I would not use any dusty product, like the mill shavings above. When I used pine, the dusty stuff would clog the nostrils of infant rats and kill them. It's hard to nurse and breathe out your nose when it's clogged.
I switched to shredded aspen earlier this year for my rats. It doesn't help with smell as much, but its less dustier and the pinks sit on top of it instead of getting mixed up or settled to the bottom. I was also weary about the pine oils bonding with the natural skin oils on a rat that could transfer to the snakes. I have no basis for that point other than that's just something I do. I never had an issue with my snakes when growing rats on pine.
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