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  • 01-24-2019, 02:30 PM
    Anns
    Can I use a blanket as temporary substrate?
    I feel like that's a dumb question, but I have no idea if that's okay or not.
    I use fleece for my rats.
    Right now my ball python has a baby blanket as his bedding for now because I have ran out of substrate.
    I can't buy any until tomorrow!!!! :(
    If not a baby blanket can I use a towel?
    Any help is appreciated thank you!
  • 01-24-2019, 02:44 PM
    Cheesenugget
    I don't see why not. Plenty of keepers use only paper towels. Others elect for reptile carpet.
  • 01-24-2019, 03:01 PM
    ladywhipple02
    Re: Can I use a blanket as temporary substrate?
    As a short-term temporary solution, it's fine. But not for the long-term... blankets, towels, reptile carpet, and any other kinda of fabric aren't great long term solutions because they need cleaned too often to make them worthwhile - otherwise they can hold bacteria and moisture. Paper towels are a quick and easy solution. That's all I use for any of my reptiles (except for the bearded dragon who has tile).
  • 01-24-2019, 03:38 PM
    KevinK
    Re: Can I use a blanket as temporary substrate?
    Someone here (think it was CALM pythons) turned me on to indented Kraft paper and I haven't looked back since.

    https://www.amazon.com/Aviditi-IKP18.../dp/B000ZJQOTC
  • 01-24-2019, 03:54 PM
    Ditto
    Re: Can I use a blanket as temporary substrate?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by KevinK View Post
    Someone here (think it was CALM pythons) turned me on to indented Kraft paper and I haven't looked back since.

    https://www.amazon.com/Aviditi-IKP18.../dp/B000ZJQOTC

    Is there any benefit to using that over paper towels?
  • 01-24-2019, 04:08 PM
    MR Snakes
    Blanket is fine as long as it's not electric. He'll want hot cocoa then.
  • 01-24-2019, 04:12 PM
    Jellybeans
    Re: Can I use a blanket as temporary substrate?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by MR Snakes View Post
    Blanket is fine as long as it's not electric. He'll want hot cocoa then.

    Lol...you even more of a smart a** than me [emoji3]

    Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk
  • 01-24-2019, 04:24 PM
    MR Snakes
    Re: Can I use a blanket as temporary substrate?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Jellybeans View Post
    Lol...you even more of a smart a** than me [emoji3]

    Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

    Oh I'm more of something than you alright!
  • 01-24-2019, 05:23 PM
    Bogertophis
    Re: Can I use a blanket as temporary substrate?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Ditto View Post
    Is there any benefit to using that over paper towels?

    The indented kraft-paper (or similar products from U-line- corrugated packing wrap) are stiffer (paper towels get shoved aside by heavy-bodied snakes) while still being
    absorbent & offering some traction (much better than smooth paper like newspaper). They come on large rolls that can be cut to fit the cage in one layer, unlike paper
    towels. I've used these products in the past & found pro's & con's: it really depends what you're keeping, if the cost & pro's will benefit you. None of my current snakes
    shove their substrate around so I use a layer of paper towels with about an inch of mixed Carefresh & clean paper shreds. None of these options are going to add to the
    cage humidity either, so keep that in mind.

    As far as the original question, I don't see why a blanket or towel cannot be used for substrate, EXCEPT that you NEVER want to feed a snake on them: it's way too easy
    for them to catch their teeth on terry loops or most any fabrics, & then you're dealing with emergency surgery & their possible death if they ingest it. Blankets or towels
    can be washed, disinfected & reused, to their credit. ("greener" option)

    One more option you might not have thought of is the use of indoor/outdoor carpet, if you don't want to keep spending money on throw-away substrates & IF you don't
    mind having to wash them. It comes in various colors, & some varying textures, it's all polyester so it's extremely durable (even bleachable with no color loss) & with
    no backing (do NOT use regular home carpet) you can shake the rinse water out & use it damp (to add humidity until it dries) if you want. Large home improvement
    stores sell it in rolls 12' or 6' wide....it's thick (great traction) & when I had a BCI, she did great with it. (snakes can still catch their teeth on it so always feed on some
    sort of "plate", but it's stiffer so very unlikely to swallow the stuff) You can cut extras to fit cage for quick change, & leftover pieces can be rolled into snake-tunnels...;)
    Example- https://www.homedepot.com/p/TrafficM...144H/203240740
    Cuts easily with good fabric sheers. Big advantage: UTH heat rises EASILY thru it. Just saying...
  • 01-24-2019, 05:25 PM
    MR Snakes
    Re: Can I use a blanket as temporary substrate?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Bogertophis View Post
    The indented kraft-paper (or similar products from U-line- corrugated packing wrap) are stiffer (paper towels get shoved aside by heavy-bodied snakes) while still being
    absorbent & offering some traction (much better than smooth paper like newspaper). They come on large rolls that can be cut to fit the cage in one layer, unlike paper
    towels. I've used these products in the past & found pro's & con's: it really depends what you're keeping, if the cost & pro's will benefit you. None of my current snakes
    shove their substrate around so I use a layer of paper towels with about an inch of mixed Carefresh & clean paper shreds. None of these options are going to add to the
    cage humidity either, so keep that in mind.

