Should i change the bark in my snake's tank?

ive had my BP for about 5 months now.. but i never changed the bark inside the tank.. i just shake it around once in awhile 2 get some cleaner pieces on the top.. should i go buy some new bark?

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Originally Posted by 51-50 Python

ive had my BP for about 5 months now.. but i never changed the bark inside the tank.. i just shake it around once in awhile 2 get some cleaner pieces on the top.. should i go buy some new bark?

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You should change it once a month. Even though it looks clean you have to think about all the bacteria growing in the tank.

thanks for the feedback.. do you think i did any damage to my BP by not changing it?

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Originally Posted by 51-50 Python

thanks for the feedback.. do you think i did any damage to my BP by not changing it?

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You never know, but I dont think so :)
Remember to spot clean every day also. You know, pick up old sheds, poop and all that.

Good luck!

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Originally Posted by 51-50 Python

ive had my BP for about 5 months now.. but i never changed the bark inside the tank.. i just shake it around once in awhile 2 get some cleaner pieces on the top.. should i go buy some new bark?

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Well let's see, would you enjoy sleeping in your bed if you hadn't changed the sheets in 5 months and you had a problem with bedwetting?

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Originally Posted by 51-50 Python

ive had my BP for about 5 months now.. but i never changed the bark inside the tank.. i just shake it around once in awhile 2 get some cleaner pieces on the top.. should i go buy some new bark?

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Don't get anymore snakes.

Hey come on and give the guy a break. He whants to do the right thing, or else he wouldn't have asked.

When I got my first ball python, the petstore told me to change the bedding every 6 month...

every month or two throw away all the bark (are you using cypress?) and wash the inside surfaces of the tank before putting fresh bark in. This will keep bacteria and other pests down. You should also wash out the water dishes and hides
I wash the hides when I do the bark, but wash the water dishes AT LEAST once a week. I also wash out the water dishes if I find any poo in the cage since he may have gotten it on him and then dragged it through the water dish.

you asked a good question :gj:

I agree that you asked a good question. I think it's already been answered here, so I won't repeat it. I think people forget that not everyone lives on snake forums or have tons of friends with snakes. Most of the husbandry unfortunately comes from the pet store where the snake was bought. For the record the Barkers change out the aspen every 2-3 months with spot cleaning done regularly, so not everyone uses the same schedule. I switched to newspaper just recently and I love it. When someone poops it takes just a moment to change the paper.

yeah, I go two months on substrate, with daily spot cleaning.

water dishes though, one or more times a week with disinfectant!