Aspen shavings digestion

[theRAVENv1]

Hi all,

I wonder what peoples thoughts are on whether or not Aspen Shavings / Bedding can be easily digested. I've looked it up and some sources are saying as it is non-toxic it shouldn't cause too much harm.

I fed my baby Bredli tonight and the pinkie may have picked up some small pieces of aspen shavings. Trying not to stress and I know it isn't like he swallowed some gravel lol but what do people think?

In the wild surely they swallow much worse things attached to their food.

Again the pieces were quite small, it should pass ok? Or will it break down in his tummy

Cheers.

 

[Ned_fisch]

It should easly break down and be digested, but you shouldn't be feeding in the enclosure anyway.

 

[theRAVENv1]

lol are you serious? it's worse to handle after a feed...and almost everyone i know and I'm sure many on this forum would say feeding inside the enclosure is ok. Some do say that the snake will know its feeding time whenever you open the enclosure but thats besides the point, the point was about aspen bedding and if a small amount would cause problems.

 

[dickyknee]

It should easly break down and be digested, but you shouldn't be feeding in the enclosure anyway.

Why is that ??

been doing it for around ten years now , never had a problem ...

as for the aspen bedding , i don't think a small amount would do much harm , but i would be concerned if it was ingesting lots of the stuff .
If you are worried you can either change your substrate to new paper or marine grass , or feed in a small tub then put it back after it has eaten .

 

[Ned_fisch]

The snake can become snappy when opening the enclosure to hold if they get the hang of feeding in their enclosure.

 

[dickyknee]

The snake can become snappy when opening the enclosure to hold if they get the hang of feeding in their enclosure.

Mate that is one theory , but i have owned a lot snakes over the last ten years and never had a drama when opening the cage ....

If you think about it , the snake may think its feed time every time you get it out ...as you need to remove it to put it in a tub when tub feeding ....so just removing the snake for a look or a handle could result in a feed response if that was the case .

 

[theRAVENv1]

Exactly! Was just about to say the same thing.

 

[Hsut77]

Each to their own Trouer, I feed all my snakes in their enclosure and it makes no difference.

The Aspen should be ok. Like you say they would eat worse things in the wild.

 

[Clitybangspython]

i agree that is why i believe hooks should be used to seperate handling from feeding

 

[wood_nymph]

that's my theroy too Clity

 

[Clitybangspython]

that's my theroy too Clity

great minds think alike

 

[BenReyn]

It should be okay for a one off, i personally use Aspen Snake Bedding....and i think it is brilliant, but- i NEVER feed in his enclousre, especially with small pieces that can be swallowed...feed your snake in a clean seperate bucket, or box...or somehting similiar.

 

[888lowndes888]

I feed in my enclosure and my blonde mac dosent even look like striking and never has bitten. The aspen will be fine, I was asking our rep for the company who supply my work with the aspen snake bedding and he said it is digestable in small amounts.

 

[-Peter]

i doubt it would break down unless your using it on beavers. its high cellulose.

 

[888lowndes888]

By digestable I meant it will pass through their digestion system.

 

[Aslan]

Raven - I think it will pass fine - Aspen bedding is quite stringy and fibrous so, as you said, it's not like a piece of gravel or bark that is particularly likely to cause an impaction...

 

[Troy 1000]

Raven,
I have been using Aspen bedding for about 6 months, my mac has had no problems passing it.
AS aslen said it is very stringy

 

[theRAVENv1]

Thanks everyone, it was only a small amount if that. Just out of curiosity, if I was to take it out the enclosure to feed in a separate box how would you go about getting him back inside his click clack with little handling? put one of his hides in there and hope he goes in after he feeds?

 

[Aslan]

Raven - Just hook him back in...no issues...

 

[theRAVENv1]

Too easy! I was just concerned about him getting aggravated and bringing his food back up. Cheers.