How often to do actually CLEAN

[daver676]

I don't mean just changing the newspaper either. How often do you actually get out the sponge and bucket and clean your bp's enclosure and furniture. Myself, about every 2 weeks or so. How often SHOULD enclosures be cleaned?

Dave

[Jeff_Favelle]

You should NOT be doing that every two weeks. You are probably stressing out your snake, and much like other reptiles, your BP might be laying pheromone trails to mark its territory. And then every 2 weeks you're wiping that clean away? Even if BP's don't do that, you are just putting unnecessary stress on the snake. Every 2 weeks? Are you serious?

[sapphire_moon]

I do full cleaning about once a month. Sometimes twice a month, it just depends on how dirty it actually is. Usually only once a month though.

[Andy_G]

I do a full cleaning after a poop and that's pretty much it.

[elevation24]

I spot clean when I see a mess in there, but usually my snakes poop inside their hides So I have to look around a bit every few days.

I replace the substrate about once every 30 to 45 days, and I've never had to get down a scrub like that. Rubbermaids stay fairly clean as it is, I just get a large garbage bag and dump it into it and put new stuff in. There's never been a time where anything nasty actually touched the rubbermaid, so I don't see the point of scrubbing.

[daver676]

Originally posted by Jeff_Favelle
Every 2 weeks? Are you serious?

Yes, I'm serious. I asked for your advice, not your attitude.

Dave

[lilyskip]

I replace the newspaper when it gets skanky or pooped or peed on. I only clean if it smells really, really stank in there, which usually only equals once every few months or so.

[GI Joe]

I check for messes daily, change substrate monthly (or as needed) and scrub every 3-4 months (Probably tonight as a matter of fact).

jeff

[Bristen]

Originally posted by Jeff_Favelle
You should NOT be doing that every two weeks. You are probably stressing out your snake, and much like other reptiles, your BP might be laying pheromone trails to mark its territory. And then every 2 weeks you're wiping that clean away? Even if BP's don't do that, you are just putting unnecessary stress on the snake. Every 2 weeks? Are you serious?

Jeff,

maybe I'm a clean-freak or something, but how can an enclosure be healthy for the animals if they are not cleaned at least once every 2 weeks? I clean on every defecation and sometimes I have to clean inbetween because of excessive urates (this only occurs from time to time, but sometimes the mess is worst if they splashed some water around or something like that). I currently have my animals on unprinted newspaper, so I can't spot clean. I suppose you have shredded aspen or pine shavings and you spot clean most of the time?

Thanks,
Bristen.

[Tim_Cranwill]

Most of mine are on news paper and a few on aspen. I check their boxes every day or two and clean as necessary. As for a real "cleaning", not too often. Pretty much only when there is poop on the side of the bin or something obvious like that.

I do notice that certain snakes don’t really like it when I clean their bin. They get right down to messing it all up again as soon as I have it all “perfect”. But that’s mostly my cal kings and some milks… Little buggers....

[mykee]

Bristen, think about it, do the Africans come out into the jungle every second Saturday with their Swiffers, mops, vacuums, Windex, bleach and Shop-Vacs to clean the jungle floor of all the icky, icky snake poop and anything else that may be 'unsanitary'? I don't think so.

[Clownfishie]

Bristen, I'm pretty sure that what Jeff meant is that scrubbing out an enclosure every 2 weeks is a little excessive -- obviously, spot cleaning/changing of newspaper or whatever must be done on a more regular basis...

Personally, I change the newspaper whenever the snakes make a mess in there (urate/poop/whatever)... which generally happens every 1-2 weeks. Actual scrubbing down of the tubs I'll only do if the tub itself manages to get dirty, or every month or 2 for the snakes that require more humidity, just because of the dampness in there...

[Yve]

.....but that jungle floor is ALOT larger than an enclosure that can fill up with urates and feces quickly......i don't know....do snakes wallow in their crap in the wild?

[killaclown]

i just cleaned mine but i just switch 2 news paper so i have 2 see how that works

[Infectrix]

2 Cents, FWIW, IMHO, IMNSHO, and IMNSHBCO just in case.

"I let my snakes wallow in their excretions for months until I feel like cleaning out their enclosures. I also feed them live prey items, and feeding days are anywhere from once a week to once a month. I leave them Fairfax County tap water to drink. And speaking of water, I NEVER clean out the bowl, I just fill it back up whenever it's empty. I should also mention that I use dirt for substrate in all of my 50 gallon enclosures (for babies and adults alike). Usually there's mites and ticks but as long as they're kept INSIDE the enclosure then it's all good with me. And checkups by a vet? Pleeeease."

Now, some of you might see that as an attack but it's not meant to be. I have to go back to the basic fundamentals for my response to this one.

My whole perception of keeping BP's in captivity is that it's not supposed to be anything like the wild environments of their wild counterparts. To me, captivity is all about sterility. Parasite free prey items, clean and drinkable water, clean substrates, and an overall clean enclosure at all times. Ball Pythons born into and raised in a captive environment should be treated as such.

Of course there are a few exceptions from time to time like tap water and an occasional live prey item (although it's frowned upon).

I base the care of my snakes on my perception of keeping them in captivity, that's all.

How often SHOULD enclosures be cleaned?

I thoroughly clean an enclosure anytime I find pee or poop.