Scientific evidence for cleaning products eliciting excrement?

I do have to wonder if there there is a causal link between cleaning the cage and the excretion of all waste within 6-12 hours :) My normal female either has an agenda to make me curse or there may be something to the cleaning products! Anybody else make this observation as well?

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Originally Posted by ewaldrep

I do have to wonder if there there is a causal link between cleaning the cage and the excretion of all waste within 6-12 hours :) My normal female either has an agenda to make me curse or there may be something to the cleaning products! Anybody else make this observation as well?

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There is.

It has nothing to do with the cleaning product itself, but the act of cleaning. Studies were done at zoos decades ago which showed not only that this occurs, but why.

Take a couple of guesses...........

FYI: Google aficionados beware - you will be hard pressed to find this info with a web search.......

I thought this would be more of a funny titled thread than anything but since we are taking guesses and I got it started I will go initially with exercise. I can imagine that moving from the home enclosure to another will involve more exercise and that can help move the digestive process along much like a human going on a distance run.

Another thought would be that the animals leave a chemical trace, phermones or otherwise, that allows other snakes to know that the area is already inhabited by another. Cleaning the tub could remove the scent and signal to the animal that it would be advantageous to "mark" the territory.

There are my two softballs, I could go to the research databases but I spend enough time doing that for my own research and prefer to take breaks on the weekend :)

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Originally Posted by ewaldrep

I thought this would be more of a funny titled thread than anything but since we are taking guesses and I got it started I will go initially with exercise. I can imagine that moving from the home enclosure to another will involve more exercise and that can help move the digestive process along much like a human going on a distance run.

Another thought would be that the animals leave a chemical trace, phermones or otherwise, that allows other snakes to know that the area is already inhabited by another. Cleaning the tub could remove the scent and signal to the animal that it would be advantageous to "mark" the territory.

There are my two softballs, I could go to the research databases but I spend enough time doing that for my own research and prefer to take breaks on the weekend :)

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You hit the second softball.

Studies illustrated that if you leave a little bit of the old scent in there - for example by removing and replacing substrate but not by cleaning the furnishings or scrubbing down the floor of the enclosure - the snake won't immediately soil your hard work.

So you're saying i can make my snake poop by cleaning his enclouser?

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Originally Posted by Skiploder

You hit the second softball.

Studies illustrated that if you leave a little bit of the old scent in there - for example by removing and replacing substrate but not by cleaning the furnishings or scrubbing down the floor of the enclosure - the snake won't immediately soil your hard work.

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Never would have figured that one!

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Originally Posted by Skiploder

You hit the second softball.

Studies illustrated that if you leave a little bit of the old scent in there - for example by removing and replacing substrate but not by cleaning the furnishings or scrubbing down the floor of the enclosure - the snake won't immediately soil your hard work.

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Thanks Skiploder, I always appreciate little tidbits of knowledge like this. :) Not necessarily stuff that I NEED to know, but further insight into reptilian behavior is always fascinating. And the better we understand them, the better we can interpret their needs and behaviors.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Skiploder

You hit the second softball.

Studies illustrated that if you leave a little bit of the old scent in there - for example by removing and replacing substrate but not by cleaning the furnishings or scrubbing down the floor of the enclosure - the snake won't immediately soil your hard work.

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I was going with "sheer spite".

:cool:

Mine do it out of spite. I do not use cleaners or disinfectants on my tubs unless they're really gross, or if the tub is going to house a new animal. Just scrape out old bedding, wipe out with paper towel if wet, put in new bedding and mist down before adding snake. I've always figured the rise in humidity is what triggers it.