How often do you change your substrate?

I'm a little OCD and I like things to be clean, clean, clean. When I was using news paper and paper towels as a substrate it was very satisfying to be able to disinfect the tub and completely replace the newspaper every week. But I have since switched to cypress mulch which I like a lot more for humidity and aesthetic reasons and it's driving me nuts that I can't continue my old cleaning habits. I change it monthly but I still imagine the substrate as a cesspool of bacteria. I've thought about switching to aspen because it's cheaper but throwing out aspen every week seems very wasteful too me.

So I'm curious about what works for you. How often do you change your bedding and what bedding do you use?

I use aspen. I spot clean as necessary and change it all out once a month or if it's noticeably damp/wet. That may be from a spilled bowl or a really big pee/poop or whatever, but if it's not dry it's changed regardless of how soon it's been since I did a whole change (I can tell, because the aspen gets dark when it's wet at all really). Once a month, whether it's obviously gross or not, it gets changed.

More than that just... My snakes don't even go to the bathroom every week! I'm not sure what's growing bacteria, you know?

I use newspaper and i clean every week (unless they pee or poop)

- - - Updated - - -

I use newspaper and i clean every week (unless they pee or poop)

i change my newspaper bedding everytime it's wet/soiled. bacteria is normal with having organic matter in a humid environment. nothing you can do about it, no matter how clean you think it is, there's still bacteria everywhere. so do not stress about it. :)

The very few snakes I have that are completely on cypress or aspen get a full clean-out every 3-4 months in addition to spot cleaning the soiled areas as they appear.

I don't throw away the used bedding when I do the full clean-out, I put it on my veggie garden out back. Makes for a great mulch.

I do a full change every month. It goes hand in hand with the monthly disinfectant using F10 that I do on a monthly basis too!

I obviously remove any of the substrate that needs to be removed on a daily basis, and may disinfect the viv decorations if he soils them.

Ahhh... I'm bad.
Well, not "bad" bad. But probably could use a finger-waging. :colbert:

I *try* to do a thorough clean + disinfect once a month. Sometimes it's every other month, I'll admit... However, I do spot clean on the regular. I take a sniff every day, and when I smell something sour I go a diggin'. I use Aspen, and I use what I think is a decent amount (about 1-1.5" thick). My corn has got her favourite spots to go - never where she lays, luckily, nor in her water dish. It's been this way since I got her 11 months ago - woohoo!
The ball python poops about every 4-6 weeks, and so far it's been in plain sight and like the corn, never in the water dish. How did I get so lucky there?
I'm sure I could clean them a bit more often, but the past few times I've not been paying as much attention and kind of clean it when I feel it needs it.

So that's my dark side. No health issues to speak of, not even a retained or peicey shed, but I am going to give myself a kick in the keester and try to do it more often! ;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bcr229

The very few snakes I have that are completely on cypress or aspen get a full clean-out every 3-4 months in addition to spot cleaning the soiled areas as they appear.

I don't throw away the used bedding when I do the full clean-out, I put it on my veggie garden out back. Makes for a great mulch.

---

Haha, yup there's a reason all the mulch around my house is cypress

I do a full clean out about 4 times a year, spot clean everyday.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by NH93

My corn has got her favourite spots to go - never where she lays, luckily, nor in her water dish.

---

In the water dish actually isn't bad at all. Pour the contents down the toilet, snake gets a new clean dish, and the soiled one goes into the dishwasher on the "sterilize" setting.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bcr229

In the water dish actually isn't bad at all. Pour the contents down the toilet, snake gets a new clean dish, and the soiled one goes into the dishwasher on the "sterilize" setting.

---

Mine wee's in his water bowl all the time. Seems to be his little spot haha!

I use Sani Chips or Reptizorb liners.

I change the liners when they are soiled.

I spot clean the Sani-chips and change them out completely every few weeks or when there is a blow out (or somethimes if they spill all the water).

I do not mind it when they go in the water dish. I mostly use disposable deli cups, so just toss it and grab a new one.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bcr229

The very few snakes I have that are completely on cypress or aspen get a full clean-out every 3-4 months in addition to spot cleaning the soiled areas as they appear.

I don't throw away the used bedding when I do the full clean-out, I put it on my veggie garden out back. Makes for a great mulch.