    As far as the original question, I don't see why a blanket or towel cannot be used for substrate, EXCEPT that you NEVER want to feed a snake on them: it's way too easy
    for them to catch their teeth on terry loops or most any fabrics, & then you're dealing with emergency surgery & their possible death if they ingest it. Blankets or towels
    can be washed, disinfected & reused, to their credit. ("greener" option)

    One more option you might not have thought of is the use of indoor/outdoor carpet, if you don't want to keep spending money on throw-away substrates & IF you don't
    mind having to wash them. It comes in various colors, & some varying textures, it's all polyester so it's extremely durable (even bleachable with no color loss) & with
    no backing (do NOT use regular home carpet) you can shake the rinse water out & use it damp (to add humidity until it dries) if you want. Large home improvement
    stores sell it in rolls 12' or 6' wide....it's thick (great traction) & when I had a BCI, she did great with it. (snakes can still catch their teeth on it so always feed on some
    sort of "plate", but it's stiffer so very unlikely to swallow the stuff) You can cut extras to fit cage for quick change, & leftover pieces can be rolled into snake-tunnels...;)
    Example- https://www.homedepot.com/p/TrafficM...144H/203240740
    Cuts easily with good fabric sheers.

    How can you write so much?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  • 01-24-2019, 05:28 PM
    Bogertophis
    Re: Can I use a blanket as temporary substrate?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by MR Snakes View Post
    How can you write so much? ...

    I try to be helpful, rather than be a smart ***. ;)
  • 01-24-2019, 05:29 PM
    Jellybeans
    Re: Can I use a blanket as temporary substrate?
    We have all been both

    Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk
  • 01-24-2019, 05:30 PM
    MR Snakes
    Re: Can I use a blanket as temporary substrate?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Bogertophis View Post
    I try to be helpful, rather than be a smart ***. ;)

    Glad I’m on your side of the fence on this one.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  • 01-24-2019, 07:13 PM
    Bogertophis
    Re: Can I use a blanket as temporary substrate?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Jellybeans View Post
    We have all been both...

    Not saying I can't multi-task, but for a serious question, I'd rather try to share my experience.
  • 01-24-2019, 10:20 PM
    Dianne
    Re: Can I use a blanket as temporary substrate?
    I use bath towels and cotton sheets, drapes, or table cloths in all of my enclosures except quarantine tubs where I use paper towels. I’ve done this for almost 20 years. You don’t want anything with a loose weave. The bath towels can’t be the super fluffy type with a lot of large loops, you want the smoother style. I also feed on mine and have only ever had one problem where one of my boas decided that the sheet might just be another rat. She did not catch the sheet with the rat, but after eating decided to then try to eat the sheet. Had fun trying to get that out of her mouth. :weirdface She is the only one to ever try this, and only the one time. I’ve not had any issue with them catching the sheet or towel when striking.

    Clean up is easy. I use a plastic putty knife to get any stuck urates or solids off of the material, then the sheet goes into the wash in hot water with detergent and a product called Odor Ban that is a disinfectant and deodorizer. Heavily soiled sheets get a double wash, and bleach if necessary. The benefit is it is reusable, easy to clean, and often pretty inexpensive at yard sales or thrift stores. I usually get several years of use out of each item, so the $2-$5 dollars per item is very cost effective. I also like to do a complete cage wipedown when changing out soiled linens, which really cuts down on any residual odors in the snake room.
  • 01-24-2019, 11:05 PM
    pretends2bnormal
    Re: Can I use a blanket as temporary substrate?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Dianne View Post
    I use bath towels and cotton sheets, drapes, or table cloths in all of my enclosures except quarantine tubs where I use paper towels. I’ve done this for almost 20 years. You don’t want anything with a loose weave. The bath towels can’t be the super fluffy type with a lot of large loops, you want the smoother style. I also feed on mine and have only ever had one problem where one of my boas decided that the sheet might just be another rat. She did not catch the sheet with the rat, but after eating decided to then try to eat the sheet. Had fun trying to get that out of her mouth. :weirdface She is the only one to ever try this, and only the one time. I’ve not had any issue with them catching the sheet or towel when striking.

    Clean up is easy. I use a plastic putty knife to get any stuck urates or solids off of the material, then the sheet goes into the wash in hot water with detergent and a product called Odor Ban that is a disinfectant and deodorizer. Heavily soiled sheets get a double wash, and bleach if necessary. The benefit is it is reusable, easy to clean, and often pretty inexpensive at yard sales or thrift stores. I usually get several years of use out of each item, so the $2-$5 dollars per item is very cost effective. I also like to do a complete cage wipedown when changing out soiled linens, which really cuts down on any residual odors in the snake room.

