Substrate question

[Rennie]

I have run out of Breeders Choice kitty litter and all we have is Dr Harry's brand (for the cat) which is not pellets but random shaped and sized bits of pulp, sorry I can't describe it better or post a pic yet. It says "No Dust" on the bag but has lost of very small bits so I don't trust it. If many people say "don't risk it" I'll be going for plain old newspaper for now!
I was just wondering if antone has tried it and found it to be alright?
I don't want my pets to be the "guinea pigs" :lol:

 

[da_donkey]

just go newspaper, until you get your normal stuff.

 

[jordo]

I've used Dr Harry's brand for a ridge tailed monitor once, with no problems, but as a rule I use BC or newspaper.

 

[TrueBlue]

Personally I wouldnt use breeders choice or any thing like it, as IMO it is absolute rubbish. I wouldnt dare subject ANY of my animals to that sort of crap.Hell I wouldnt even use it for rats and mice let alone my reptiles. newspaper or butchers paper is the way to go, its cleaner, healthier and most snakes love it to hide and breed under.

 

[Rennie]

Cool, thanks, I'll just go the newspaper for now.

 

[rascal779]

true blue.
Any reasons to back up your dislike for breeders choice?
I have no problems with it.
seems to work as its suposed to with no side effects, snakes are perfectly healthy.

I wouldnt mind knowing what your experiances are that turned you off using it.
regards
rascal

 

[serpenttongue]

Rennie i always use Dr Harry's. I think it's much better than BC but nothing beats newspaper.

 

[junglemad]

i used breeders choice until a diamond got a mouthful of it when it missed a strike at a prey item. i managed to clean most of it out with a wooden kebab skewer but i am sure it swallowed a few pellets. Newspaper is the way to go, tabloid for the smaller enclosures and a broadsheet like the Herald for larger cages. Not only will it never be ingested and you can spot urine or faeces more easily, the snakes can have a read when they are bored while i am at work and learn a little.

 

[yommy]

I'd go for the newspaper option, I lost a children's hatchling this season through it swallowing just 1 pellet. Would never use breeders choice again, but I have heaps of friends that do, BC might be environmentally friend but not if it get's swallowed. I don't think it's worth the life of one of your herps.

 

[Livewire]

Newspapers for me too, it's cheap, it's safe, and when it's soiled just toss it in the bin.

 

[africancichlidau]

Breeders Choice is FANTASTIC! If your cats need something to crap on that is I do use it for hatchies that have left the egg bug not "dried out" yet as they tend to keep their guts better this way.

But for an everyday substrate for a non-burrowing snake I'd say give it a miss. Too dusty, and too many foreign objects in it. JMO

 

[redline]

newspaper is the best

 

[TrueBlue]

rascal, its dusty, hard to clean propally, easy to ingest,etc. in other words absolute rubbish.

 

[krusty]

go the newspaper its cheap and easy may not look as good as BC but how cares
as long as you snakes are healthy.

 

[reptililian]

I'm with them, newspaper. Easy to come by, easy to use, and you're recycling anyway! Like Trueblue, I found BC hard to clean in that I could never be sure if I'd gathered up all the pellets which had been soaked with urine.

Yommy, I'm sorry to hear you lost a baby. That must have been so sad. And only one measly pellet too. That's awful.

 

[Rennie]

Wow, thats scary Yommy, I have seen 2 of mine ingest it too, they seem alright but I think I'll stick with newspaper from now on!
If they don't like it they can just read the classifieds and find a new home :lol:
Thanks again people

 

[aussiesnakelover]

hmmm ive used BC all the time neva used anything else cept the montior is on newpaper, now im worried that wen my snakes yawn they might swallow a bit but i dun noe if ill change