---

Haha I do the same thing with my garden! It's pretty good at keeping the lil critters from digging/munching stuff in there too since it reeks of snake lol. But I use aspen so all the little shavings go in the garden or compost pile. Whichever one needs it the most.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Which type of bedding would you say is more absorbent? I'm currently using cypress but I've been thinking of switching to aspen.. My snakes like to burrow and I think aspen would be better for that, but I worry it will mold or there will be a persistent odor.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bcr229

In the water dish actually isn't bad at all. Pour the contents down the toilet, snake gets a new clean dish, and the soiled one goes into the dishwasher on the "sterilize" setting.

---

That's a good point! My concern would be sanitary drinking water ;) I see mine drink often (a couple times a week for sure) and I do have the dishes right up at the front of the glass for easy checking - just in case - but I do go away sometimes, and for a week at a time. I'd hate for them to go in the dish right after I change it, and not be able to have clean water for that long! I'm sure they'd be fine, but I don't want them drinking that ;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CptJack

I use aspen. I spot clean as necessary and change it all out once a month or if it's noticeably damp/wet. That may be from a spilled bowl or a really big pee/poop or whatever, but if it's not dry it's changed regardless of how soon it's been since I did a whole change (I can tell, because the aspen gets dark when it's wet at all really). Once a month, whether it's obviously gross or not, it gets changed.

More than that just... My snakes don't even go to the bathroom every week! I'm not sure what's growing bacteria, you know?

---

Yeah man total spot clean only. I grab a big wad of the soiled area and wipe the glass of urine. My snake room 2 balls in a large tank is very clean and doesnt smell like a reptile store. I can smell when they go potty or pee. I change the water and top off when needed but the aspen stays pretty legit and they walk everywhere so its all stomped down n tight. So the feces and pee stays on top making an easy tight clean. I like a pet which has no smell. I owned a kingsnake and it had a coco bedding that was the brick u soak type. Man that cage smelled and I am so happy to use aspen and have zero oder. Happy snake happy life :). Working on getting a second tank to separate them.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by purple python

Which type of bedding would you say is more absorbent? I'm currently using cypress but I've been thinking of switching to aspen.. My snakes like to burrow and I think aspen would be better for that, but I worry it will mold or there will be a persistent odor.

---

If I went too heavy misting a cage with aspen I would get mold, cypress doesn't give me that problem. I didn't really notice one being better with the smell, I don't smell anything bad in the room, so I guess both did the job for me.

I use Harland teklad aspen. We spot clean every week and do a full change with total wash and F10xd disinfectant as needed or once a month.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by OhhWatALoser

If I went too heavy misting a cage with aspen I would get mold, cypress doesn't give me that problem. I didn't really notice one being better with the smell, I don't smell anything bad in the room, so I guess both did the job for me.

---

How often did you completely replace each bedding?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by NH93

That's a good point! My concern would be sanitary drinking water ;) I see mine drink often (a couple times a week for sure) and I do have the dishes right up at the front of the glass for easy checking - just in case - but I do go away sometimes, and for a week at a time. I'd hate for them to go in the dish right after I change it, and not be able to have clean water for that long! I'm sure they'd be fine, but I don't want them drinking that ;)

---

Oh ick yeah I wouldn't either! But between the snakes, dogs, business, and family, my time away from my day job means I'm taking a "staycation" instead of a trip somewhere.

Can you give them two smaller dishes of water on opposite sides of the tub while you're gone so if one gets used as a toilet, the other should stay clean?

Maybe I do just have a sensitive nose, but when one snake has made a mess I know it as soon as I walk into the room. So, even my spot cleanings are thorough about removing all of the soiled substrate if the snake isn't on paper.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bcr229

Oh ick yeah I wouldn't either! But between the snakes, dogs, business, and family, my time away from my day job means I'm taking a "staycation" instead of a trip somewhere.

Can you give them two smaller dishes of water on opposite sides of the tub while you're gone so if one gets used as a toilet, the other should stay clean?

Maybe I do just have a sensitive nose, but when one snake has made a mess I know it as soon as I walk into the room. So, even my spot cleanings are thorough about removing all of the soiled substrate if the snake isn't on paper.

---

I could put two water bowls, but that's added money + space out of their vives/removal of hides/etc. As I said, I am SUPER lucky that they haven't gone in their dishes at all!! Definitely a good idea :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by purple python

How often did you completely replace each bedding?

---

didn't use it long enough to even find out.

I use cypress mulch so I spot clean once a week and clean the tubs once a month

I am in the regular spot cleanings and a total trash out a few times a year as needed camp