    Could we see some pictures of the blanket/towel substrate in use?
    This sounds really interesting and I'm considering trying that when its warmer and humidity is less of a struggle, but I can't quite picture how that would look. Do you spread it out flat like a paper substrate and weight the edges with hides/decor or is it less flat?

    Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
  • 01-24-2019, 11:20 PM
    Dianne
    Re: Can I use a blanket as temporary substrate?
    The first photo is one of the 8' cages, so a white sheet is folded and flattened out as the substrate. The wrinkles are from Eli cruising. The blue towel is from my corn snake's cage, he is in there but likes to hide in the folds and occasionally underneath.

    The last two are of Button's cage and a linen drape. He likes to cruise through the folds and peek out, so extra layers can act as additional hides. You can see him on the right waiting for the mouse god. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...bb12da70e4.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...dd4f0c500d.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...4a60440b21.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...6796595947.jpg

    Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk
  • 01-24-2019, 11:23 PM
    MR Snakes
    Re: Can I use a blanket as temporary substrate?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Dianne View Post
    The first photo is one of the 8' cages, so a white sheet is folded and flattened out as the substrate. The wrinkles are from Eli cruising. The blue towel is from my corn snake's cage, he is in there but likes to hide in the folds and occasionally underneath.

    The last two are of Button's cage and a linen drape. He likes to cruise through the folds and peek out, so extra layers can act as additional hides. You can see him on the right waiting for the mouse god. https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...bb12da70e4.jpghttps://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...dd4f0c500d.jpghttps://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...4a60440b21.jpghttps://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...6796595947.jpg

    Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk


    Is that typical of their natural surroundings in Africa?
  • 01-24-2019, 11:31 PM
    Dianne
    Re: Can I use a blanket as temporary substrate?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by MR Snakes View Post
    Is that typical of their natural surroundings in Africa?

    Nope. :D

    Years ago I frequented kingsnake.com’s boa forum and got the idea from one of the old timers. He’s also the one who tipped me off to the rubbing alcohol trick to get a snake to spit you out. I will be the first to admit it isn’t for everyone. For anyone using paper or newsprint, it’s a viable alternative that has the benefit of being reusable. You can’t use anything torn or with holes/loose weave that they can get caught in. And as I mentioned before, it lets me do a complete clean every time they soil the sheets.
  • 01-24-2019, 11:34 PM
    Bogertophis
    I really would worry about some rodent odor remaining that would inspire one of my silly snakes to try eating the fabric when I'm not looking...even later the
    next day. But otherwise, it makes good sense...I especially like the recycling of old sheets, drapes or towels. Besides buying them from yard sales & thrift
    stores, you might want to check with your local thrift store about saving the NON-salable ones for you. I used to volunteer in our Hum Soc thrift store here,
    & they were always tossing out sheets or towels etc that have a stain here or there...PLUS, the companies that used to buy old clothes/fabric goods to recycle
    have NOT been doing so for the last year or more (the "market" isn't there att) SO, it's actually COSTING the thrift store MORE, the more stuff they have to
    put into "trash". Unless your area is very different from what's here where I am, you might want to talk to them & see if they'd save you some "throwaways",
    either free or cheap?

    The other thing that our local shelter does is to sell very cheaply (a dollar each) any non-salable blankets/etc that can serve as pet blankets (like in dog houses
    & barns). That actually was MY suggestion and that keeps SO much out of landfill, and the damaged stuff sells like hotcakes, especially in colder weather for
    people's pets, but even as a drop-cloth, garage usage & so on.

    I'm sure the snakes like the texture of fabric, I just might have to experiment with your idea. My snakes eat from tongs pretty well, so I might not have any
    problem with lingering scent. But right now, I'm stocked up on Carefresh... I really did like using the indoor/outdoor carpet, except for the hand-washing.
    That's best for only a couple cages at most...a room-full would get old. But something you can machine wash, hmm?

    Speaking of recycling- I've cut up some fancy damask roman shades* & lined my china hutch using staple gun. It's a softer landing for good dishes & glass
    ware, & looks so nice. *They were bought super cheaply as new but they were store-returns (JC Penney) that were re-sold locally. You could have some
    really plush snake-estates using damask if you have a local source for such shades...;)
  • 01-24-2019, 11:37 PM
    Bogertophis
    Re: Can I use a blanket as temporary substrate?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Dianne View Post
    ...it lets me do a complete clean every time they soil the sheets.

