How often do you switch substrate?

Hey everybody! First and foremost I hope you all had a great Christmas or whichever holiday you and yours celebrates!

As the title states I was just curious about your substrate changing intervals. I've had the same substrate down for almost 3 months. I spot clean pretty much daily. When i take waste out i take some of the surrounding substrate as well and add as needed. It still looks like it's new and doesn't stink. I am planning on cleaning everything out this weekend anyway. Is this something I should be doing more often or would the 3 month range be acceptable if it's well maintained during that time?

I spot clean daily and change it out monthly. Sometimes a little longer.


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I change entire substrate and deep clean every single item in the tank and a tank itself once a month. Other than that daily maintenance and soot cleaning :)

If it doesn't stink and isn't dirty, I spot clean and keep it for however long it takes to become dirty, depending on the snake. Some snakes poop every week, some poop/pee only once every 3 months, so it really depends.

All sound good to me.
Cleanliness is most important
Spot cleaning very important
But i see no need in daily spot clean if there is no poop or pee
However I will stir around the substrate every couple days

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Originally Posted by redshepherd

If it doesn't stink and isn't dirty, I spot clean and keep it for however long it takes to become dirty, depending on the snake. Some snakes poop every week, some poop/pee only once every 3 months, so it really depends.

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i agree 100%, this is exactly what I do.
i find coco fiber to be the best for absorbing waste and easily removing it. I can just keep spot cleaning coco fiber and replacing empty spots with new fiber virtually forever.

Yep

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That depends entirely on the spot cleaning itself.

If done thoroughly and generously, and the rest of the substrate appears and smells clean, keep the good stuff.

I do...BUT I take spot cleaning to the next level. I remove the waste and the surrounding substrate. Then I spray F10 on the bare spot, rub and clean that spot, then cover it with substrate and add more to fill the bare spots.

Sometimes a snake will "smear". On a hide, around it, along walls, etc. Then I clean all those areas and the substrate around it.

You don't have to create a sterile environment, but should keep it clean and smelling fresh/clean. Some snakes are messier then others, too.

It depends on the substrate, as well. Some are better at absorbing then others. For example, when I used Aspen, I would often have to remove SO MUCH of it, that I just dumped the whole tub. It doesn't absorb well and the wet/dirty spot would be huge and even the snake would smell bad, since it often would move through the big wet spot. The tubs also reeked as soon as there was a mess.

Now I use a coco substrate. It keeps the wet spot small and concentrated in one area. So much better for spot cleaning and keeping things clean. It also keeps the smell down. I used to know if there was a mess by walking into that room. (pee or poop) Now I actually have to do a visual inspection.

All that said, if you have a snake with a health problem, ANY health problem whether skin, mouth or respiratory, you should remove any substrate, keep it on paper towels and try come as close to sterile (and keeping things that way) as you can for the entire duration of the problem and for some time after its resolved.

With all that being said one reason why I’m going to go bio active with one of my enclosures to see how it does, yes spot cleaning will be maintained but nothing crazy. I’m thinking that I’ll end up switching Daenerys to fully Bio by the beginning of the new year and see how it performs...I’m just waiting on my springtails and isopods to really get a good population going (which they’re starting to explode now)


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I spot clean daily and usually do a deep cleaning and full change once a month. It depends on the snake One of my boas always makes a mess so she gets a deep cleaning more frequently. On the other side of the coin I have a smaller boa that seems to use up everything he eats. I rarely find any waste from him. Just urates most of the time. Just kinda depends.

It also depends on the person... some got OCD, so they clean a little too often.

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Originally Posted by RickyNY

It also depends on the person... some got OCD, so they clean a little too often.

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Agreed.

I only have one snake, but I take everything out once a month, sanitize the inside and all things inside and put down new aspen substrate which I get at walmart for about 3 or 4 dollars a bag. I put down a causal amount of aspen I can so the walmart bag lasts me 2 or 3 months. I do this to help prevent mold and health issues.

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Originally Posted by ballpythonsrock2

I only have one snake, but I take everything out once a month, sanitize the inside and all things inside and put down new aspen substrate which I get at walmart for about 3 or 4 dollars a bag. I put down a causal amount of aspen I can so the walmart bag lasts me 2 or 3 months. I do this to help prevent mold and health issues.

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How humid is your enclosure?
I have a boa that at times I've had the humidity at 80% and never had mold on the aspen.

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Originally Posted by RickyNY

How humid is your enclosure?
I have a boa that at times I've had the humidity at 80% and never had mold on the aspen.

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Me neither, I've never had mold on aspen either but I clean out once a month as my own personal decision
to keep things healthier. It might be UN-necessary but I don't mind cleaning out monthly, I don't mind the work
and not much expense but I only have one snake. If I had several I would probably try to stretch it out longer too.
My humidity usually is 50 or 60 tops since I have a glass tank and overhead heat lamps and che and I think the eco-earth type
substrate is better for going longer than a month. Really loved it as far as cleaning goes. But stopped when
my snake at the time was getting mouth fulls of it and yes I like aspen too.

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Originally Posted by rickyny

it also depends on the person... Some got ocd, so they post a little too often.

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fify

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Originally Posted by rickyny

it also depends on the person... Some got ocd, so they post a little too often.

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Originally Posted by mr snakes

sounds like me, tbh

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:P

jk, jk...

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Originally Posted by zina10

:P

jk, jk...

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You're not joking, he's averaging 31 posts a day :O. But we like that you're here MR Snakes! :gj:

I make my snakes wear diapers. 😆

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Originally Posted by RickyNY

You're not joking, he's averaging 31 posts a day :O. But we like that you're here MR Snakes! :gj:

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absolutely !!!

The more, the merrier :) besides, I wanted to give this quote changing a try! LOL

It’s been months since I’ve done an actual full cleaning substrate change, including disinfecting the enclosure completely.... it’s been probably close to a year! Lol

Well, today is January First, 2019! Time for a the annual complete terrarium cleaning!!! [emoji23]
So, I do it about once per year!!!


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I do a full cleaning like every 2 months for my BP. Spotcleaning anyways.

I made the experience that you will really smell when you have to do a full cleaning, no matter how thoroughly you are spotcleaning. But changing to a bioactive enclosure should really do the trick! At least it is recommended and hyped a lot, for good reason apparently:)


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