Low maintenance tank decor suggestions

[Bogertophis]

I personally use textured kraft paper in enclosures that I don't want to use substrate:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

More 'grip' for the snake than newspaper, and doesn't mold like white paper towels can (I've used both of those).

I disagree with the practice of tossing the solids outside, since there may be non-native pathogens carried by our non-native reptiles (as in Burmese pythons in FL). Best to double bag and put into the regular trash.



Unfortunately, this isn't exactly true. Chances are, any given captive snake is more likely to carry Salmonella than not, and a captive snake is more likely to carry Salmonella than any other type of captive reptile. While the overall number of cases of reptile-associated salmonellosis are higher from turtles than snakes (35% vs 20%), snakes are considerably more likely to carry salmonella (56%) than lizards (37%) or turtles (19%). The discrepancy between rates of infection and rates of zoonotic transmission are thought to be due to demographics, rates of ownership, and differences in housing and maintenance.

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals...3.1251036/full

A very interesting couple passages in that paper are at 4.3.5, where it is suggested that naturalistic husbandry might reduce the risk of the shedding of Salmonella. I have not looked at the citations in that section, though.

Physicians don't as a rule know much at all about snakes, but they tend to know a mind-blowing amount about human health. I'm married to one, and sometimes I get to hang out with a room full of them; in both situations, I try to keep the conversation off anything close to health or medicine so I don't make myself look like the most ignorant part of the world's dullest donkey.

I'm always glad to get your take on things, MA. I've never had any mold on paper towels, but my tanks are kept with lower humidity too, so maybe that's why. I've used product you mentioned from U-line in the past- everything has pro's & con's, & it comes down to what each of us prefers, what works well for us (& especially for our snakes), & what fits our budget, etc.

I guess you're much more current than I am about the rate of salmonellosis in snakes- that's changed over the years, & quite frankly, if I haven't ever gotten sick by now, I'm not one bit worried that I will at any time in the future. Considering how many snakes I've kept over the years & how full my house was for many years, if the risk was substantial, I shoulda been a 'goner' by now?
I also tend to be rather "chummy" in handling snakes, & I've had snakes from all over the world too- though most were native to the U.S. & most c/b but also plenty of w/c locals at various times.

That's a good point I hadn't considered about tossing a little snake waste into my shrubs (& that was ONLY in reference to when I've used the carpet- not my routine otherwise), but currently all I have are long-term healthy natives anyway- very low risk. If I had a sick one, that would have been different for sure. But I have to agree with you, point well taken, thanks.