Your opinions are greatly appreciated...

[Eric Alan]

For what it's worth, paper towels are great substrate to use if you would like your snake to die a horrible death! Look how effective they are!

You never know what a baby is going to try to eat, and that is true of animals of any species. I'd bet you anything this has happened even with animals that weren't being fed on paper towels.

I keep my entire collection on paper towels - hatchlings and adults. Always have. For what it's worth, I can assure you I care greatly for each and every life in my care.

For any husbandry practice, you can find a fear-inducing click-bait picture being used to advocate the opposite - live prey, frozen/thawed prey, heat tape, room heat, paper towels, wood chips, etc. In each practice, there are steps to take to minimize the risk (percieved or actual) involved. If you believe these pictures are "the norm", then you are no better than the mainstream media reporting on the 50ft venemous pythons loose in the Everglades set on eating our children.

Take the time to learn. That's the best advice I can offer.