    So now I'm imagining you on the phone with friends or family who ask what you're doing now, & you say, "oh, just washing the snake's sheets". :rofl: I love it!
  • 01-24-2019, 11:54 PM
    Dianne
    Re: Can I use a blanket as temporary substrate?
    I haven’t had any issues with anyone else trying to eat the sheet, just Duncan that one time. I do check after feeding to see if there is any blood, which would more likely leave a scent. In those cases I keep a closer eye, but everyone always slithers into their warm hides for a post food nap. If there is blood from the mouse or rat, I change out the sheets the next day or the second day after feeding, depending on the snake and how much blood is there.

    I’ll have to check into the idea about discard sheets. Most of the places I’ve been to only sell unstained, gently used items. Suggesting they sell them discounted for pets is a great idea. I’ll have to share that as well. For what it’s worth, I didn’t jump whole hog into this either. I tried it out with a couple of cages as a trial run. When I found it to be easy to maintain and recyclable, I made the switch. The only time I really have humidity issues is in the winter, which is when most of us are tweaking setups anyway. That’s when I add humid hides.

    If you have smaller cages, drapes and tablecloths are handy. The rougher texture of these items can also be useful during shed. I’m also a quilter and crafter, so I have lots of fabric. Some of it is heavy upholstery fabric, which I’ve sewn into custom sized double layered sheets for the smaller cages. I try to stay away from slick fabrics and nylon type materials because they aren’t as absorbent.
  • 01-24-2019, 11:59 PM
    Dianne
    Re: Can I use a blanket as temporary substrate?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Bogertophis View Post
    So now I'm imagining you on the phone with friends or family who ask what you're doing now, & you say, "oh, just washing the snake's sheets". :rofl: I love it!

    I can honestly say I’ve done that and you get a small quiet spell. lol I can almost see them mouthing “washing SNAKE sheets?”

    I’ve also gotten the “oh that’s gross, they’ve pooped on them!” Since most of my friends have children, I explain it’s not really any different than when your child has an accident...or back when cloth diapers were the norm. Baby poop is much harder to dislodge, that stuff is like wet clay. :weirdface
  • 01-25-2019, 12:10 AM
    Bogertophis
    Re: Can I use a blanket as temporary substrate?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Dianne View Post
    ...I’ll have to check into the idea about discard sheets. Most of the places I’ve been to only sell unstained, gently used items. Suggesting they sell them discounted for pets is a great idea. I’ll have to share that as well....

    I used to volunteer as a sorter- sifting thru & pricing donations. I couldn't get over how many things they tossed (because of a tear or a stain). I was also
    on the board of directors for a while...when you run a pet shelter with all volunteers (except for a few paid employees in the store as clerks) you have to find
    all the savings you can. Recycling saved us on the cost of trash collection, & then made us more $ by selling cheaply things they'd have tossed out in the past.

    Used sheets are one of those things with a high "ick factor" [for human use] if they have any sort of stain. We also had interest from a local plant nursery that
    wanted to buy the sheets/drapes we couldn't sell, to wrap & transport their trees & shrubs in: buying new burlap gets so expensive for them! I've also seen the
    local Salvation Army sell "big bags of rags" (like for auto mechanics to use).

    I personally love shopping in thrift stores...I donate in the back door, & come out the front door with hopefully less than I came with. Useful stuff for good causes.
  • 01-25-2019, 01:29 AM
    Dianne
    Re: Can I use a blanket as temporary substrate?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Bogertophis View Post
    I personally love shopping in thrift stores...I donate in the back door, & come out the front door with hopefully less than I came with. Useful stuff for good causes.

    Me, too. I’ve found great household items at those stores, especially when I was first starting out and needed furniture. Even in recent years I’ve gotten some cool antique accent pieces and nice decorative kitchen shelves. I also donate to them as well as a local charity that collects clothes and household goods to give to those in need. As you mentioned, the goal is to leave with less than I brought. :D
  • 01-25-2019, 02:10 AM
    Bogertophis
    Re: Can I use a blanket as temporary substrate?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Dianne View Post
    Me, too. I’ve found great household items at those stores, especially when I was first starting out and needed furniture. Even in recent years I’ve gotten some cool antique accent pieces and nice decorative kitchen shelves. I also donate to them as well as a local charity that collects clothes and household goods to give to those in need. As you mentioned, the goal is to leave with less than I brought. :D

    It feels like "good karma" to shop there...things donated with love for a good cause. Like you, I've been surprised at the useful & nice things I've found, & low prices too.

    It has happened more than once that I finally donated something that I hated to let go of...something I liked that wasn't quite what I needed...and then shortly
    after I finally donated it, I found a "replacement" that totally fit what I needed in the first place. So strange...

    Cool antiques, and vintage things like we had around growing up are fun too. Lots of older things are better made (to last) also...especially furniture.

    We're lucky to have good thrift stores around here; there's quite a few, including one for helping women & children escape domestic violence & get back on their feet.
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