What is your routine/schedule?

Hi! This is my first post, after reading threads for hours! There is so much great info on this site. I'm going to be picking up a female normal from Tim at the NARBC show in Chicago, and I'm very excited!

So, about schedules.... can you'all share your daily and/or weekly routines? Like, obviously water changes daily. Feeding, handling, bathing, substrate changes....

Thank you!

Christine

0.1 Bearded Dragon - Bebe
1.0 Hubby
2.0 kids- twin boys 2.5 years old

I check temps with a temp gun, like twice a day. More often on days off. In the evening i change water. I pick them up and give them good look over every few days or so... Feed once a week on saturdays. Whats funny is i spend more time messing with my rat colony. But its all worth it and rewarding...

I feed on Thursdays, I clean on Sundays and I weigh on the first week of the month before feeding and after a poo. :D:D

How about handling? I know they are more active in the evenings.... would that be the best time to handle her?

I know that I should wait 48 hrs or so after feeding to handle. So, in theory, if I did feedings on Sunday night, I could start handling on Tuesday night.

Is it better to change their water at night or in the morning?

I only really handle them to take weights, and to do check ups.

We clean babies tanks / water changes on Mondays. Tuesdays are mostly for updating records and taking pictures. On Wednesdays we feed the babies that eat rat pups, and on Thursdays we feed the babies that eat mice, the adults and the grow ups. On Friday I do nothing. On Saturday, I take care of everything around the house that needs doing, therfore, nothing for snakes. Sundays is reserved for cleaning all of the adults and grow ups and the boas, corn snakes and Kenyan's. It's pretty involved and alot of work, but it's all worth it.

Now as for the rodents, that's Monica's department and she would have to answer that.

Wow, you must be really excited! It's always nice to see someone research, THEN buy.
Im sure you read that you shouldn't handle them for a week or so after bringing the new addition home. After a week, feed. Another 2 day wait, and then you can take them out to becomeacquainted. Start with short sessions first (10-15 minutes) every few days, and you can make them longer as you go on. You'll be able to tell when your buddy has had enough.

I use newspaper as a substrate, and change that as needed. Very simple.
They dont need to bathe, although a few will enjoy swimming in the tub - very cute thing to watch.
Feed once a week.


Bless you with those twins. I know someone with twin boys, 3 years old, who wants to tear her hair out daily.

Congrats on the new friend and welcome to the forum! :sunny:

My schedule: Monday evening @7, feed my BP and clean her tank while she's eating (she's fed in another enclosure). Tuesday evenings are the same procedure for my corn snake. Before feeding, I handle for a bit and check them out (they're both still young and kinda new, so not much handling yet). I check temps and humidity levels whenever I pass their cages and change water every other day or when something is in it. I spot clean whenever needed and disinfect cages once a month.

I'm a full time college student, and school starts up again soon, so we'll see how well the schedule works and for how long. :)

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Originally Posted by adizziedoll

Wow, you must be really excited! It's always nice to see someone research, THEN buy. I'm sure you read that you shouldn't handle them for a week or so after bringing the new addition home. After a week, feed. Another 2 day wait, and then you can take them out to becomeacquainted. Start with short sessions first (10-15 minutes) every few days, and you can make them longer as you go on. You'll be able to tell when your buddy has had enough.

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Thanks! I did read all that. I'm a research nut. A little OCD actually. I get something into my head, and have to learn everything possible. But its also because I don't want to make a huge mistake that could be deadly or expensive. I know Bebe got so stressed when we first got her. The poor thing was black for weeks. :(

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Bless you with those twins. I know someone with twin boys, 3 years old, who wants to tear her hair out daily.

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Yup-- I'm at the "tear my hair out daily" stage. Preschool starts Sept 4!!!!!! Yeah!!!!

Great thread by the way!!! :rockon:

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Originally Posted by Argentra

Congrats on the new friend and welcome to the forum! :sunny:

My schedule: Monday evening @7, feed my BP and clean her tank while she's eating (she's fed in another enclosure). Tuesday evenings are the same procedure for my corn snake. Before feeding, I handle for a bit and check them out (they're both still young and kinda new, so not much handling yet). I check temps and humidity levels whenever I pass their cages and change water every other day or when something is in it. I spot clean whenever needed and disinfect cages once a month.

I'm a full time college student, and school starts up again soon, so we'll see how well the schedule works and for how long. :)

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Yeah, me too. Nursing student 4 nights a week. I graduate May 17th!

I think I'm also going to clean while she eats in another enclosure. That way too, if there's any mouse mess, it will be easier to clean a tupperwear container.

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Originally Posted by muddoc

We clean babies tanks / water changes on Mondays. Tuesdays are mostly for updating records and taking pictures. On Wednesdays we feed the babies that eat rat pups, and on Thursdays we feed the babies that eat mice, the adults and the grow ups. On Friday I do nothing. On Saturday, I take care of everything around the house that needs doing, therfore, nothing for snakes. Sundays is reserved for cleaning all of the adults and grow ups and the boas, corn snakes and Kenyan's. It's pretty involved and alot of work, but it's all worth it.

Now as for the rodents, that's Monica's department and she would have to answer that.

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Thanks Tim! Its nice knowing the schedule that she's going to be used to so I can try to reduce her stress.

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Originally Posted by juddb

Great thread by the way!!! :rockon:

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Thank you! It was one of the only things I couldn't find by searching. :) Between school, kids, a BD, and a new BP, I have to make sure that we get everything done in a timely manner. This way I have two months to get everything prepared.

I understand this one... I have enough trouble working out a schedule between school and work as it is!! (They are changing our shifts all around as of Sept 1, and I don't have any clue what they will be)... The plan so far is to spot clean daily, fully clean on which ever day is my day off so that I have a break from readings, feed on whichever night she's used to. Once she's gotten settled in, handling every couple days for about half an hour...

I also haven't picked her up yet so hopefully I'll know what my work schedule is by then :)

When you feed the same day/time every week I find they become conditioned and ready. Alot of my snakes hit their rat before it even hits the bottom of the tub.

Saturday mornings we clean rat tubs, take out whatever we need to feed(live). I know the week before if I haven't produced enough rats and will order them if needed. And I clean snake tubs before Saturday(feeding day) or as they poop usually by Friday night. i don't clean or even mess with my snakes after the rats have entered the snake room. They can smell rats in tubs across the room and any heat signal they pick up after that is most likely gonna get tagged. The #1 reason people get bit by BP's(IMO) is because they the snake detects/smells rodents and someones hand gets mistaken for one.

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Originally Posted by westcoastjungle

i don't clean or even mess with my snakes after the rats have entered the snake room. They can smell rats in tubs across the room and any heat signal they pick up after that is most likely gonna get tagged. The #1 reason people get bit by BP's(IMO) is because they the snake detects/smells rodents and someones hand gets mistaken for one.

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I agree completely! This is also why I try to do anything other than feeding early in the day. I feed in the evenings, and I've noticed that anytime I open a cage at "feeding time", the snakes are ready for their rats!

I have one snake that came off an 8 month fast about a month ago. Last week, I went to change her water in the evening (thinking that she won't strike since she's off food). Well, she had been back ON food for a few weeks, and she struck! Surprised the heck out of me!

Steve

Steve

Watering everyday, feeding on wednesday, tub cleaning on saturday and as needed in between.