Bedding

[ballpython2]

This is just a general question what type of bedding does everyone use for their ball python?

Right now my ball python is on that stuff i forgot the name of it (not drugs lol).

I know what it iis now.. eco earth...Should I change him over or something else? the eco earth is 100% dry I am sure of it so it dont cause stomach problems from being too wet. also I will be feeding my ball python inside his enclosure and i was told (Well I read it in a post) some bedding isnt good for enclosure feeding so i want to get the proper bedding.

 

[harveythefly]

personally i'd consider switching him over to aspen shavings...i usually swear by eco earth or bed-a-beast and i use it on all of by tarantulas but for snakes i find it can be problematic...it tends to get into their water and the grains are small enough that they can potentially ingest it which can lead to an impacted snake...

also if you're feeding in tank it can seriously stick to the prey item as well...

just my two cents

Harvey

 

[Mushroom Spore]

i was told (Well I read it in a post) some bedding isnt good for enclosure feeding so i want to get the proper bedding.

ANY bedding that's not one solid piece of something (paper towels, reptile carpet) is bad for enclosure feeding. Everything else, whether dirt or wood shavings, is thus bad for enclosure feeding.

Why are you set on feeding in there? It's not worth it, imo. Dead rodents, when crushed by a constricting snake, tend to expel all manner of disgusting fluids and feces, and many of them bleed from the nose a little whether they're being crushed or not. I wouldn't want the bacteria - or the smell of dead rodent - in my snake tanks.

Also paper towels and reptile carpet and the like won't let your BP burrow, and they love to burrow. I use aspen shavings and feed in cardboard shoeboxes, personally. When the shoebox gets a little too blood-/other-substances-stained/stinky for my liking, it goes in the trash.

 

[ballpython2]

ANY bedding that's not one solid piece of something (paper towels, reptile carpet) is bad for enclosure feeding. Everything else, whether dirt or wood shavings, is thus bad for enclosure feeding.

Why are you set on feeding in there? It's not worth it, imo. Dead rodents, when crushed by a constricting snake, tend to expel all manner of disgusting fluids and feces, and many of them bleed from the nose a little whether they're being crushed or not. I wouldn't want the bacteria - or the smell of dead rodent - in my snake tanks.

Also paper towels and reptile carpet and the like won't let your BP burrow, and they love to burrow. I use aspen shavings and feed in cardboard shoeboxes, personally. When the shoebox gets a little too blood-/other-substances-stained/stinky for my liking, it goes in the trash.

Ok so what i will do is feed in a different tank and I'll use aspen as a substrate.

 

[sassysmama]

Another awesome option for feeding outside the tank is to use those plastic rubbermaid containers. The kind I use have locking lids, meaning that even if you forget about the snake for a few minutes, it won't escape. They are clear, but I just drape a towel over mine. You can drill holes in the top for ventilation, but the ones I use are not air tight, so if you are only using them for a few minutes, it is not a necessity. They are also great when you need to clean the tank and have to have an escape proof place to put the snake. Plus the fact that they are cheap and you can just clean them with a diluted bleach solution when they get dirty. I couldn't live without mine.
-Ally

 

[ballpython2]

Another awesome option for feeding outside the tank is to use those plastic rubbermaid containers. The kind I use have locking lids, meaning that even if you forget about the snake for a few minutes, it won't escape. They are clear, but I just drape a towel over mine. You can drill holes in the top for ventilation, but the ones I use are not air tight, so if you are only using them for a few minutes, it is not a necessity. They are also great when you need to clean the tank and have to have an escape proof place to put the snake. Plus the fact that they are cheap and you can just clean them with a diluted bleach solution when they get dirty. I couldn't live without mine.
-Ally

thanks for the tips but as a snake owner one of the #1 rules are NEVER leave a snake and live food unattendant..So if you do that you may want to stop or you may come back to a snake half eaten

 

[sassysmama]

Notice that is why I did not say "use live prey." I never use live prey, always fresh killed. So no, there is no chance that I will ever come back to a "half-eaten snake". And if you won't leave the snake alone in a dark place, many will not eat. Sorry for not specifying, but yeah, don't feed that way if you use live prey. Better yet, don't use live prey. Unless it's a pinky because there is very little chance of a blind, naked, non-mobile rodent, suddenly "eating half your snake."

Edited to add: Not feeding in the cage is also pretty high on the rules of owning a snake.

