Keeping reptile room smelling fresh.

[woahamie]

Is there any way of doing that?
I mean, I know that it's always gonna smell like something, but is it okay to use those gel thingies for smell?

[snake man12]

My snakes don't really smell at all. Maybe one of those pine tree car air fresheners.

[woahamie]

My snakes don't really smell at all. Maybe one of those pine tree car air fresheners.

Mine doesn't either, but I have a few other types of reptiles that do tend to get smelly. On top of my huge cricket container.:mad:

[snake man12]

I see. Also I know that snakes have a very sensitive respiratory system and that it can get irritated easily so choose wisely.

[MDT]

The best way to get rid of the smell is to have a spouse who delights in announcing that "your animals stink".....sure fire way to get you to 'eliminate' the offensive odor :)

Remember, when momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.....

[CDN_Blood]

The best way to get rid of the smell is to have a spouse who delights in announcing that "your animals stink".....sure fire way to get you to 'eliminate' the offensive odor :)

Remember, when momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.....

HAHAha! That sounds effective, and as MDT has discovered, I think the moral here is to clean as they go so that everyone is happy and the rooms don't stink. They'll feel better for being clean, you'll feel better for hopping to it when something needs to be cleaned and that'll keep our respective 'Mommas' happy, too :)

[shaunyboy]

My snakes don't really smell at all. Maybe one of those pine tree car air fresheners.

i would NOT use any type of air freshener in a snake room,some of the chemicals contained in them,can be harmful to,or even kill a snake

re pine
pine sap,oil etc kills carpet pythons

i know the little green pine tree air fresheners,are most likely a man made chemical and NOT actual pine tree by products,but.....

you don't know how, a snakes going to react to certain chemicals

to be honest i have NEVER had any bad smells,in any of the snake rooms i've been in

as long as you spot clean when required,there should be NO long lasting smells

cheers shaun

[Terranaut]

I can relate to the op. I have a beardie. Holy fricken moly it stinks. Best way to fix it is to clean it. My snakes hardly stink at all other than my king. Just clean it right away and fire a window open. No sprays or chemicals.

[CDN_Blood]

I concur about never using chemicals :cool:

[Lankyrob]

My snakes are all in the living room with us, the only time there is a smell is if we miss a poo and as soon as you smell it you clean it and the smell is gone :)

[Slcburm]

I know it sounds odd but once I switched to paper towels and do quick spot cleanings it doesn't smell nearly as bad as before. Even the wife is happy. Lol

[Rogue628]

I don't allow any chemicals around my snakes at all for fear of them reacting negatively to it. I'm also really OCD about cleanliness when it comes to my animals so I'm always cleaning enclosures lol.

Back in the 90's when I kept snakes, I used bedding and I did notice that sometimes the enclosures had a slight odor to them, but I think it was the bedding and not the animal because when I cleaned and changed bedding, I could still smell it slightly.

Now days I keep most of my animals on paper and I have never noticed a smell unless it's because one just pooped and I clean it immediately.

[mykee]

The only way to keep the bad stink down is to clean clean clean. I clean my rodents every 2-3 days; a lot of work, but it works to keep the smell down.
As for the stink of rats and rodents in general, there is absolutely nothing you can do to eliminate it. The food, (if you use an extruded lab diet) also has its own distinct rank to it.
There will always be a "barn" odour to your rodents, deal with it.

[ssshane]

Depending on the size of the collection, you can spot clean daily but find a nice mess waiting for you the next day. I am feeding some type of snake 4 or 5 days out of any given week. Since I breed mainly Colubrids, there is a mess to clean daily in my snake building. And as others have said, no chemicals in the snake room.

[KORBIN5895]

Depending on the size of the collection, you can spot clean daily but find a nice mess waiting for you the next day. I am feeding some type of snake 4 or 5 days out of any given week. Since I breed mainly Colubrids, there is a mess to clean daily in my snake building. And as others have said, no chemicals in the snake room.

Thanks for reminding me why I really don't want to get more corn snakes.

[Rogue628]

Thanks for reminding me why I really don't want to get more corn snakes.


I don't know about that. I think I'd rather deal with cleaning up after colubrids than my big girls. They can put big dogs to shame :no:

However, I don't mind it because it gives me a reason to take one or two out everyday for cage cleaning. lol (mainly urates or changing the paper where they've spilled their water)

[beardeds4life]

I have a beardie and oh my god sometimes if I am not home all day I come home and the poop has been baking in the lights all day it releases odor and can make me gag. My dragon has worse smelling poop than most.

[Terranaut]

I have a beardie and oh my god sometimes if I am not home all day I come home and the poop has been baking in the lights all day it releases odor and can make me gag. My dragon has worse smelling poop than most.

