Question:I have a new ball python and I'm not sure how often I should be cleaning the tank and replacing the substrate (I'm using douglas fir shavings). I'm not even sure what I should be looking for in terms of feces.
Answers:
I have personally cleaned my tanks after every feces or shedding. Feces, and yes, dead skin can attract bacteria and parasites which could cause your snake/snakes to become ill. I also change their water daily. Feces are generally dark brown and white or black and white. (You will know it when you see it). It consists of feces and urine, as snakes only have one way to dispose of waste, out the cloaca (anus). If you have a substrate (some keepers just use artificial grass mats), you can just scoop the feces and surrounding area out and replace it with fresh (kind of like clumping kitty litter). Even if you do it this way, I still recommend an overall monthly cleaning with all new substrate. Also if you have more than one snake in an enclosure, you should clean any particular enclosure that a snake was fed in that will be used for keeping the other snakes in. Snakes can and will attack each other if they pick up the scent of a recent feeding. Hope this covers your basic inquiry.
I think you should clean the tank every week pick a day to do it and go to a pet shp about what u should use
cages should be cleaned once a week. Don't forget to thouroughly clean out its water dish as well. BPs need a constant clean water supply. Use either aspen bedding or newspaper in the bottom of the cage. Feces should look similar to bird feces without as much white.
You need to spot clean every day. And if you keep up with that you wont need to clean the cage but once a month or two. And snakes do not go to the bathroom until after they eat. Usually feces are brown or white and the do not pee. Good Luck!
You can't miss the faeces, it looks like bord droppings, but that's why I use vermiculite, it's easy to spot what to take out. I clean up when the snake's 'gone', as well as after a shed.
spot clean any time it poops. remove any wet substrate.
once a month replace all the substrate.
if it gets to stinkin', replace it sooner, but monthly should be plenty.
First of all, you should never use that type of substrate as it contains oils that are very dangerous to your snake. Any type of substrate from the pine/ cedar family should never be used. Aspen shavings are safe & very absorbant & you can use shredded news paper, a type of indoor/outdoor carpeting, some folks use sand or gravel, which is not really great for snakes but it is chemically harmless.
You should remove the feces as found, white & brown lumpy spots you'll notice lying on the substrate, as you see them & about once a month, break down the cage/pen & remove & replace all the substrate. Clean the cage with a water/bleach mix (a few oz. of bleach to a gallon of water). Make sure to thoroughly rinse the cage so there's no bleach smell left. Clean the water bowl at least weekly & change the water daily. Clean any rocks or hide spots when you break down the cage or as you notice them soiled with feces. The main thing is to keep the cage/pen clean & dry. Wet substrate, especially with a desert snake , can lead to big troubles healthwise.
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