Enough is enough

[Haydenphoto]

Are the wild BP's in Africa roaming around on shaved aspen??? Didn't think so!

There is a FAR greater risk for captive BP's to become "compacted"!!

THAT is why I feed in a separate enclosure(and luckily my snake isn't picky about it)

If people want to use shredded newspaper as substrate and feed inside the snake's enclosure I see no problem with it.

All I was stating is that THERE IS a risk if one uses aspen substrate and offers prey inside the snake's enclosure.

For the past 8 years I have never had an issue.. DO NOT REMOVE THEM FROM THE TUBS !

[Superpop]

For the past 8 years I have never had an issue.. DO NOT REMOVE THEM FROM THE TUBS !

Just because you have not had an issue means nothing(You didn't even state what kind of substrate that you use)

And if you do use Aspen substrate there is a vast variety of them as some of them are shredded and others are sharp chips and some of them are "dusty" and others are not.

I am just giving counterpoint advice to the OP because the OP didn't state what type of substrate is being used.

You can insist all you want that it's better to feed inside the snake's enclosure(my snake has NO PROBLEM eating outside of her's though) but in the end if you do feed inside the enclosure you better make sure sure you are not running the risk of compaction!(and if people use shredded newspaper that isn't a problem)

[Haydenphoto]

Just because you have not had an issue means nothing(You didn't even state what kind of substrate that you use)

And if you do use Aspen substrate there is a vast variety of them as some of them are shredded and others are sharp chips and some of them are "dusty" and others are not.

I am just giving counterpoint advice to the OP because the OP didn't state what type of substrate is being used.

You can insist all you want that it's better to feed inside the snake's enclosure(my snake has NO PROBLEM eating outside of her's though) but in the end if you do feed inside the enclosure you better make sure sure you are not running the risk of compaction!(and if people use shredded newspaper that isn't a problem)

Aspen is what i use. Like i said in a few other posts if have 50+ snakes and to think about moving 50 snakes out to feed i would be there forever... You have been lucky. But again how many snakes do you have to feed every 3 days to a week...

[Superpop]

Aspen is what i use. Like i said in a few other posts if have 50+ snakes and to think about moving 50 snakes out to feed i would be there forever... You have been lucky. But again how many snakes do you have to feed every 3 days to a week...

You're right...I only have one snake.

That does not mean snakes can't become "impacted" from aspen substrate and feeding inside their enclosures.

Yes I AM LUCKY that my snake doesn't have issues with being fed outside of her enclosure.(that is not always the case though)

I don't care if people feed inside/outside enclosure....

I just want newbies to know the risks of compaction and I am the only person who brought that up and I feel it deserved to be brought up.

[iCandiBallPythons]

You're right...I only have one snake.

That does not mean snakes can't become "impacted" from aspen substrate and feeding inside their enclosures.

Yes I AM LUCKY that my snake doesn't have issues with being fed outside of her enclosure.(that is not always the case though)

I don't care if people feed inside/outside enclosure....

I just want newbies to know the risks of compaction and I am the only person who brought that up and I feel it deserved to be brought up.

Not trying to get involved in squabble here but just a question. You do realize that rat or mice bones are far more dense than aspen? BTW didnt you post something awhile back about using a UVB light for a ball python?

[ms381]

Not trying to get involved in squabble here but just a question. You do realize that rat or mice bones are far more dense than aspen? BTW didnt you post something awhile back about using a UVB light for a ball python?

Although i am in agreement with you on feeding in the tank, with substrate is ok. I dont believe the above is correct and Cant be the reason to justify feeding in the enclosure. bone is not dense and for Many reasons and i say Any Wood is denser than bone. Bone has to be strong but flexible to reduce fracture and splinters, its made with a hollow tube with soft narrow and the inside layers made with minerals and calcium deposits that Make a spongey structure. If you looked at both under a microscope im sure you would be suprised at the difference in the sturcture between Wood and bone.

Anyway, slightly of topic there. I just did not Think it was an accurite way to Make your justification. Matt

[iCandiBallPythons]

Although i am in agreement with you on feeding in the tank, with substrate is ok. I dont believe the above is correct and Cant be the reason to justify feeding in the enclosure. bone is not dense and for Many reasons and i say Any Wood is denser than bone. Bone has to be strong but flexible to reduce fracture and splinters, its made with a hollow tube with soft narrow and the inside layers made with minerals and calcium deposits that Make a spongey structure. If you looked at both under a microscope im sure you would be suprised at the difference in the sturcture between Wood and bone.

Anyway, slightly of topic there. I just did not Think it was an accurite way to Make your justification. Matt

I simply made a reference between two materials that are many snakes habitats and that if a bp can digest bone, hair and the rest of the contents of a prey item, that digesting a soft type of aspen substrate should not be a problem as Im sure they ingest stuff in the wild. I am quite sure biologically they are two different materials in structure.

[Superpop]

Not trying to get involved in squabble here but just a question. You do realize that rat or mice bones are far more dense than aspen?

I'm sure bones are more dense than aspen but does that men ball pythons can digest aspen???

The only reason I brought this up in this thread is because I have read of compaction problems on this very site. I just wanted to make sure it was mentioned in this thread considering like 4 people insisted that the OP feed inside his/her enclosure without knowing what the OP was using as substrate.

BTW didnt you post something awhile back about using a UVB light for a ball python?

You mean the very first thread I started here? Yeah I posted that because that is what I was told when I bought my BP and I posted a bunch of links backing up the claim. FYI I don't use UVB bulbs anymore as they eat up her humidity but that doesn't have anything do do with possible compaction!

Damn! All I was trying to do in this thread is warn the OP of possible compaction(which nobody else did) and I get my head bitten off.

[iCandiBallPythons]

I'm sure bones are more dense than aspen but does that men ball pythons can digest aspen???

The only reason I brought this up in this thread is because I have read of compaction problems on this very site. I just wanted to make sure it was mentioned in this thread considering like 4 people insisted that the OP feed inside his/her enclosure without knowing what the OP was using as substrate.



You mean the very first thread I started here? Yeah I posted that because that is what I was told when I bought my BP and I posted a bunch of links backing up the claim. FYI I don't use UVB bulbs anymore as they eat up her humidity but that doesn't have anything do do with possible compaction!

Damn! All I was trying to do in this thread is warn the OP of possible compaction(which nobody else did) and I get my head bitten off.

I would never bite your head off or hope I wouldnt intentionally try to offend you in anyway, Im a nice guy From my own personal experience I had an incident years ago with loose substrate where a very fine piece somehow became wedged between the teeth and ended up with a sore a couple days later that almost looked like an abscessed tooth , it was such a small splinter it took 2 vet visits and to notice so now I dont use loose substrate at all in my racks, It was prob a one in a million chance that happened but it was enough for me to switch to paper towels, just me personally I would worry about something like that happening versus it being ingested