It is never ok for any animal species to ingest a foreign object. On the occasions it does happen, the majority of time it poses no visual or internal harm. On that rare occasion it does, we get a new post on the forum "will my snake be ok".

I have never used "glorified dirt" and never will. The most popular justification I have witnessed for the stuff is "they eat it in the wild". That is true but also in the wild snakes will cross the road and hopefully will be ok or worse case it won't be too lethal (still trying to understand that one). Neither of those two are options for my snakes.

I use reptile carpet. Both pet shop brand and DIY brand Home Depot. Before the comments come on how unhealthy reptile carpet is, please feel free to read my past posts on my due diligence on my snakes hygeine. Is it work? You bet it is but I love it. My snakes at a minmum get interaction with me at a minimum of twice a day. Does that stress my snakes? Well none of my ball pythons will ball up and I usually hold them before I feed them. If that is stress or dangerous to them can live with that

The weekly posts will continue on this forum that directly relate to the continued justification of using different substrates and the same comments will repeat themselves. I have always chosen not to risk stuck splinters in scales, stuck splinters in nostrils, stuck coco shreds in teeth, my snake appears to be choking, impaction, scale rot, RI, or worse case death due to the use of "glorified dirt". I think that covers most previous posts.

Are my cages pretty? Oh heck no but I have never been into this hobby to see if I can win "Home and Gardens Most Beautiful Snake Cage Award".

And please before the flames get thrown, lets just cut to the chase. Substrates made of wood and coconut allows some keepers to not have to work (clean a cage) for 30 days. That 30 days then easily slips to 60 days then 90 days and after that it becomes a new term....bioactive setup. Am I old school? You bet I am. But I knew what this hobby demanded when I got into it.

I continue to scratch my head when someone posts a picture of dial thermometers and they are nearly stripped of all of their dignity, how their snake is being abused and is nearly on deaths door. Yet recently someone posted of losing their snake due to what likely appeared to be impaction and the condolences never stopped flowing in. I may be wrong but I don't remember many posts if any on the risks of using wood and coconut. Matter of fact I believe I read one post saying something to the effect "no way could it have been impaction" even though "dirt" was all over the snakes mouth and vent area. Yep, not enough evidence for me either...smh.

Was this a rant? You decide but I believe you now know my passion for my snakes and my dislike of "Use At Your Own Risk" in a bag.