012 : 14:25:31
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Hello!
It's been only one day since we got Snakey Snakerson (2 year old). It's our first snake. We set up Snakey following step by step instructions we found here and everything seems to be alright. We will introduce ourselves and post photos a bit later, however, there is one question:
For bedding shop gave us some wood chips and warned not to use aspen. They said it could kill the snake. I'm now wondering is it really necessary to take out snake for feeding? We thought it makes more sense to feed it in the vivarium.
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Lili
Snake Mite
Canada
49 Posts |
Posted - 03/04/2012 : 14:34:39
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Hi,
welcome to the forum! and snake ownership.
it probably won't be long before someone far more knowledgable than me comes along to help, the forum is great for that, but do you know what kind of wood your woodchips are? some woods (mostly softwood)contain oils that can cause serious respiratory problems for small animals including snakes (if you've ever kept rats you've probably encountered the warnings) so it's important to know what exactly is in your tank/viv as some stuff marketed to small animals is not nessecerily safe for all of them.
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Mamma
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
4494 Posts |
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stiepejs
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
19 Posts |
Posted - 03/04/2012 : 14:50:56
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Unfortunately, the pack doesn't say what kind of wood chips they are. We also have a pack of aspen bedding, but as the shop keeper got very mad and said they can't guarantee anything for the snake if we won't use their stuff (I personally think it is just to keep customers coming), we placed in the viv their wooden chips. Then better to change to aspen when cleaning the viv?
Even if the snake eats on the feeding dish it could somehow swallow some of the substrate? |
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Edited by - stiepejs on 03/04/2012 14:52:19 |
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Mamma
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
4494 Posts |
Posted - 03/04/2012 : 14:57:57
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quote:
Originally posted by stiepejs
Unfortunately, the pack doesn't say what kind of wood chips they are. We also have a pack of aspen bedding, but as the shop keeper got very mad and said they can't guarantee anything for the snake if we won't use their stuff (I personally think it is just to keep customers coming), we placed in the viv their wooden chips. Then better to change to aspen when cleaning the viv?
Even if the snake eats on the feeding dish it could somehow swallow some of the substrate?
I have a couple that just wont feed unless in their rubs/viv. (I tried and tried to convert to rub feeding but they just wouldnt) Sometimes they drag the feed off the paper towel I put down for the feed and a wee bit of aspen will get stuck on from time to time. There are plenty here that do viv feed.
Alot of the time it is cos the pet shops want you yo come back to them to buy your stuff, yes. But you can get aspen online cheap at surrey pet supplies. (I get 2 large bails a month, it does all snakes and lizards for a full viv clean once a month and plenty left over for replacing when spot cleaning.)
http://www.surreypetsupplies.co.uk/zoo-med-aspen-snake-bedding-26.4l-sb-24.html |
Please feel free to add my photography page on facebook .... or check me out on deviantart  :
https://www.facebook.com/groups/MaliskaRodgersPhotography/
http://maliskarodgers.deviantart.com/ |
Edited by - Mamma on 03/04/2012 14:58:32 |
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Spreebok
Sub Adult
United Kingdom
1135 Posts |
Posted - 03/04/2012 : 15:34:18
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Pffft, Apsen? Kill snakes? They're clearly talking about there bums! Aspen is pretty much THE substrate for Corns!
Swap it out for the woodchips, your corn will prefer it as Snakey can then dig and make little tunnels, and you'll prefer it as it's easier to spot poops on and to clean :D
As for feeding out the vivs, I prefer it, just eliminates any risks of ingestion, and it's not much of a hassle even with the 7 snakes :) |
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SexyBear77
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
3796 Posts |
Posted - 03/04/2012 : 15:38:37
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I feed all mine in their vivs with no issue. I find that if you feed the prey item bone dry (allow to defrost naturally, not in water) then very little sticks to it.
Personally I think its a whole lot of faff over nothing, moving them from one container to another to feed. If you are concerned then you can put down a dish or towel, but I don't and never have bothered. The problem with aspen is that you can find big, sharp, chunky bits in it, and whilst most snakes should have zero problem ingesting a bit of substrate here and there (think what they are designed to cope with in the wild, a captive snake has the same digestive abilities!), a small snake and a big twig can cause issues.