Beardie poo has got to be one of the worst out there.
Since I built my reptile room and put my beardie out there she has gone twice.
The second time I could smell it from outside. Absolutely disgusting! But we love her :)

[jarich]

Have to agree. I thought monitor crap was the worst until I got my bearded. That thing can make your eyes water!

[SpOoKy]

You can try putting a small bowl of white vinegar in the room. I find it soaks up any odors that may be hanging around. also an open box or baking soda helps. Be sure not to keep them too close in case of a knock over. Baking soda volcano all over the place! :)

[iBaman]

I use this citrus magic stuff from wal mart. All it is is water and vegetable enzyme complex. works wonders in both the cat box room and snakes. There's no smell to it either, it just eats the odors ^-^

[woahamie]

I use this citrus magic stuff from wal mart. All it is is water and vegetable enzyme complex. works wonders in both the cat box room and snakes. There's no smell to it either, it just eats the odors ^-^

Do you have the exact name for it?

[Wildside]

Do you have the exact name for it?

I used the Bright n Fresh stuff from the dollar store that had the citrus scent. It was a jar air freshener just set in the room not in any cages. Baking soda will definitely work. I've also never had a problem with incense or fragrant plants.

Mykee was right about the rats though but I had a few tricks that would make them more tolerable between cleanings. Baking soda in the bedding for one and 1 tsp. of vanilla in the water.

[mykee]

Activate charcoal works too.

[iBaman]

Do you have the exact name for it?

Citrus magic =] its over by the litter boxes at wal Mart

[beardeds4life]

I am going to try the baking soda trick!

[Wildside]

Activate charcoal works too.


In the rat bedding?

[exwizard]

The best way to get rid of the smell is to have a spouse who delights in announcing that "your animals stink".....sure fire way to get you to 'eliminate' the offensive odor :)

Remember, when momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.....

This is so true but I dont have to deal with that anymore. Now its me because ALL my snakes are in my bedroom except the 2 new Corns I recently got and they are in quarantine. I use newspaper exclusively so if they soil their enclosures, I know about it right away and take care of it right away. As a result, there is no smelly problem.

[KSTAR]

i just always make sure my bedding and enclosures are clean and you should have no issues at all...

[mykee]

"In the rat bedding? "
Lol, no just in the room.

[Wildside]

Lol, no just in the room.

So just charcoal sitting in the room absorbs offensive animal odors?


I promise I'm not stupid trolling or anything I just have never heard of this and might be able to use it in the future.

[mykee]

Activated charcoal is found in the aquarium section of any pet store. It's one of the filters in an aquarium water filter set up; you've got the the sponge-like material and you've got a bag of activated charcoal. It comes in a fine mesh bag, so it won't dirty up anything (too bad); just sit in on a shelf in your snake room and it will absorb a great deal of odour.

The best thing to use though is a bathroom vent fan; hook it up to a 4 or 6" flexible exhaust tubing out your window and ALL odour will be gone. The higher the CFM, the better.

[Wildside]

Activated charcoal is found in the aquarium section of any pet store. It's one of the filters in an aquarium water filter set up; you've got the the sponge-like material and you've got a bag of activated charcoal. It comes in a fine mesh bag, so it won't dirty up anything (too bad); just sit in on a shelf in your snake room and it will absorb a great deal of odour.

The best thing to use though is a bathroom vent fan; hook it up to a 4 or 6" flexible exhaust tubing out your window and ALL odour will be gone. The higher the CFM, the better.


LOL I knew what you were talking about. I probably have more fish than herps ;) I never did think about using that to get rid of odor though. I never really associated carbon as being an odor eliminator as well as a detoxing agent.

[KORBIN5895]

So just charcoal sitting in the room absorbs offensive animal odors?


I promise I'm not stupid trolling or anything I just have never heard of this and might be able to use it in the future.

Activated carbon is used in a lot of air purifiers to help absorb odor.

Activated charcoal is found in the aquarium section of any pet store. It's one of the filters in an aquarium water filter set up; you've got the the sponge-like material and you've got a bag of activated charcoal. It comes in a fine mesh bag, so it won't dirty up anything (too bad); just sit in on a shelf in your snake room and it will absorb a great deal of odour.

The best thing to use though is a bathroom vent fan; hook it up to a 4 or 6" flexible exhaust tubing out your window and ALL odour will be gone. The higher the CFM, the better.
I was picking up rats last night ( during which I had a 500+g latch on to my pinky) and he had a fan going like that. The down side is the outside smells like rat poop.

[mykee]

But you don't live outside your house, do you?
Eff the neighbours!