what is good bedding for my snake...?

Question

can i use news paper????

corn snake

Answer 1

Different Snakes Have Different Needs.
There are a large variety of snakes which can be kept as pets, each of which has different needs. Buy a book on your specific kind of snake so you can better understand its particular needs and can better care for it.

**A corn snake's enclosure should include at least one (and preferably two) hide boxes to provide the snake with a safe and secure sanctuary. If two hide boxes are used, one should be placed in the warm area and another in the cooling area of the tank. Hide boxes are especially important for hatchlings and young corn snakes who can become skittish if no such retreat is available. Since corn snakes enjoy climbing, branches should also be included in their enclosures.

Substrate -- Corn snakes will do well with a variety of substrates, including paper, reptile bark, Astroturfä, and aspen bedding. Most corn snakes seem to enjoy burrowing into the substrate in their tanks. Cedar should never be used, since their oils are toxic to corn snakes.

Answer 2

I am a herpetology major. Nobody on here knows anything. You NEVER want to use regular "wood chips" Most are treated with chemicals. I also have cornsnakes, and king snakes and a boa. And a few other random reptiles. All of them have aspen bedding. News paper OR ANY PAPER is NOT safe. Have you ever had a paper cut? Paper towels are not a good idea either, the bleach that is used to make the paper towels white is EXTREMELY toxic! Honestly, you should have done the research BEFORE you got the snake. I bet its beautiful though. I love snakes. Its an obsession, and i dont like seeing people give bad advice when they dont know anything about the subject. I hope this helps

Answer 3

I wouldn't recommend wood chips or any other loose substrate if you feed your snake in its enclosure; it's very easy for it to accidentally ingest some substrate with its meal, and the last thing you want to have to do is go prodding around the roof of your snake's mouth to remove the lodged woodchip... most don't take very kindly to that!

I use newspaper, or more specifically, what they refer to as "endroll." It's the last bit of paper on a roll of newsprint, and it doesn't have any printing on it whatsoever. Most newspapers either give these away, or sell them for pretty cheap, as there's nothing they can do with them. Just go down to your local newspaper and ask if you can have an endroll.

However, if you have an under-tank heating pad, you're going to need something thicker than newspaper, or it's possible that your snake could burn itself. Most pet stores sell what I believe is called Repti-Carpet, or Repti-Turf, or something along those lines, and it's basically just glorified green felt, but it's usually already cut to a variety of popular cage sizes.

There are a lot of options, but you didn't say what kind of snake you have. Do some reading on your particular snake's husbandry, and see what is most often recommended.

Answer 4

Newspaper is fine and the ink is not going to kill your snake. I have some species that I keep on paper, some on wood chips and some on bird seed.
Why the difference?

Paper is for larger snakes as they can go under it if they choose to offer themselves an alternative for a hidebox. Is also used for very young/small snakes because a sheet of newspaper cannot be ingested during feeding.

Wood chips is also used, but for wild caught/ rescue species and serves as an excellent substrate until such time as I check them out, give them shots and release into the wild.

Bird seed is used for medium sized snakes as a softer substrate and I use it for gravid specimens, too. If, during the sourse of eating,it becomes ingested, it offers not threat to the snake and passes through without incident.

NEVER USE CEDAR CHIPS AS A SUBSTRATE. Many reptiles suffer ill effects from the fumes that cedar produces. Whether chip form, or branches, do not use cedar around reptiles unless a slow agonizing death is what you want to watch your reptile go through.

Answer 5

i have heard the ink is not good for them! many people say not to use wood chips, but ours has been in it all it's life! the people we got her from used it and i still do today. i have had her 3 years and she is 5! she is a corn snake! i use the wood chips they use for mice! she loves it b/c she can go under it when she feels like hiding! seeing as i don't know what kind of snake it is, i would call a vet. and ask! i also have a ball python and i use the same for it! she is 4.

Answer 6

Aspen shavings, carefresh small animal bedding and paper towels are about the best, I find that alot of the beddings such as jungle earth or forest bed have quite a few bugs in them such as aphids and mites, this comes from the bedding being stored in big outside bins and never being sterilized.
Stay away from walnut and cedar beddings they are toxic and can cause respiratory problems.
I personally have been using carefresh recently it comes in a variety of colours, absorbs odours (snake poop reeks) and is easy clean up.

Answer 7

Newspaper is high-quality motive of rate. But is usually a hindrance a few ink has stuff in it that may be dangerous for snakes. If you desire handy get indoor out door carpet. Get adequate to hide tank two times that manner you wash one and use one. It appears nicer and will support with losing issues.

Answer 8

You can use paper towels if you wish to be cheap otherwise it depends on the snake
there are many options from aspen to reptile bark to walnut hulls
research your snake and find out his habitat

Answer 9

i agree with everybody about aspen ive never found a snake that didnt love the stuff, it designed for reptiles so theres nothing in it to harm them, and when deep enough they can happilly burrow in it. but why dont you try and give it a range of substates and see which it prefers, this will also give him abit of varitie. maybe a litter tray with compost or some dry clean leafs in the corner of his vivarium.
he might feel alittle vunrable on news page.

Answer 10

well you could use newspaper i guess but what we use for our 8 snakes is old towels that we have and when they go to the bathroom we just take the towel out and put a new one in it is much easier for you and better for the snake because they can hind in between the folded parts.