which substrate should I switch to?

[1Mojo]

I don't want him to get constipated . I was wondering what kind of substrate would be easier on his digestion while remaining aesthetically pleasing at the same time.


P.S. He refuses to eat outside of his tank.

I have always used newspaper in my racks and have never had the problem of one of my snakes swallowing something other than his food.

I have seen many threads with this same question and often wondered........ how big of a problem is it if your snake has swallowed a piece of repti bark or aspen.

The questioned asked was what kind of substrate would be easier on his digestion.

The digestive acid of a snake is so strong that it digests bones. I could see a problem of it getting lodge in the mouth area but not if had been swallowed. Am I crazy for thinking this way? Like I said I've always used paper.

[azak323]

i'd say white paper towel or repti bark.

[kc261]

how big of a problem is it if your snake has swallowed a piece of repti bark or aspen.

The questioned asked was what kind of substrate would be easier on his digestion.

The digestive acid of a snake is so strong that it digests bones. I could see a problem of it getting lodge in the mouth area but not if had been swallowed. Am I crazy for thinking this way?

A snake's digestive acid is strong, yes. But it is not designed to digest wood. Even termites can not digest wood without the help of some micro-organism that lives in their guts.

Probably most snakes that swallow a little bit of substrate, whatever substrate it is, pass it through their system with little or no harm. But that is passing through, not getting digested. So if a lot gets swallowed at once, or little bits don't pass through and eventually build up, or something else goes wrong, it has the potential to cause impaction or possibly other issues.

[djansen]

A snake's digestive acid is strong, yes. But it is not designed to digest wood. Even termites can not digest wood without the help of some micro-organism that lives in their guts.

Probably most snakes that swallow a little bit of substrate, whatever substrate it is, pass it through their system with little or no harm. But that is passing through, not getting digested. So if a lot gets swallowed at once, or little bits don't pass through and eventually build up, or something else goes wrong, it has the potential to cause impaction or possibly other issues.

true, what do wild snakes eat on? newspaper or aspen?

[1Mojo]

true, what do wild snakes eat on? newspaper or aspen?

Paper plates!!!!!!!!!


So a snakes digestive system can't digest wood but it can digest teeth.

Teeth are made of enamel it is the hardest substance in the body. Why? Like I said this is new to me.