Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'd like to see how other people schedule their feeding/cleaning, especially from, but not limited to, those with multiple species. Even if you just have an idea, please share it.

Here's my scenario, what I have to take care of:
12 snakes - 3 corns, 7 burms (5 are hatchlings), BP, Dumeril's Boa
1 nile
1 sav
1 crocodilian
1 leopard gecko
3 beardies
75 rats (aproximately)
11 rabbits (I've conned the kids into taking care of the rabbits so they're not a problem.

Of course, some of these require daily feeding. What I've been tossing around in my warped brain is
1.) Should I try to clean all cages & feed snakes on the same day
OR
2.) Should I space out the feeding day among the snakes and clean a cage here & there.

Unfortunately (or, fortunately) that's not all of the animals I have.

Thanks for your thoughts!

Take care!
HH
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Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

I have a bizillion animals of many kinds. I am one sick puppy.

I feed when they are hungry and I clean when I cannot stand it no more. And I am very tolerant. I water, when I get the chance.

The only thing on a schedule is the rodent room. It sticks to a very very tight schedule. The rest is chaos. But like it was said in Jar. Park, It will find a way and it does. Even to the point of virgin females laying eggs that hatch.

Then what do you expect of me, I am middle brained, artistic, and analytical. I don't know my left from my right, they are both dominate. I pick my nose with both hands, sometimes at the same time. And Oh never mind.

I can see things right side up, upside down, inside out without problem, and I can write both forward and backward with equal ease.

It does cause a few problems thought, I often put a word in place of another similar word. WHATS up with that.

Enough excuses for my weirdness, I cannot do schedules. but I do think my middle brain helps with understanding these creatures I work with. They too do not do schedules, but instead do what they do, when its needed, not by a calender or schedule, but by need. Cheers

Id say thats about 100%.

If you need a schedule, just try to do things in a manner that you dont get overwhelmed.

I had 15 animals at my place in Cali, and the first thing i did every morning was get up and check on them all, say good morning to them, and turn lights/filters/whatever on/off.

From that, I could tell what I would need to do that day- Niles needs a water change, Wander needs a water change and a poop scooping, the geckos need a new lightbulb, the toads need a water change.... from what Ive seen, most everything needs a water change about every 2 days at least.... the community tank needs a complete substrate changeout or at least clean the poo up, etc.

Basically just do what needs doing, as it needs doing.

With your deal, Id say try to group the animals that need similar treatment to certain days. Keep in mind, they arent going to work on a schedule, as frank said, so you still need to check on them to make sure they havent done something to muck the water, dirty the cage, etc.

I feed my Odatria crickets everyday and fuzzies 2-3 times per week. I tend to feed more then most books or periodicals advise but I have never had any problems associated with over feeding. I have noticed that the crickets will find some really good hiding places in my 250 gallon ackie tub and they will build up a substantial colony. To deal with that I just hold off from feeding for a day or two and the ackies go into hunting mode. They work in a group to get them out. 1 female in particular has gotten really good at burrowing up to them. They are great fun to watch. I didn't realize how social they are towards each other.

My bierdies eat constantly. Crickets everyday and greens every couple of days.I feed the turtles and tortoises everyday as well. My fly river eats twice a day. My golden threats eat ounce a day. Everybody gets a varied diet when it come to greens. My wife is a health-nut so we have a great variety of veggies to offer.

My hognose eats every 5 days.

As far as bugs go I stick to crickets. For whole food items I use F/T mice.

I clean every Weekend. I have a neighbor kid who lends a hand.

Hello to all,
Our colony is short of FR's, but we have got a few hundred heads here... Our schedule runs easy- look at everything everyday- and do what needs done... This seems to work best for us especially when numbers went up. If it is all set up on the best substrates and you understand substrates well, you will reduce your maintenance to waters and feed most of the time. Hope this helps, best to you- Mike

I too have numerous and sundry beasties. And I am reminded of the head herdsman at junior college. When we had a spare second he would ask us to wash cows. (sorta like washing cars only you don't have to roll up the windows.) Inevitably someone would ask WHICH cows did he want washed.....and he would answer....THE DIRTY ONES.

