BP "check up" and tank cleaningquestion

Not everyone has or wants to spend $30 on a cleaning product. There are other options that are more cost effective and do a very good job. I don't think we need to be assuming someone shouldn't keep a snake just on the basis of what cleaning product they can afford to choose.

Now as far as a good and inexpensive cleaning routine here's what I do. When you spot clean feces and urates/urine, make sure you are getting right to the bottom of the enclosure and a fair bit around the messy area. Liquids do tend to spread in loose bedding, so you want to make sure it get it all up. Once a month or so, put the snake in a safe container and strip out the enclosure. Soak the hides and water dish in hot water, a drop or two of dish soap and some bleach (use 1 part bleach to 10 parts water). While that's soaking give your enclosure a good scrub out with hot water and dish soap making sure you get into the corners really well. Rinse out the soapy water. Then fill it with the same 1 to 10 solution of bleach/water and let it soak a good 20 minutes or so.

Rinse both the tank and the hides/dishes with repeated rinses of clear water until no whiff of bleach can be detected. Wipe off with a paper towel and there you go! Lovely clean stuff for your snake within only a few pennies spent and a bit of time and elbow grease. :) I've been doing it this way for years with my 30-40 snakes enclosures and I've yet to have any problems with this method. I do their hides and water dishes usually every two weeks and a full strip out about every 4 to 6 weeks (on a rotating basis so I'm not doing all of them the same day which wrecks my lower back).

I am also on a very tight budget and I use the same cleaing methods that frankykeno suggested. I find it to be very effective.

thank you, i will use that method for my bp too :)

I spray the tub with a mix of bleach and water. Then, I rinse/wipe down fairly well with a mixture of dish soap and hot water. Hides and water bowls get washed with dish soap and hot water as well.