Question about aspen.

[Kathleen]

I keep rats as well as my ball python and I use aspen to line their litter pans. I also use aspen with Freddie, though the textures are different ("snake" verses "small animal" kinds). Are they pretty much interchangeable though? I'm switching to Yesterday's News with the rats and want to use the rest of their huge block of aspen for Freddie now that I'm out of the "snake" kind...

Also, funny story: I was picking up my Yesterday's News from Petsmart and I rounded the corner to take a look at their ball pythons. I nearly ran into this group of girls -- including an employee -- hovering over a pulled-out vivarium. One of the girls turned to me and was like, "Would you pick it up?" I was like, "Yeah, sure! What is it -- a ball python?" The worker said "yes" and I leaned forward to take a look.......... at the tiniest ball python I'd ever seen. It was only a few inches long. The employee insisted it was a month old but I dunno...

Anyway, I briefly picked it up to show them that it wasn't harmful, trying not to laugh at their fear at an overgrown night crawler. Even after I showed them, they just told me to put it back... nobody (including the employee) was willing to touch it...

Ah, pet stores.

[butters!]

ball pythons are wayyyy bigger than a few inches when they hatch.are you positive it was a bp?

[Mochelem]

I use small animal aspen, Im not paying the price for the reptile stuff, Ive never had a problem...

[Kathleen]

Yes, I know what a BP looks like. It was itty bitty and smaller than I'd even thought hatchlings were. It was definitely under a foot long... although it was balled up. It was smaller than a tennis ball. I'm trying to think of a good size comparison but I'm failing.

And thanks, Mochelem.

[Abby_The_Python]

Good story Kathleen, very funny too...pet stores i tell ya

[Argentra]

Sure, no problem with using the other aspen...as long as it IS Aspen.
I used to buy the Kaytee Aspen from PetDumb in the BIG bags for all my animals before I found Harlen Teklad at the RMREs every 4 months or so. And a bag of that is only a dollar more than the stuff at the store and I believe it amounts to more in the bag as well.

As for the pet store thing... oh I could tell you some stories. Even now, when I go in for supplies, at least half the girls working Pet Care (including reptiles) refuse to even open the snake boxes let alone touch the snakes. And we're talking young snakes here... sigh.