Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Sometimes, keeping reptiles can be time consuming. I'd like to hear some tips to help reduce the time for some of the other mundane tasks we keepers must perform. For example, cage cleaning takes up a lot of time. One step I now use is disposable water bowls. I prefill and cart over to my racks. I simply dump out old water into one bucket, put in new container and water and throw away the old one. Much faster than taking out the water bowls, clean them, refill them and then return them.

Please add any tips you find helpful.
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Jay A. Martin

I use those big plastic water bowls you find at walmart. Poor water into one bucket, Spray with the blue stuff "forgot the name" a quick wipe and refil with other bucket. Newspaper is also quick and easy. If durty pull out throw a fresh sheet in. My collection is still pretty small consisting of 6 balls. I'll have about 30 by next year. Plans to pick up atleast 10 more this season as well.
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John Light
Pristine Pythons
ristinePythons@Hotmail.com">Contact Me

New Web Site Comming Soon!

Jay,

What are you using for your disposable water bowls? I use some that consist of a PVC end cap with a deli cup inserted into it, so when it gets soiled I just throw out the deli cup and insert a new one.

Thanks,
George Knaack
GLK HERP

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Jay A. Martin

That's what I use for water, too. 4" PVC couplers with 16 oz deli cups (soup type, not drinking cups) in them.

Newspaper for substrate.
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Astronomy Picture of the Day

I think it is important to mention the pvc/styrene COUPLER. The end caps have a rounded bottom. At least the ones at Lowe's do.

Buy the actual PVC pipe & cut it to size. I also use 8 & 16 oz. deli cups for water (cleaning & disinfecting water bowls properly takes a lot of time).

Some other things I do to cut down on time.

:Small enough cage & no hide (a hide is just something else to clean after they crap on it). I do use hides for most adults though.

:I use newspaper, but aspen cuts claning time in half. I don't use it because my snakeroom is too dry as it is, and aspen only makes it worse when shedding time comes.

:Lidless rack systems, cuz stacking & unstacking containers takes more time than you can imagine.
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Chad Bachman

so the actual pvc holder has no bottom and you just cut pieces off?
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0.2 Normal Adult ball pythons
0.2 Normal Adult ball pythons (on breeding loan)
0.1 Sub-adult
1.0 Normal ball python
1.1 Bell Line Pastel Ball pythons
1.0 Adult Het Albino Ball Python
1.0 Het Pied Ball Python
1.0 Het Carmel Ball Python
1.0 66% Het pied Ball python
0.2 50% Het albino Ball Pythons

I use the small plastic crock style waterbowls from walmat, attached to the front of the tub with a wing nut. Inside the crock bowl, I use disposable styrofoam bowls (the 12 ounce size seat perfectly in the plastic bowl). BY attaching the plastic bowl to the cage with the wing nut, the bowl can not be overturned. Also, the bowl is easily removable to clean around and behind it. Its been a great system for us and is now used in all of our adult tubs.....

wow excellent idea, may have to steal that one...lol
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0.2 Normal Adult ball pythons
0.2 Normal Adult ball pythons (on breeding loan)
0.1 Sub-adult
1.0 Normal ball python
1.1 Bell Line Pastel Ball pythons
1.0 Adult Het Albino Ball Python
1.0 Het Pied Ball Python
1.0 Het Carmel Ball Python
1.0 66% Het pied Ball python
0.2 50% Het albino Ball Pythons