i need help again, for ball pythons

[VolleywolfMKH]

ok this might sound really stupid but how to you change its bedding if my snake deficates or spills its water?? :sick: lol

[Jenfur427]

What kind of bedding are you using????

[VolleywolfMKH]

well since i havent gotten the snake yet, i can choose any type of bedding. whats the easiest to clean

[WingedWolf]

Newspaper would be the absolute easiest to clean, IMO.

You remove the snake, wrap up the mess, and throw it away--then clean the cage with soap and water. A product like quatricide can also be used. You should sterilize it every month or so. Be sure to rinse very well and dry thoroughly afterward.

Use a thick pad of newspaper, you'll be happier with the result.

[cheebo1]

you can also use flukers repta bark it is a kind of bark some books and people will say not to use it because it will get stuck in the animals mouth when feeding but i have had my snake for 5 years and use it and it works marvolously. no stuck..
the bark will also soak up the spilled water and dry it out quickly and will oonly raise your tanks humidity level about 3 percent and thatw ill go down in a matter of hours
with the defecating the chemicals mine has deficated in my tank i have cleaned the parts up that has the deficite on it and just fill in the spot.

but makesure not to use sand unlioke the repta bark it will be taken in and clog up intestines


thats all i got for ya for now :wavey:

[Rebekah]

hi,
it's not that hard. when one of my snakes "goes potty", I just take toilet paper and remove it (I use a soil made of crushed coconuts from the store) from their cage and flush it down the toilet.If they spill the water dish a little don't worry about it. if it is on the side with the light on it, it will evaporate. then you won't have to spray their cage that day.

another thing is that I don't recommend using newspaper. alot of people prefer to use this, but as snakes grow they like more natural looking things. If I were you I would use mulch that is MADE FOR reptiles or different types of soils they sell at the store.

hope that helps,
rebekah

[ballprincess]

I was using repti bark but the debree always got stuck uderneath his scales. so now im using doggie pads. they are great insulating the heat during the cols weather and when they get soiled you just pick it up like a newspaper and throw it away. They come in quantity so you dont have to run to the petstore everytime you need to clean the cage. I have a 20 gal long aquarium for my 6mnth bp. Hes very comfortable with it, and like not having to get the debree from repti bark underneath his belly scales.

[moongodess319]

I use newspaper or paper towel for hatchling or new snakes in quarantine because it is easier to clean the tank that way, but once they've been established I put them or repti-bark. I've been using it for years without problems (but I do feed them in a seperate container). I have a reptile 'pooper scooper' I use to scoop out dirty bedding and I just throw fresh bedding in to replace what came out.

Although I have to say, with young snakes its sometimes difficult to see when they defecate, you have to really watch for it. Another reason I prefer newspaper when they are young. ;)

[worldcupkeeper]

I use Aspen in all of my tanks and when my BP defecates its very easy to clean and its impossible to miss it, (since the snake is only 9 months old it can still take down a small rat very easy) and it is also a good idea to feed in a seperate container so the snake wont get impacted.

[moongodess319]

About the aspen bedding - do the shavings get caught under the scales like repti bark sometimes does? Also does it tend to get stuck to their mouths. I've seen people use it for leopard geckos and it gets stuck to their mouths when they're walking around 'tasting' things. I use aspen shavings for my mice/rats anyway so it would be more convenient than the bark.

On another note, I would recommend feeding in a different container anyway. Just so your hand going into the tank isn't assossiated with 'food'.

VolleywolfMKH - what kind of snake are you thinking of getting?

[worldcupkeeper]

I've never had any problems with the aspen, I use Aspen Chips instead of shavings. I've used the bark before and it gets in the way when my ribbon snake eats.

[o0sapphirerat0o]

newspaper and paper towels are the best, as are aspen shavings (I had a bad expierence with the bark stuff, I got a bad bag that had some kind of mites in it), and some people use carefress, cellsorb, and stuff like that.

As for them getting older and "liking more natural settings" unelss you get your snakes WC (Wild Caught), the snake isn't going to know whats "natural" and whats not.

If it has been raised on newspaper all it's life, then newspaper is what is "natural" for it.