# Ball Pythons > BP Husbandry >  How often do you change your snake bedding?

## EvesFriend

Whenever it gets really dirty or every 1-2 months (for me).

----------


## Seru1

I asked a breeder once and they said about once a month is fine. So thats my schedule.

----------


## baller29

Once a month, Clean, Disinfect, change bedding.

----------


## Danounet

I do it when they "make" it dirty.

----------


## MitsuMike

Pretty much weekly or more often. I will clean if the food makes a mess like when they get the pee squeezed outta them, or when they poo or pee. Mine pee around twice a week and poop every 2 weeks.
Im on paper towels though so it takes like 1 min to change

----------


## jjmitchell

kinda hard question. some of my snakes are prone to being way messier than others. I base it on the animal spot clean constantly and completley change when spot cleaning is not an option.

----------


## blackcrystal22

Depends on the rate I can spot clean and how messy they are.
If it's real bad or they shed everywhere, I might replace the whole thing or just half.

Otherwise, it's every month or so.

----------


## A.VinczeBPs

Depends. Normally if they poop or pee I just change the newspaper. If they manage to get it directly on the bin it goes in for cleaning. If not, once a month we have a cleaning day. :Good Job:

----------


## seeya205

I do a complete change monthly or as needed!  It all depends on the substrate used!

----------


## j_h_smith

If you use a substrate, then you can spot clean and change out the substrate at a much longer interval.  If you use newspaper or paper towels, you will clean the entire tub more often, thus change out the paper more often as well.

Jim Smith

----------


## EvesFriend

> Pretty much weekly or more often. I will clean if the food makes a mess like when they get the pee squeezed outta them, or when they poo or pee. Mine pee around twice a week and poop every 2 weeks.
> Im on paper towels though so it takes like 1 min to change



With Aspen bedding I can just pick up their mess with a napkin and then sprinkle a little more aspen in the cage. Really helps out a lot as I don't need to change the place that often.  :Smile: 

I can understand that with something like newspaper or paper towels it would be a bigger problem.

----------


## RichsBallPythons

I use bounty paper towel and each time they pee/poop everything is wiped down with cholorhexidine each time.

----------


## exiled reptile

if it gets really bad i'll change as needed. but once a month suits me and my balls just fine. :Very Happy:

----------


## saber2th

I will spot clean, then usually clean and disinfect and replace bedding every two weeks.

----------


## Kaorte

I change it every time the snake uses the bathroom. Then again, I use paper towels so complete substrate changes are quick and easy.

----------


## mechnut450

when ever it dirty, they shed (cause they usually make it dirty then ) or at least once a month . 

It just happens they usually make a mess within a week of it being cleaned most the time. so it does get done moer often thant  minimum..  I just wish I could sell the used beddign as muclh  since mom decides it better t ouse it as such instead of tossing out lol.. saves a lot of trash space in the can.  plus afte ra n hour outside it no longer smells lol..  I might just dig alarge hoel inthe yard and start to dump it in there and light it off once a year and let it burn down. then use the ash as  yard fert.  lol

----------


## SERPENT_MASTERS

Since i use paper towels and newspaper i spot change twice a week due to water spills and bowel movement. I clean the racks with quat plus pet area cleaner, deodorizer and stain remover once a week. Side bar i am able to clean so often stress free because i only have 8 ball pythons 6 girls 2 boys  :Wink:

----------


## jben

i use unprinted newspaper, so i clean whenever it's dirty.

----------


## mainbutter

I voted 'other'.

I keep snakes on a variety of beddings..  Newspaper for the carpet python and cypress mulch for the rainbow boas.  Newspaper gets full changes every time it's dirty, and cypress mulch with much smaller snakes on it doesn't get a full change very often.

In addition, I'm going to be aquiring two new hatchlings in about 2 months, and I'm going to experiment with bio-active substrate in a terrarium setting.  Ideally, with regular removal of large fecal matter and stirring of the substrate, it should not need to be replaced fully ever, as many people have gone years without needing full substrate replacement.

----------


## mrmertz

I chose "other" 'cuz we don't stick to a rigid timetable. It varies. They get checked daily for everything and then every other day or so their aspen bedding gets turned, particularly the Blood python as he gets water everywhere. That's critical to prevent scale rot, molds, fungi, mushrooms, assorted small fruit trees and lawyers from rising from the depths of the muck.

----------


## mrmertz

> I change it every time the snake uses the bathroom. Then again, I use paper towels so complete substrate changes are quick and easy.


You keep substrate on the bathroom floor?  :Very Happy:

----------

_CoolioTiffany_ (05-03-2010)

----------


## CoolioTiffany

I change the bedding about every month since I use aspen bedding.  People who use a more solid substrate like newspaper or paper towels have to change it more often, on about a weekly basis more or less.

I personally like using aspen bedding because it is so simple to spot clean and it takes me only a few seconds to spot clean.  I think the snakes feel more comfortable on it and can make their own little comfy spot too. :Very Happy:

----------


## CA cowgirl

> kinda hard question. some of my snakes are prone to being way messier than others. I base it on the animal spot clean constantly and completley change when spot cleaning is not an option.


yeppers, same here
I've found a source for aspen bedding by the bale, for a great price, but since the vet recommended against wood products all together, I am considering reaching out to the local paper and asking if they sell or donate their end rolls.  Then I'd clean every time there's turds or urates, which would be really good for my pythons.

----------


## Bruce Whitehead

I clean PRN, whenever they get it dirty or dump a dish. First thing when I get home and last thing before I go to bed (usually) is stick my head into the snake room and have a peek.

And I change most everyone's paper mondays and thursdays (so as to catch garbage day the next mornings), I do not change it if I know I just changed within two days.

Bruce

----------


## DLoc

I use cypress mulch (repti-bark) which I like to change monthly. This is simply do to it drying out even with misting regularly. Minnesota has a pretty low humidity level most of the year. That way if I mist enough where nasties grow it's changed before it becomes a real threat. 5% bleach 95% water to clean, then rinse with fresh water, then dry and fill.

----------


## CeeJay

> i use unprinted newspaper, so i clean whenever it's dirty.


Where can you buy that?  Thanks.

----------


## Greekinese

It's been about 2.5 weeks since I started, but I just spot clean whenever I see poop in the tank.

Not sure if I'm going to do a complete cleaning of everything or if I can just spot clean dirty spots.
After spot cleaning, I just put fresh aspen bedding down and spray with this stuff:

----------

