May be a stupid question...

I like to disinfect with f-10 and change bedding once a month maybe a little much but I would rather have a clean tub and health snakes than risk bacterial infections. It can get expensive but I use inexpensive bedding I buy from amazon the brand is called kaytee 8 cubic feet last a LONG time usually buy 16 cf at a time.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

No spot cleaning here...Everyone is on paper and it gets changed completely as needed...I have spare tubs clean and filled with paper ready to go...They get a whole new tub and I clean the top of the shelf in the rack too.

They also get a new water bowl that has been scrubbed and disinfected.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...2012-10-20.jpg

snakes are checked daily, whenever there's a mess, the dirty tub is pulled out and replaced with a fresh one with new paper substrate. dirty tub is washed, dried, and lined with fresh paper ready for the next job.

Hmmm...

If you are replacing a good chunk of bedding when you spot clean, that is a good thing! *May* not require as often a severe thorough disinfecting. However, I am thinking of the care of your vive as well. For example, my PVC gets stained -- kinda looks like an oil stain -- from liquid urates. So, to keep the PVC in tip-top shape, I do a thorough cleaning with vinegar about every 4-8 weeks depending. I TRY to do it every 4 or 5 weeks, but sometimes ends up being a couple later...

If you have a larger vive, that will be a factor to consider. Or if your snake goes in the water dish... or on your lap... then may not need to change as often. ;)

But as it has been said on this forum many times, it is better to be proactive than reactive, and not wait for an issue to appear before it is taken care of.

All the best!

Quote:

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whats the longest you should go inbetween changing substrate.

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It's not about how long you should go, this will vary from one person to another based on the substrate used.

It's about common sense and clean your enclosure when needed.

Keep in mind that unsanitary conditions do lead to scale rot.

Every month or two max, with very thorough spot cleaning. Unless I feel it's been a messy month.

I personally follow the rule of thumb of spot clean when necessary, and fully clean housing once a month