Melloman211
Arachnopeon
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If you are reading this and is using crushed walnut bedding for your sand boa please give me your imput
Sand Boa and Walnuts
- Thread starter Melloman211
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I wouldn't. It is rather scratchy, and I would worry about it harming their eyes. I use aspen chip and it works great.
I use aspen as well. From what I understand, granulated beddings like walnut are especially bad for burrowing snakes like sand boas.
Melloman211
Arachnopeon
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Well I also heard that they are great. I've been researching sand boa substrates and no one has ever claimed that their snake died of because of sand and crushed walnuts, it has always been secondary sources. People say "I've heard this or I've heard that." Most likely I will use aspen because its a safer bet but If you or a fried had a kenyan killed by sand or Walnut shells let me know please.
I would pm Old Hag. She's an amazing source of info about kenyans specifically. All of mine I got from her. There are always conflicting info about stuff in the pet trade. I've heard even cedar chips are great (not), newspaper is great (my iguana got an impaction from eating it), my vet does not endorse aspen because she often sees shreds stuck in the snake's jaws (but I've never heard of anyone personally having a problem). I know we've had threads like this before and I think the end consensus was no granulated beddings if I remember correctly. I think the bedding in question was sand, however.
Melloman211
Arachnopeon
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Thank You so much. How do reptiles get "impaction" is it caused by the reptiles eating the substrate or making it into an orifice? I will pm her right now. Thank you
Melloman211
Arachnopeon
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I tried finding old hag but she is no where to be found. Do you know if she is still around?
She is. Try searching OldHag. As far as impaction goes, they can ingest but other snakes can get their heat pits impacted on stuff like walnut. So either way is not good. In my case, my iguana was just dumb and ate a big wad of newspaper. A large vet bill and a couple enemas later, he fortunately passed it. Many aren't so lucky. I keep him on plastic now
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Try a potting soil/sand/coconut coir mixture.
That was the best substrate I used with my hognoses.
That was the best substrate I used with my hognoses.
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I caught my iguana eating news paper before, but luckly i was there to pull it out before he swallowed it.She is. Try searching OldHag. As far as impaction goes, they can ingest but other snakes can get their heat pits impacted on stuff like walnut. So either way is not good. In my case, my iguana was just dumb and ate a big wad of newspaper. A large vet bill and a couple enemas later, he fortunately passed it. Many aren't so lucky. I keep him on plastic now
Mine was the food section, of kale and romain lettuce ahhahah!
You need to make sure there is no green or yellow on the paper because even if it doesn't taste like greens they will eat it.
If I give him black and white paper he wouldn't touch it.
I was letting my iguana roam once and I turned around for 5 minutes to come back to him almost half swallowed my 2f scarf of yellow flowers... Pulled it out... he was fine lol. Never ending eaters imo... lol
He was 3 and a half feet at the time.
It WAS black and white and there wasn't any food smears on it :wall: Mine was 3.5 feet as well when he decided to attempt newspaper suicide.
I don't know if potting soil would hold too much humidity for these guys. Maybe if you dry it.
i also use sand. my boa seems to love it though she is a baby. but there is alot of talk about what bedding to use for sand boas.
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hahah newspaper suicide.
One another note...arent sand boas called sand boas for a reason?...so why not use sand?
Dead wrong...it can and has happened. Sand, albeit not 100% safe, is far more so than crushed walnut hulls. Personally, I would not use the walnut hulls for anything.
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Alas, Ive kept my kenyans on crushed walnut for YEARS and never once had an issue with it.... I now use aspen shavings.. not because I ever had a problem. Just its cheaper.
I think ANY substrate could cause problems if injested. Just dont feed them in the stuff and you should be ok. Maybe walnut is more "dusty". Dunno, didnt notice. I know sand is dusty.
Just use aspen, feed it in a different substrate free container and you should have it made.