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another noobie question: cleaning the viv

T

Thoth

the n00biest n00b
Where do you put your snake when you're cleaning the viv? Do you put it in the same container you use for feeding? Won't that cause the snake to think you're feeding it and then get it all bitey? She's too skittish for me to trust her to stay around my wrist or just leave her on the bed or something.

Also, how exactly do you clean porous/absorbent things like driftwood/grapevine/coconut shell hides? Do you just kinda rinse it off with water? Use a weak bleach solution?
 
I clean my viv's out while the snakes are feeding in their tubs, then they are secure and happy.
 
Thoth said:
Where do you put your snake when you're cleaning the viv? Do you put it in the same container you use for feeding? Won't that cause the snake to think you're feeding it and then get it all bitey? She's too skittish for me to trust her to stay around my wrist or just leave her on the bed or something.

Also, how exactly do you clean porous/absorbent things like driftwood/grapevine/coconut shell hides? Do you just kinda rinse it off with water? Use a weak bleach solution?
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I strip everything when my snakes are in their feeding tubs, throw out all the aspen and spray the inside of the viv, its just easier to do when their not in the way. I use "Healthy habitat" by Natural Chemistry for the tank, I guess you can use it for the things in the tank too, claims it can be used on gravel, rock and artificial plants. Says its safe for using even when the reptiles are still in there, but Ive never done that. :shrugs:
 
I also clean when my snake is eating. I use a weak bleach solution for both my tanks and the stuff in them. If you use bleach you must rinse many, many times. However, it is very effective at getting rid of any mites or other beasties that may be lurking in there.
 
My snakes go in their feeding tubs while I clean but I throw some substrate in first, so hopefully it won't seem like feeding time. I use a water and vinegar solution to clean everything (rinsed well afterwards) - my wife hates the smell of bleach.
 
I agree best time is during feeding time.
I put the snake in the feeding tub.
Empty out the trash, wipe out the cage with a bleach water solution, dry it and replace the aspen.
By the time the snake is done, so am I.
 
So for those of you who clean during feeding time and have yr snakes on newspaper/paper towels, do you just leave poops in the viv until the next feeding time? Or do you just kinda spot-rip the offending section of paper?
 
Thoth said:
So for those of you who clean during feeding time and have yr snakes on newspaper/paper towels, do you just leave poops in the viv until the next feeding time? Or do you just kinda spot-rip the offending section of paper?
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I have little ones on paper towel only, if I see poo, I toss the paper towel out completely and put new sheets down.


In the aspen, poop is harder to see......I would guess thats why we dump it all out as oppose to scooping out whatever is there. With the paper towel though, its just easier to toss the 3 sheets out, or whatever you use then to rip the part with poo and put another piece down.
 
Another vote for cleaning while eating for me. I also do spot cleaning though where I just take a tissue and clean up while the snake is still hiding in its home. Once in awhile I do need to do a whole tank clean at a time when my snake will not be eating. I have a few rearrangers who sometimes end up spilling the whole contents of their water bowls into their tubs. For these occasions I put my snake into a separate plastic tub, put a paper towel for the snake to hide under in, then take the plastic tub into a dark room. That way the snake will not be too disturbed by the fact that he is out of his tub.

One thing I've been thinking, is that although it is extremely convenient, feeding time might not be the best time to do a whole viv clean. When I put my snakes back into their newly cleaned enclosure they seem pretty stressed out. Since snakes are territorial they're probably thinking "wtf, where am I". They have to go through the whole ordeal of claiming the place as their own, and are likely to feel stressed out until this is done. Seems like the worst time to put stress on them like that is right after a meal.

My snakes seem to do fine though, I don't even remember the last time I had a regurge. I'll probably stick to cleaning while feeding despite my observations.
 
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