Generally the birds are up with us all the time and get checked throughout the day after a morning of washing dishes and fresh food and water.

Some are the kids' responsibility so that is cool. Same for the rabbits. Theoretically the ferrets are my son's but he has a rather full plate just now so I am catching them up a lot.

My rodents get twice daily attention....to feed and water and do changes as needed. Labor intensive I suppose but I raise my own feeders somewhat because I do enjoy them. Since they live in the same dungeon as most of my reptiles I spend two times a day checking everyone. Peeking in tubs, checking water bowls....sitting in the middle of the room and watching.
Generally too if I am changing rodent cages I keep an eye out for any prey sizes I might 'need' just then. Like right now I am waiting for a couple mice to pop 'cause the 23 hatchling ratsnakes are all done shedding and starting to strike at me more seriously.
At the same time a bunch of rats got to that nice size of a big mouse and lots of the bigger ratsnakes, Children's pythons, and baby boa all got well fed this week. Oh yeah, and the monitors....they eat anything so generally get leftovers constantly. That and I came upstairs with some 30 gram rat pups for the Sugar Gliders and Ferrets. The rest are going in the freezer tomorrow night.

I am not good with schedules. I might have a tub that needs changing all the time or another that needs it every week and a half. One that soaked themselves chewing a water bottle or having three dozen hoppers in with them....it is too variable to schedule.

My darn 5 plus ft Everglades is a filthy thing and always destroying his tub, flipping the water and generally stinky. I think he thinks he is a Water snake the way he poops. Then there is TealC, my Sumatran Short Tail Python that only poops about every other meal. THANK GOODNESS!

What I am trying to say, in my tired 'spent too long cleaning the human part of the house' sort of way, is that I am no good with organization. Happily I can now see some of the walls and the tops of dressers in my bedroom AND all five freshwater fish tanks got big water changes. And the dungeon, where two of the tanks are, got a floor mopping when I put a filter together with a gasket out of place. But after hauling about 70 gallons of water I am sure I will sleep well. Thank goodness for python hosing to fill tanks.

Gotta run the dogs one last time, hand feed the three baby parrots that are home with me and GO TO BED.
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Sonya

I'm not mean. You're just a sissy.
Happy Bunny

Cat box gets scooped daily. Water and food as needed.
Dog poop gets scooped daily. Water tub daily. Fed in the early am and feed put back into storage every evening so the wild mice don't take it all.
Chickens, rats, mice, and rabbits are cleaned, watered and fed as needed.
Sav fed daily and watered as needed.
Beardies fed, watered, and cleaned daily.
Roaches are fed daily.
Millipede as needed
Black rat as needed. I offer him rats every other day. Everyday if he is wondering around.
I think that is it.

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Shannon in Reno
1 savannah monitor (Pombe-means "beer" in Swahili)
6 dogs
1 cat
36 rats
40 mice
54 chickens
3 beardies
1 black rat snake
~1000 hissers
1 giant milipede

Hello Freedom,
Do you have more Sav pics? We see alot of your chikens... Chickens are cool but would love to see more of your monitor or monitors... Best to you- Mike

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Shannon in Reno
1 savannah monitor (Pombe-means "beer" in Swahili)
6 dogs
1 cat
36 rats
40 mice
54 chickens
3 beardies
1 black rat snake
~1000 hissers
1 giant milipede

Sorry for just now replying again but my door was locked for awhile.

First off, my listing of animals wasn't an immature attempt to "wow" anyone, it's not hardly a "wow-able" list. I see some people have more and some have less, that's great. I suppose the way I listed things could be misinterpreted. My apologies if I came across the wrong way.

Anyway, I found some comfort in the replies posted. It's nice to know that I'm not as abnormal as I thought, at least, as far as scheduling things go. I'll just keep on doing what I can, when I can.

Thanks!
HH
-----
Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American