Aspen Bedding

[P. Novak]

Is this bedding fine for Snakes. I've never really used Aspen bedding, but newspaper for my larger snakes were beginning to annoy me.

Here's the brand name Premier Pet Scent-free Aspen Bedding. I'm using the 4.0 Cubic Feet bag.

Here's the exact bag...
http://www.petsmart.com/graphics/product_images/pPETS-3763383t400.jpg

 

[davidbarber1]

Paul, Iv'e seen it used quite often. Cleaning feces can be a pain but I new one Petshop owner who used a vacuum. He had to wait for the feces to dry before vacuuming and that can cause disease spread. For me, I'll stick with newpaper.

David

 

[P. Novak]

Thanks dave. I'm just trying to get experiences from this type of Aspen Bedding. Making sure there is nothing harmful in. Anyone reccomend any other types?

Also, I use Cypress mulch for my smaller snakes 6ft and smaller, and just spot clean the cage as needed. removing anything around the soiled area. Has worked great. I'm sure I can do the same with Aspen.

 

[Mushroom Spore]

Here's the exact bag...
http://www.petsmart.com/graphics/product_images/pPETS-3763383t400.jpg

Aspen bedding is wonderful for snakes, but if you're using that exact bag you've got pine. Pine and cedar are toxic. But yeah if you've got that brand and it's aspen, you're golden.

I don't know what the heck the pet store owner in the above post was thinking, aspen is the easiest cleanup I've ever dealt with. I just take a kitty litter scooper and scoop out a chunk of the bedding including/around the feces. Done! Then I just change the substrate out completely when it starts to smell off.

 

[P. Novak]

Aspen bedding is wonderful for snakes, but if you're using that exact bag you've got pine. Pine and cedar are toxic. But yeah if you've got that brand and it's aspen, you're golden.

I don't know what the heck the pet store owner in the above post was thinking, aspen is the easiest cleanup I've ever dealt with. I just take a kitty litter scooper and scoop out a chunk of the bedding including/around the feces. Done! Then I just change the substrate out completely when it starts to smell off.

Ooopps I thought I posted the Aspen bedding picture. Mine says Aspen Bedding on it in green, not pine bedding.

Also, if it were to be pine, what would be some symptoms from it?

Thanks,
Paul

 

[Mushroom Spore]

Also, if it were to be pine, what would be some symptoms from it?

I believe the problems are mostly respiratory, although breathing in the toxins long enough can do nasty things to all creatures including humans. Google has lots of results for "pine toxicity" and "cedar toxicity" - if I were on my usual computer I could dig up some good bookmarks I have already.

I do like this one:

http://www.ratfanclub.org/litters.html

When animals are exposed to softwood shavings the aromatic hydrocarbons are absorbed through the respiratory tract and enter the blood.

The acids given off by pine and cedar shavings are very damaging to the respiratory tract. These acids can actually destroy cells that line the lungs and trachea...Pine and cedar toxins also affect humans and other animals. People who work in cedar and pine sawmills have a much higher incidence of asthma compared to workers in other dusty environments or those without any dust exposure (3, 4). Another study found that chickens kept on softwood shavings had a higher incidence of respiratory infections (5)...Pine and cedar toxins affect more than the respiratory tract. Several studies (6,7,8,9) have shown that rodents kept on softwood beddings have elevated levels of liver enzymes. The liver is the body's detoxification system, and elevated liver enzymes indicate that the body is working harder to eliminate toxins. In mice these enzymes started rising after only 24 hours exposure to cedar shavings and only returned to normal when the mice were away from the shavings for 12 days.

Lots more on that page, too.

 

[blackcadillac70]

i use indoor/outdoor carpet it not real cheap but it last for years you can take a paint scraper and get the poop up.if it not a real big section you can pull it out wet it down and you some dish soap and a good brush and srub it good be just like new.thats the way i do for my rattlesnake.

 

[andy375hh]

cypress mulch is also good that is what I use just make sure you bake first to kill off any bugs.

 

[davidbarber1]

Paul, sorry I missed the toxicity in pine and cedar shavings. I knew about it. Mushroom is correct about that. I guess that's why this is a board and other members catch what we miss. Anyways, if you put in enough Aspen bedding, snakes go crazy digging in it. Even the big ones. But you already know that

David

 

[skippy]

a good wet/dry shop vac is really good for that kind of cleanup and you can keep it in the garage or a big covered tub to keep any lingering smells down

 

[El Viejo]

Go with the aspen. I have used it for years. It is very easy to keep their enclosure clean, and you don't have to worry about any toxicity problems.

 

[LeilaNami]

The small animal aspen is a little bit bigger chunks than the reptile aspen. That's pretty much the only difference. But yeah, aspen sure is handy

 

[Shrike]

I've used aspen bedding for years without any problems. I actually find that the wood shavings are somewhat absorbent and adhere to the snake's waste, which makes spot cleaning very easy. I also prefer aspen to newspaper because my own snake (Lampropeltis triangulum andesiana) spends quite a bit of time burrowing beneath the substrate.

 

[LeilaNami]

I've used aspen bedding for years without any problems. I actually find that the wood shavings are somewhat absorbent and adhere to the snake's waste, which makes spot cleaning very easy. I also prefer aspen to newspaper because my own snake (Lampropeltis triangulum andesiana) spends quite a bit of time burrowing beneath the substrate.

It looks like I'm keeping a tank of aspen since my sand boa is never seen

 

[P. Novak]

Awesome! Switched most of my snakes to it. The only one's I haven't switched are the humidity demanding ones.

One more quick question, would Aspen be ok to use for my black throat monitor? I DO NOT feed in the cage. I am facing a similar dilema like the person posting about cypress mulch being to expensive.

Thanks again,
Paul