Quote Originally Posted by Zincubus View Post
Good point about substrate with smaller bits !!

I use the orchid bark and choose the FINE option as they're very small pieces and should go through the system easily enough ..

While we're on that subject ... I'm sure I read somewhere that snakes can digest fur/ feathers and bone they can NOT digest WOOD ?!?

Anyone know the facts regarding snakes and digest wood ??


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Quick Google search tells me they digest pretty much everything /except/ rodent's claws and fur, and feathers of birds.

"During digestion, the snake's intestines go into overdrive mode and expand when necessary. When the snake isn't eating, the intestines are usually dormant."

"Owing to their narrow structure, no chewing mechanism nor limbs, a snake has to swallow its prey as a whole. In fact, their success and diversity is partly due to their ability to swallow prey relatively larger than their own body size. So inevitably, they need to process the parts like teeth, bones, exoskeleton and things of such nature."

"Snake saliva not only eases swallowing by lubrication, but also contains powerful enzymes to break down tissues and even egg shells. But snakes generally cannot digest keratin (claws, hair) or chitin (arthropod exoskeleton)."

Didn't find anything about whether they're able to digest or process wood tho.

Going back to the f/t, I'm gonna thaw the prey for him the way his breeder has done it, he's supposedly a good eater and hasn't missed any of the 5 meals he's been given so far (he's been fed last this past Sunday).