Switching to disposable deli cup water dishes

My question is how do you keep your snakes from knocking over the deli cups? Ive seen some of BHBs videos where they have like a built in cup holder and some of the new tubs even come with plastic water holders built right in... Does anyone use the deli cups without a holder to put them in? I use to use a ceramic bowl that I picked up from petco or someplace but I found out that it seems like a slimy film would form over the bottom of the bowl... I switched all my bowls to plastic dog bowls I got from Target and I have yet to run into the slimy film issue with these. I'm just curious as to how people who use deli cups with out a holder keep their snakes from spilling the water all over the tub.

I use the disposable deli cups for my baby tubs. I pop riveted a deli cup to the bottom of the tub on one end and then I just pop in a fresh one every other week. Its great they can't knock them over and I don't have to worry about keeping water bowls cause they are attached to the tub. :D

So, maybe I am ignorant on this but, if the dishes are being cleaned, what does it matter what snake they go back to?

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Originally Posted by MasonC2K

So, maybe I am ignorant on this but, if the dishes are being cleaned, what does it matter what snake they go back to?

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Better safe than sorry.

I use 4" PVC couplers to hold the disposable cups...this way the snakes don't knock them over they just slide them around. When it is time to change their water just pop in a new cup...no mess no fuss.

The cost of the cups new is only about 5 cents in bulk which is cheaper than the soap and time combined to clean them (and there is no risk of soap or bleach not being rinsed away well enough and the snake ingesting it).

I recycle the used ones as well.

For adults I like to use large dog dishes. They add more surface area for higher humidity (very nice in ARS racks), they provide a place for the adults to soak, and they also provide a nice "hide" spot behind the water bowl. That and they are bigger and easier to clean. :)

For hatchlings/juvies I have converted over to the disposable 8oz deli cups from superior enterprises (I hear ARS has them fairly cheap as well ). With alot of hatchlings it is easier and saves time yet also provides the same soaking area and humidity.

So I guess I'm semi-green :D

My 2 cents

Thanks,

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Originally Posted by Morphie

Without a controlled study that provides evidence that snakes who drink from disposable cups are spared a significant risk in comparison with those who drink from ceramic bowls, i will continue to think of people who use disposable as incredibly selfish, and will favor the less wasteful breeders.

If you're referring to the big breeders that i know, you're also talking about people who feed their snakes live prey. While i have no problem with that, there is a risk associated with it, which they are happy to take. I don't think it's a matter of risk mitigation with the waterbowls so much as convenience. A dishwasher makes the risk a non-issue anyway, and it's cheap and easy to use, so there really is no excuse for all the waste.

Hopefully they at least recycle. :taz: :salute: :( :please:

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Do you have a dishwasher that will wash 1000 water dishes a week or the time to hand wash 1000? I don't and won't judge those that don't either. And where does all the soapy water go that's required to clean that many? How green is that?

I personally will be moving to the disposable deli cups soon myself, and I have a very modest collection.

I'm also not sure your point on live prey - I also feed live, always have. I haven't seen any risk in feeding live - over 3000 live prey fed off and not one injury - pretty low risk in my sampling.

I have two waterdishes for each snake, One that is in the tank, and one that is cleaned. When it's cleaning day I just take out the dirty dish, and put the clean one in. Than I clean the dirty one when i have more time. That way i can clean the cages fast and get the snakes in without having to wait for a water dish. I color cordinate too..

but than, i only have a few snakes.

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Without a controlled study that provides evidence that snakes who drink from disposable cups are spared a significant risk in comparison with those who drink from ceramic bowls, i will continue to think of people who use disposable as incredibly selfish, and will favor the less wasteful breeders.

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Most larger breeders go disposable for business reasons they are paying someone or are logging their time when it comes to cleaning.
Now I can store 5000 disposable deli cups in the same foot print that I can 1000 non-disposable bowls then disposable is the way to go. Also if it takes an employee or me 30 seconds to 1 minute to clean and refill one non-disposable but I can toss and fill 30 deli cups in one minute then for the payroll overhead budget its cheaper for the business to go disposable that cost saving is then reflected in the price I have to charge for that animal. Which is better for my customer.

Now if you have the a small collection or the time hey go with crocks or dog bowls all my bigger animals have them but for baby's its much easier to use the deli cups based on the size tub I use instead of trying to find a bowl that will fit.

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Originally Posted by lord jackel

I use 4" PVC couplers to hold the disposable cups...this way the snakes don't knock them over they just slide them around. When it is time to change their water just pop in a new cup...no mess no fuss.

The cost of the cups new is only about 5 cents in bulk which is cheaper than the soap and time combined to clean them (and there is no risk of soap or bleach not being rinsed away well enough and the snake ingesting it).

I recycle the used ones as well.

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oooh...looks like I spurred a debate! I like it.

I did some experimenting with the disposables. I have them in two racks right now just to see how it goes. I went to Lowe's and got the 4" PVC couplers. Of the 4" PVC couplers there are two sizes for different thickness pipes. Both seem to work, but the cup sits better in the thinner coupler. However, it seems like this coupler would be easier to tip over although it hasn't happened yet. Do you use the thick or thin couplers?

Both of the couplers seem too high. They are about 4" tall, and I'm not sure the exact dimensions of the 32 quart tub, but it seems like the snake then only has 2" of clearance to come over the top and drink. Seems like kind of a tight squeeze to me. Anyone else have any thoughts on this??

Does anyone cut these couplers in half? Or use them as is?

I like the green debate on washing/electricity/water vs creation of dishes/landfill waste etc...keep it going!

JonV