Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Just curious of others tub maintenance and disinfecting procedures. I currently use replaceable water dishes and change water weekly and wash tubs with soap and water with any smear. I have been using a disinfectant spray after every wash and if the tub is smear free I use the disinfectant spray and wipe out. I use prevent a mite on a monthly schedule and use reptile relief and prevent a mite on all new animals. Just curious of others procedures and thought on mine. One thing I have done lately is changed to replaceable water dishes.....I use those economic food containers for lunch boxes and zip tie them to the tub ........No spills so far, Now using paper in all tubs as substrate, Ill post pics on the water containers later....They work well and are fairly cheap to replace. Thanks !

I have a 60 tub Vision hatchling rack with about 18 babies in it. I clean the tubs daily, sometimes twice a day, as the babies seem to urinate often. I have plastic Grape Juice and such, containers filled with water in my snake room, so I fill bowls as needed on a nightly basis. The bowls also get filled when I clean the tub. I usually have two types of cleaning for the hatchling rack, full and partial. Full, tub has poo or pee in it. I take it about 10 paces to my snake bathroom, take out the snake, paper towel, and bowl. I toss the paper towel, spray in Simple Green, wash the bottom and sides of the inside of the tub, rinse, rinse, rinse, and put in a new paper towel. I use my fingers to rinse out the water dish, scrub off any poo or pee, and rinse it again, and fill. I then put the bowl and snake back in, walk back in the snake room, and put the tub back in the rack. Cleaning number two, partial...if the snake did a small pee, and it is dried up on the paper towel, I usually remove the paper towel, dip a paper towel in the water dish, scrub quickly the bottom of the tub, snake is still in the tub, I just wipe around the snake, and then move the snake a bit, and wipe where it was. No cleaning solution is used. New paper towel goes in, and fresh water from the water bottles I have in the snake room. I totally clean the snake tub at least every other day.

Melamine rack, has about 8 06 babies and a couple of 05's. I clean this rack daily, using the above procedures.

Adult Freedom Breeder rack, has 36 adults. I clean 6 tubs a night/day. I remove the snake, place in a temporary tub or on the scale, remove the newspaper, and take the tub and water dish to the snake bathroom. Put the tub on the side of the bathtub, and scrub it, rinse, scrub, and rinse-I use Simple Green here too. Wash the water bowl in the sink, use Simple Green sometimes, and just water others. Put new newspaper in the tub, fresh water in the water bowl, and then put the snake back in. I spot check for water at least every other day, the snakes higher up get fewer spot checks, but earlier cleaning, even if the tub looks clean. I use plastic Target or WallMart bowls.

I've included a link to my website that will give you an idea of how I clean my snakes...I am really picky when it comes to my snakes and no one cleans them but me...There are also pics of my Snake Room and Cages. I have a separate room with a wash tub that I clean everything in...
Cold Blooded Addiction

Thanks for your reply and the link. Found it interesting we have similar steps, I have clean tubs ready to go and just swap the animals as you do. I also am very picky about transfer of bacteria from tub to tub and use a seperate paper towel for each tub. I also have done away with aspen and now use paper towels exclusively. You have a great collection and love those hypos, Will keep you in mind........Need to add a male hypo soon. Are you using papertowels with your breeders and if so have you had success with egg laying on them? I have considered a laying box with my breeders for humidity reasons . Thanks again and I looked over your site .......I few mistakes I can point out if you want some input ? Overall the site looks great!!

Thanks for the reply, This is what I needed different views of care. Sounds like you use the simple green as your disinfectant?
I only have one rack at this time but hope to add two more and looking for the best plan to achieve maximum care with time saving steps.Thanks Bryan

If you are looking for time saving steps, I would say do not buy anymore normals. You can buy one Pastel female for every 3 or 4 or 5 normal females and you will not be out alot more money, and think of the time you will save. I would rather have ten Pastel females than 30 normals, but that is just me.

I have an 8-tub rack, and I remove the tub and wash-out (scrubbing as needed with a scrubby sponge.) I use a weak bleach solution and hot water to rinse. Then I completely rinse and dry said tub, and I too have been using PAM on a monthly basis and definately with any new arrivals.. I used to use dish soap, etc. but it was expensive,hard to reach, etc.. I figure bleach is the best disinfectant and cheap.. and I do make sure to rinse thoroughly.
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2.3 normal BPs
1.0 100% het orange ghost BP
1.0 Pastel BP (Graziani, from the Sutherlands)
1.0 Boa Constrictor Imperator
0.1 albino Cranwell's horned frog
1.1 breeding Clawed frogs
1.0 black cat
0.2 paint mares, 1.1 paint foals
Also have fancy goldfish, african cichlids, and rats.

Guess this would fall into the tub maintenance category...I use a plastic grid on top of the newspaper. As you know the big ones make a lot of wetness and this keeps them from lying in it so much. A little more trouble on cleaning day, but really no big deal...I just use a vegetable brush or the like and the same solution I'm cleaning the tubs with. It's actually embroidery panels from the craft dept. cut to fit. Picture in my Spider posting above.
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Dale....dgoins222@yahoo.com

Everything cleaned with plain household vinegar with some lemon juice thrown in for freshner. Add a little "natural" dish cleaner and you're set. I don't throw away the plastic water dishes till they're really worn. Haven't had mites in ages but the Nix is always on tap.

Mike