Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello all, I recently moved my corns onto Aspen and I like it very much. I spot clean it as needed, but was just wondering how often does everybody totally switch out their bedding?
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0.0.1 Snow Corn
0.0.1 Oketee
1.0 Ghosts
0.0.1 Ball Python
1.0 Albino Burmese Python

I use aspen also. I dump it all out and disinfect the entire cage every 2-3 months. Of course, I spot clean once a week (as I see the need to remove something), and I change water once a week. Disinfect the water dish every 2-3 weeks.

I would be interested to hear what everyone else does also...

Thanks for bringing this up.

Michael

>>I use aspen also. I dump it all out and disinfect the entire cage every 2-3 months. Of course, I spot clean once a week (as I see the need to remove something), and I change water once a week. Disinfect the water dish every 2-3 weeks.
>>
>>I would be interested to hear what everyone else does also...
>>
>>Thanks for bringing this up.
>>
>>Michael

Oh no, imagine leaving a cup of water near your radiator for a week, now imagine drinking it.

I change the water and clean the bowls every second day, i also check every day for any aspen in the water and if there is i change the water.

I change the aspen and completly clean all my Vivs once a week and spot clean inbetween.

Remember a snake in captivity cannot just up and move to a Clean viv whenever it likes. We as lovers and carers of reptiles must keep things clean and fresh for them.

Paul..
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Pinky's taste nice,only if there fresh..

so would it be bad to just change out the substrait once a month and spot clean daily. we change the water every day to every other day

As long as you spot clean, there's no problem changing out the substrate once a month. Perfectly fine.

Steve

"so would it be bad to just change out the substrait once a month and spot clean daily. we change the water every day to every other day"

>>so would it be bad to just change out the substrait once a month and spot clean daily. we change the water every day to every other day

Hi
if you look closely at the bottom (under the substrait)of your viv a couple of days after your snake has deficated you will notice a white powder which is part of the acid formed with the poop ie urin, not only that, when a snake moves around after a poop it may move over part of its poop which in turn transfers it around the viv, so you never really remove all the poop when you spot clean.
so personaly i would say 1 month is too long.

Paul..
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Pinky's taste nice,only if there fresh..

I know what you mean but isn't that kind of germaphobic? lol many reptile books/keepers/breeders I know change their substrate out once a month and spot clean when needed. People do what works for them which may not work for you.

>>I know what you mean but isn't that kind of germaphobic? lol many reptile books/keepers/breeders I know change their substrate out once a month and spot clean when needed. People do what works for them which may not work for you.

Hi
Of course its everyone to there own, my cleaning times are the way i doit and only a suggestion and sample explination as to why i do. if other forum members wish to do the same its up to them to decied.

im not (germaphobic) as you suggest, i just like to keep my reptiles clean. you could look at it like this , if you had a child that pooped in his or hers bed every three or four days you wouldnt just wipe it off then change the sheets 1 month later would you. yes they are snakes but remember they cannot control the conditions that we put them in, that is down to us. they deserve the right to be kept clean at all times.

Again this is only the way i treat my snakes and is in now way a rule for everyone to follow.

Also we should do what works for the snakes in hand and not just what works for us.

Cheers
Paul..
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Pinky's taste nice,only if there fresh..

I also spot clean every day and change the aspen 1x a week. It is just something I like to do. Before putting in new aspen, though, I make sure to wipe out all the "white dust" that is left on the bottom.

As for the water, I change that every couple of days... unless they poop in it... then I change it right away.

n/t

Me personally i change my tanks Every week dang if you use aspen Walmart sells a HUGH Block for 4.87 and its enough to do everycage in my house and the ones i use Reptibark on whick is two out of the 12 tanks i have to go get mice every friday and why not pick up a bag while im there.
I look at it like this A clean snake is a happy snake thats just me now ive got plenty of time on my hands i set aside every friday for tanks Besides i take all the aspen and reptibark and pour it under my outside igauna cage so to keep the mess down under there and the rest i pour around my flower beds
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0.1 Miami Phase Corn
1.0 Normal Corn
0.1 Standard Ball Python
0.0.1 Legless Lizard
1.1 Lepored Geckos
0.2 Green Iguanas
0.1 Blue Stripe Iguana
0.0.1 Blue Tounge Skink

If you leave a cup of water sitting out, you know what you have a week later...??? WATER

It might be a little dusty, but it's not gonna hurt anything. Plus, I'm sure he adds some because otherwise half or more will have evaporated over that time period.

I change the water and clean out the water bowl once a week, when I clean the turds out (off the newspaper or paper towels). During the week I'll top it off with fresh when need be due to evaporation. I can't imagine repti-bark, because I'd never see my milk snake and I'd always wonder if/where there was crap.

Just my 2 cents...

Walt

I always used newspaper in the 80's and 90's, but as I moved more to Pits and Milks in the past year or so, they seemed to appreciate the ability to burrow in the aspen, so I ended up switching my kings and corns over to it.

I've always just changed that water bowl once a week or when the snake deficated in it. Bearing in mind that a snake doesn't drink every day like we do. Of course, they seem to make a B-Line for the water dish when I change it...I'm sure they appreciate the clean water!

I've always thought I kept my cages cleaner than most, but it's good to know that there are others who work harder than I do to keep theirs clean...will make me more mindful of it.

Appreciate everyone's replies.

Michael

The only time I've ever seen my snakes drink was when they came home for the first time. They definitely bee-lined for the water and gulped it down then (indicating dehydration due to travel, somehow?).

Since then, I think they get most of their water from their weekly pinkie. Either that, or they're drinking at night (except for my milk, who never comes out...lol).

Walt

>>First I will say I use aspen.
I try to check all of my snakes everday. If not every day then every other day.
I check for any waste and remove it immediately.
I remove all the aspen from around the waste and replace with new.
I pay close attention to the aspen around the water dish.
If it gets wet. I replace it.
I don't usually do complete aspen changes but only because most of the aspen gets changed through regular cleanings anyway.
I let my eyes and nose guide me on how much aspen I replace.
I replace water as needed. And clean water bowls once a week.
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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"resistance is futile"
Jimmy (draybar)

Draybars Snakes

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Substrate turnover has to be related to the size/style of enclosure. My Corn is in a 42 inch long by 24 inch deep by 27 inch high with a den box 2.5 feet below the main level. He usually poops in the den. The main level and the ledge are rarely pooped on. How often would you completely change out those levels?