Bedding?

So my cats didn't like using a certain kind of litter and I was wondering if I could use it for my BP bedding? It's shredded recycled newspaper, would that be safe?

Is it like "Yesterdays News", or literally shredded paper?

Regardless, I see no reason why not. Is it died? If so, then it may be toxic.

I would advise against paper pelleted litter if that's what you have. If your snake ever ingested a pellet, it would expand inside the snake from absorbing the moisture and potentially cause a blockage.

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Originally Posted by satomi325

I would advise against paper pelleted litter if that's what you have. If your snake ever ingested a pellet, it would expand inside the snake from absorbing the moisture and potentially cause a blockage.

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Just curious, how would it cause a blockage? Yesterdays news doesn't get that large when wet, and when it does get wet I would assume it would break down pretty quick. I mean, if a snake can breakdown bones, wouldn't it be capable of breaking down paper?

Not being a wise ass, just interested in your point of view Nikki.

Thanks in advance :)

It's NOT pellets at all, and its a brand called "Fresh 4 Life" on bag it says recycled paper ultra soft litter natural odor control. Eco friendly 100% natural renewable $ biodegradable.

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It's actually finer then the care fresh bedding.

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Originally Posted by Rickys_Reptiles

Just curious, how would it cause a blockage? Yesterdays news doesn't get that large when wet, and when it does get wet I would assume it would break down pretty quick. I mean, if a snake can breakdown bones, wouldn't it be capable of breaking down paper?

Not being a wise ass, just interested in your point of view Nikki.

Thanks in advance :)

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I'm not sure what kind of experience you've had with it, but I've use it for ferrets and rats. I'm just basing this from my own personal experience, so it could be different from someone else.

Anyway, I haven't seen this with just plain urine in the ferret litter box. But I've seen these pellets expand roughly 3-4x the size without breaking down when the rats spilled water and flooded their cage.

In regards to the snake, Kitedemon has mentioned snakes getting blockages from paper towel. And as hair/fur is indigestible, I just assume some certain things aren't either. It could be very well that a snake can digest an expanded pellet. But I'd rather not risk it personally.

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Originally Posted by satomi325

I'm not sure what kind of experience you've had with it, but I've use it for ferrets and rats. I'm just basing this from my own personal experience, so it could be different from someone else.

Anyway, I haven't seen this with just plain urine in the ferret litter box. But I've seen these pellets expand roughly 3-4x the size without breaking down when the rats spilled water and flooded their cage.

In regards to the snake, Kitedemon has mentioned snakes getting blockages from paper towel. And as hair/fur is indigestible, I just assume some certain things aren't either. It could be very well that a snake can digest an expanded pellet. But I'd rather not risk it personally.

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Wow, I had no idea! Thanks for explaining :)

Does it help I do not feed in same tank? Or should I still not use? This snake gets fed in a different container to keep his display/home clean as possible.

I'm just gonna grab some cypress mulch to use, question thought. How thick do I make the snakes bedding?

If you're feeding in a separate container, and it doesn't have any dyes in it, I think it'd be fine to use. The cypress mulch is good too; it's actually what I use, but I mix it with coco husk to help with humidity. You only need a thin layer, maybe 1/2 inch to an inch or so.

For the cypress mulch I picked some up, should I freeze it for a day just incase anything is in it to kill it off or just put it in tank?

If it came from a pet store, I definitely would, but if it was somewhere else, it's up to you. I get mine from Walmart, and have never had issues with it.

I have used that type of paper pellet substrate for snakes as well as skinks. I used it for 6 years with no problems, and so did a lot of people. Then one day it happened. One of my skinks got impacted from it. It wasn't like they weren't eating any before, and suddenly the skink ate some and got impacted. When I used it before, I regularly saw them ingest a little by accident. Then one day one of them just got impacted. A big vet bill and a lot of heartache later, she is fine. But since then I have switched everything to newspaper. And yes, the vet confirmed that it was the pellet that caused the impaction. He removed it with an endoscope with a clamp on the end and everything returned to normal.

I am not saying don't use them. Like I said I used them for 6 years and no issues until that point. Also a lot of people use it and never had problems. But you should know that impaction is a possibility with these pellets. I certainly do not recommend them nor do I use them anymore, but some people do with success.

By the way, the pellet that was removed did not expand. It was just an odd shape and it was stuck there. When I used those pellets, I would regularly find bits of stuff in them other than newspaper. There sometimes were bits of plastic and stuff like that in there compressed into the pellets. So keep that in mind.

The only substrate I know of that has killed a snake from ingestion is paper towel it is not digestible easily. I would likely avoid paper types just based on this. I would also be concerned if it has added chemicals often sodium carbonate but there have also been things like sodium borate I have no inkling how a snake would handle such things.

I have the cypress mulch in the freezer, how long should it stay in?

Also the recycled paper I have is NOT pellets. It is shredded up so it looks like the care fresh stuff just in smaller pieces.

If there is mites or anything else it is not likely a home freezer gets cold enough to do much. But the general idea is at -7ºC for two weeks that will kill many parasites and ovum some bacteria and that is about it.

I got it from the pet store I work at and I know they been sitting there so ill freeze it for 2 weeks or more?

It is pointless unless your freezer is wicked cold(19°F) I'd not worry about freezing it at all. Just use it unless the bag is open and the store infested with mites it should be fine. There is little else to be done realistically. Baking maybe . But again it is questionable.

I would not buy a bag that had a bad seal if the seal is intact it is likely not exposed to anything in the store.


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Bag was perfectly sealed, no holes or anything.

I just spray new cypress with PAM and let it dry out before adding the snake and water back in. I've never had any issues with parasites coming from the bedding, but there is definitely more risk if yours is from a petstore where there could have been transferrance from infested reptiles to the bedding storage areas.

I've never PAM'd new bedding.. I only pam for incoming reptiles. Snake mites need a host, correct? So bedding that has been sitting on a shelf in a plastic bag is unlikely to have snake mites unless the store had a MASSIVE infestation.

Me personally, I am not too concerned with treating bedding before I use it. If you notice mites, then use PAM (Provent a mite, not the cooking spray).

Luckily my store doesn't sell pets (well that does suck lol) but we just sell equipment for pets ( food/ toys/ treats/ etc) so it is never in contact near animals. Only thing that may ever touch it is a cricket if it gets loose from the feeding bin for people to buy. Spraying PAM is ok? Never knew that.

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Originally Posted by EWC88

Spraying PAM is ok? Never knew that.

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Just to be clear, this PAM is "Provent-a-Mite", which is okay as long as you follow the instructions carefully, since it is a poison.

I personally would never suggest using PAM it is a active poison with long term effects, when breaks down into a phenols. It is common knowledge that phenols have a pointed effect upon reptiles. This is why cedar bedding is not recommended due to its high phenol content. Taking very low phenol content bedding and adding phenols to it to raise the phenol content (the active toxin) seems counter intuitive to me.

It should be used as needed.

It is very toxic for cats, and other cold blooded animals (fish, amphibians, reptiles) and is classed as a likely human carcinogen and has been linked to Parkinson's disease in some studies. Everyone using it should do so following all the instructions and every precaution on the label exactly as it states, not just the easy ones. Point in fact it is illegal to use it not following the label exactly.

please be very careful using any pesticide or chemical designed to kill living things.

http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_s...1-20040505.pdf

Yea I will scratch the PAM idea out then lol. So is there anything I can do to this bedding to assure all is good? Like I said bag is sealed with no holes, where I work sells no live animals only thing that is alive is feeder crickets but aren't out in open.

It is more than likely fine sealed bags there is nothing to enter that would be an issue.


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