Emergency Question - Shavings & Feeding Time

I was in a big rush and didn't have time to move my snake into another tank to feed. I fed her in her original tank and she swallowed a piece of her wood shavings! Is she going to die or need surgery because I really don't have money for a vet right now!


**My BP is eating good sized Fuzzies right now and the piece of bedding was about the size of a pinkie's head. The bedding was also very moist and flexable.

No one can tell you that they are 100% certain that nothing negative could come from it but more likely than not everything will be fine. I wouldn't stress about it.

I use aspen bedding and once in a while my snakes will get a little stuck to there rodent have not had issues yet. In the wild I am sure they get dirt and leaves/wood on the prey and they do fine so nothing to worry about. :D On a second I do not move mine to feed and have never had an issue with agression when handeling. Moving to feed can cause stress and lead to a refused meal from time to time. Hope this helps

Thank you for reassuring me! I am still a little worried, but she ate another mouse after she ate the bedding. So I assume she is feeling fine since she is willing to eat. I looked everywhere online and I couldn't find a good enough answer so I figured I should ask the people on here.

I feed all my snakes in their tubs with aspen and they get a piece of aspen every once in awhile. I have never had an issue with them swallowing a piece of bedding.

Most on here feed in their cage and all have on occasion taken in some substrate. Your snake should be fine.

Why do you feed in a different tub?

Your snake can digest bone, a substance much harder than substrate. Your snake should be fine.

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to be fair, chemicals react with chemicals not necessarily density of an object, just saying

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Originally Posted by ewaldrep

to be fair, chemicals react with chemicals not necessarily density of an object, just saying

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I agree with this. Just because they can digest calcium (bones) doesn't mean they can digest wood. Even still I wouldn't worry about it because as stated above I am sure in the wild they ingest various extras stuck to their prey. Plus I don't think as many people would recommend feeding in the enclosures if substrate ingestion was an issue.

This^^^^ and, I have seen bits of aspen and other rather large bits of bedding in my snake's poop...if she is healthy, she should pass it fine.