 

[ballpython2]

Notice that is why I did not say "use live prey." I never use live prey, always fresh killed. So no, there is no chance that I will ever come back to a "half-eaten snake". And if you won't leave the snake alone in a dark place, many will not eat. Sorry for not specifying, but yeah, don't feed that way if you use live prey. Better yet, don't use live prey. Unless it's a pinky because there is very little chance of a blind, naked, non-mobile rodent, suddenly "eating half your snake."

Edited to add: Not feeding in the cage is also pretty high on the rules of owning a snake.

More often than not the reason ball python owners come back to a half eating snake is because they are bad at telling when a snake is hungry and/or if the snake is sick or his husbandry is all wrong.

When it comes to ball pythons everything has to be done correctly (even if we all do it different ways) or even if one thing is off the snake will go on strike until he is completely satisfied with the husbandry.

So a snake that has the proper husbandry done within its enclosure will always eat the food put in front of it regardless of its a live prey or dead prey.

However people do need to realize what their snake prefers to eat, if your snake will only eat pre killed and you bring it a live mouse you clearly are askin for problems

if it only eats live and you bring dead prey anyway you are going to have a hunger strike unless you manually make the prey move and hope your snake falls for the "false" live prey.

Also, if people are going to feed live prey they have to make sure they get the proper size prey. a Snake that gets prey twice its size will be able to tell from the scent of the prey that he wont be able to take it down so he ignores it.

If he doesnt ignore it and tries to take it down but he cant take it down, he's going to try maybe one or two more times if it doesnt work then, he going to go into his hide and ignore the rodent.

IF he goes into his hide and ignores the rodent and the rodent gets hungry the snake is rodent food.

Thats why I make sure my ballpython is hungry (by only feeding him enough to fill him up half way so two weeks later he'll be hungry again) or just feed him every two weeks in general or just skip a week of feeding.

Snakes can go a long time without eating so when you feed a snake his full one week as long as he as enough water three weeks without food (by your choice, because if its by his choice he'll probably go longer with out food and may die dependin on your situation) will not hurt him at all.

 

[ChondroGirl]

I either use aspen shavings or Carefresh Pet Bedding, that is recycled paper. I also feed my ball pythons F/T rats in a separate plastic container. (The only snakes that I feed in their cages are the green tree pythons and emerald tree boas, and they have a completely different set-up.)

I like both aspen and the recycled paper, but the paper is less dusty. It also clumps together with any excrement, so is easy to remove for quick tidying.

 

[reverendsterlin]

I used newspaper mostly (large collection). Indoor/outdoor carpet was convenient as well, I kept 4 pieces for each size enclosure and used a laundry-mat too wash them (hot water and bleach, not soap).
Rev

 

[arachnocat]

Has anyone ever used some stuff called "Desert Snow" made by T-rex? I thought about using it for my sand boa instead of aspen. Not sure if there are any added benifits other than it may have less dust and look a little nicer (IMO - not that aspen really looks bad).

Also, I've read that it's not good to keep sand boas in sand, but they have some kind of "edible" calcium sand that's supposed to be ok for snakes. Any ideas on this?

I don't plan to feed my snake in the tank, just looking at some aspen alternatives.

 

[kupo969]

The chances of sand getting in between a sand boa's scales are low. But, there is no sand that is "good" for digesting, that goes for reptiles and herps. If anything the calcium in the sand will provoke them to eat it more.

 

[Mushroom Spore]

they have some kind of "edible" calcium sand that's supposed to be ok for snakes. Any ideas on this?

Any sand product that makes that claim is lying. I've seen vets on this very forum say they've done autopsies on reptiles and found them with their guts packed with so-called "safe" sand. No sand is edible - the fact that it has calcium in it just further temps some pets to eat something they shouldn't.

Some people can use that stuff and not lose any pets. Some people use it and lose all of them. I personally don't think it will ever be worth the slightest risk when there are plenty of cheap alternatives available.

 

[reverendsterlin]

I just remembered, I also started using a garden product that looked like landscaping bark but was made from recycled paper. Guess I got it at Home Depot or Lowe's, Looked pretty good and worked well, I used it for the snakes I kept on display in the livingroom.
Rev

 

[ballpython2]

I just remembered, I also started using a garden product that looked like landscaping bark but was made from recycled paper. Guess I got it at Home Depot or Lowe's, Looked pretty good and worked well, I used it for the snakes I kept on display in the livingroom.
Rev

why are you using words like "kept" and "used" as if to say your snakes died or something?....you dont hav e them any more?