P.S I keep mine on a horse bedding similar to Auboise, it's just unbranded. |
9.11 Cornsnakes
1.1 Hogg island boas
1.0 Dwarf Burmese python
Location: Watford
Website- http://rassnakes.yolasite.com/ |
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lupi lou
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
3670 Posts |
Posted - 03/04/2012 : 15:54:47
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| mine is viv fed but he's also on cage carpet so i have no worries of him injesting anything. aspen is fine to use many people on this site use it, i would change the wood you have been sold if you don't know what it is to the aspen just to be safe. look forward to the pics! |
 
1.0.1 Corns
0.1.0 Dog: springer
1.0.0 Horse
0.4.0 Gerbils
2.2.0 Leopard gecko
0.2.0 Cave gecko |
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stiepejs
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
19 Posts |
Posted - 03/04/2012 : 16:11:27
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| Thanks for all the answers and advices! Next feeding is tomorrow, will see how it goes. |
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Mamma
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
4494 Posts |
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Dancross0
Sub Adult
United Kingdom
1315 Posts |
Posted - 03/04/2012 : 17:07:34
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| I use beech chips, which is the standard wood chip used and feed in the viv. Although I do tend to feed the snakes on a big lumps of slate.... |
Aguna CB11 Anery - Typhon CB12 Amber - Plissken CB08 Carolina - Iara CB11 Caramel
Indra CB12 Lavender (?) - Evren CB12 Carolina (?) - Ophis CB11 Hypo Lavender - Sirae CB11 Ghost Motley
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sue2012
Hatchling
United Kingdom
391 Posts |
Posted - 03/04/2012 : 18:43:18
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| i feed out the viv just cos i get a good half hour of play time befor i feed them all i use beach wood chips and twice using aspin i have had outbrakes of mites my snakes love the very fine beacj chips as they can berry them self in that as much as they can aspen |
1.0 Caroliner - Ozzy
1.0 caramel
Bloodred - Damon
0.1 sulfor - Stella
0.1 moonstone - letti
1.0 lavender - tazz
0.1 amber opal - salt
0.2 cats buffy & narla |
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Spreebok
Sub Adult
United Kingdom
1135 Posts |
Posted - 03/04/2012 : 22:13:32
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quote:
Personally I think its a whole lot of faff over nothing, moving them from one container to another to feed.
>Implying I feed in tubs
I just chuck the buggers on the carpet xD |
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Sta~ple
qeeun speler
United Kingdom
6129 Posts |
Posted - 04/04/2012 : 09:50:31
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None of my snakes have died on aspen, wonder if he meant if feeding whilst in viv with aspen kills by impactation? But that can happen with any loose substrate weather it be aspen, wooden chips, sand, paper...
I feed in another tub rather than viv, I have tried feeding in viv and put newspaper down but they rolled it off and pushed it under the paper into the substrate. Tried again by covering the entire viv with newspaper on the floor, taking everything out, still managed to get rolled in aspen. Snakes also don't like their head being grabbed so I can pick out aspen from their gobs!
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A very special super, duper thanks for K :3 |
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paulie78
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
2331 Posts |
Posted - 04/04/2012 : 10:05:36
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| what a load of nonsense aspen being bad for corns ugh some shops really do take the p! Artemis is a viv only feeder i clear a space under the hide for her and place the mouse there but she will drag it down the other end of the viv to eat i cant win lol |
6.8.0 Corn Snakes http://buzzsprehistoricpets.yolasite.com/
1.1.0 Royal
0.2.0 Chinchillas
1.1.0 Cats
1.1.0 Birds
0.0.2 Fishtanks
0.0.1 Cali Kingsnake
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SexyBear77
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
3796 Posts |
Posted - 04/04/2012 : 11:35:35
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quote:
Originally posted by Spreebok
quote:
Personally I think its a whole lot of faff over nothing, moving them from one container to another to feed.
>Implying I feed in tubs
I just chuck the buggers on the carpet xD
Ha ha, I'd be too worried about them disappearing under the sofa!  |
9.11 Cornsnakes
1.1 Hogg island boas
1.0 Dwarf Burmese python
Location: Watford
Website- http://rassnakes.yolasite.com/ |
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teabicky
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
23 Posts |
Posted - 04/04/2012 : 12:29:17
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| I would take the advice from the greatest number of sources, which you should find is aspen. We feed our's out of the viv, in a separate rub and have no trouble, some times it can take a while and others it is quick. This also gives me a good opportunity to clean the viv out, when necessary. |
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adamczuk
Egg
United Kingdom
68 Posts |
Posted - 05/04/2012 : 21:43:42
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| I've got a question, if feeding your snake outside its vivarium (in a seperate box) and you're not supposed to handle it after its eaten for a while, how do you transfer it back into its vivarium safely? |
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Donnie
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
3215 Posts |
Posted - 05/04/2012 : 21:54:39
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quote:
Originally posted by adamczuk
I've got a question, if feeding your snake outside its vivarium (in a seperate box) and you're not supposed to handle it after its eaten for a while, how do you transfer it back into its vivarium safely?
I put my feeding box inside my faun and let snakey slither out of the box into her hide. As I will be getting a bigger feeding RUB soon and won't be able to do this I think what you are meant to do is wait for 30 mins ish so they are out of feeding mode and then gently pick up but not holding the area where the mouse is and put back into viv. |
1.1 Corns (Anery Stripe, Amel) 1.0 Rootbeer 0.2 Jungle Carpet Python 1.0 Zebra Jungle Carpet Python 1.0 50% Diamond Zebra Carpet Python |
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Spreebok
Sub Adult
United Kingdom
1135 Posts |
Posted - 06/04/2012 : 00:12:57
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quote:
Originally posted by SexyBear77
Ha ha, I'd be too worried about them disappearing under the sofa!
Naaah, they're too interested in their dinner my lot! Not to mention a few of them are completely bone idle. You can chuck Lister on the floor and she'll go to sleep xD |
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teabicky
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
23 Posts |
Posted - 20/04/2012 : 19:43:50
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I think that it is o.k. to handle them enough to put them back into the Viv. The trick is tom keep it to a minimum, I've never had any trouble with mine.
quote:
Originally posted by adamczuk
I've got a question, if feeding your snake outside its vivarium (in a seperate box) and you're not supposed to handle it after its eaten for a while, how do you transfer it back into its vivarium safely?
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Topic |
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advice for first time snake keepers
