My new Dumeril Boa

[redshepherd]

That's my biggest issue with Aspen bedding - I don't want him to ingest it while eating.

Also, I've heard stories about mites and such coming in on the bedding - not sure how true that is though.

They can digest rodent teeth and bones, even bird beaks- they have no problem with some aspen bedding. I feed all my snakes on aspen and they ingest some. If you're really worried, you can put a plastic lid or something into his cage and feeding him on top of that.