Quote Originally Posted by Evenstar View Post
Well, a vet is your best bet then.

I would still be highly concerned about the pine shavings. Just because your other snakes have not shown any symptoms doesn't mean it isn't toxic. Even kiln dried pine can still give off fumes.

Coniferous trees - pines, firs, cedars, etc - have "volatile oils" in their wood. They smell pleasant to us (just think of all the pine-scented cleaners and air fresheners out there) but are dangerous to other animals. Did you know that cedar wood is used in closets for that very reason? The compounds in cedar are deadly to clothes moths and other insects, so using the wood keeps the bugs out. Kiln drying these woods does not remove all the oils. Cedar used in closets is often "kiln dried."

When we put snakes and other herps on pine or cedar, they get the same effect. It hurts their respiratory system something awful - imagine living in a room full of smokers for a long time. Pretty soon you'd start to feel some bad effects, right? Snakes on pine can develop breathing problems and even infections. So keeping them on that kind of wood is dangerous and shouldn't ever be done. Aspen doesn't have this problem because it's in a completely different group of trees.

Please take our word for it that pine and its relatives are very bad for snakes. There is a lot of information out there on it too, so you can research online for yourself if you like. Until you get some aspen shavings (or other option), you can put down a couple layers of newspaper. It'll be a safe alternative until a better solution is found. It can often take a very long time for these toxins to build up in a snakes enclosure and boas are often more sensitive in this manner and that could be why yours is showing these symptoms before any of your other snakes.

Good luck with her - I hope you are able to find a solution soon!
"Our" word? I'd rather take Skiploder's word for it, because he has far more experience than either of us. Cedar is harmful, kiln dried pine is not. I have used it for years now.

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...49#post1915049

I appreciate your concern, and I will update after I see the vet.