Should i change the bark in my snake's tank?

ive had my BP for about 5 months now.. but i never changed the bark inside the tank.. i just shake it around once in awhile 2 get some cleaner pieces on the top.. should i go buy some new bark?

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Originally Posted by 51-50 Python

ive had my BP for about 5 months now.. but i never changed the bark inside the tank.. i just shake it around once in awhile 2 get some cleaner pieces on the top.. should i go buy some new bark?

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You should change it once a month. Even though it looks clean you have to think about all the bacteria growing in the tank.

thanks for the feedback.. do you think i did any damage to my BP by not changing it?

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Originally Posted by 51-50 Python

thanks for the feedback.. do you think i did any damage to my BP by not changing it?

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You never know, but I dont think so :)
Remember to spot clean every day also. You know, pick up old sheds, poop and all that.

Good luck!

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Originally Posted by 51-50 Python

ive had my BP for about 5 months now.. but i never changed the bark inside the tank.. i just shake it around once in awhile 2 get some cleaner pieces on the top.. should i go buy some new bark?

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Well let's see, would you enjoy sleeping in your bed if you hadn't changed the sheets in 5 months and you had a problem with bedwetting?

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Originally Posted by 51-50 Python

ive had my BP for about 5 months now.. but i never changed the bark inside the tank.. i just shake it around once in awhile 2 get some cleaner pieces on the top.. should i go buy some new bark?

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Don't get anymore snakes.

Hey come on and give the guy a break. He whants to do the right thing, or else he wouldn't have asked.

When I got my first ball python, the petstore told me to change the bedding every 6 month...

every month or two throw away all the bark (are you using cypress?) and wash the inside surfaces of the tank before putting fresh bark in. This will keep bacteria and other pests down. You should also wash out the water dishes and hides
I wash the hides when I do the bark, but wash the water dishes AT LEAST once a week. I also wash out the water dishes if I find any poo in the cage since he may have gotten it on him and then dragged it through the water dish.

you asked a good question :gj:

I agree that you asked a good question. I think it's already been answered here, so I won't repeat it. I think people forget that not everyone lives on snake forums or have tons of friends with snakes. Most of the husbandry unfortunately comes from the pet store where the snake was bought. For the record the Barkers change out the aspen every 2-3 months with spot cleaning done regularly, so not everyone uses the same schedule. I switched to newspaper just recently and I love it. When someone poops it takes just a moment to change the paper.

yeah, I go two months on substrate, with daily spot cleaning.

water dishes though, one or more times a week with disinfectant!

Use newspaper a few times and see how much that little snake can actually urinate.. That will make you completely change out ANY substrate each time they have a bowel movement.

That's just disgusting.. :O

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Originally Posted by SatanicIntention

Use newspaper a few times and see how much that little snake can actually urinate.. That will make you completely change out ANY substrate each time they have a bowel movement.

That's just disgusting.. :O

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This is definitely true!! I never realized exactly how much a snake pees until I got my second BP and she was put directly into a tub with newspaper. Even when I had my other girl in a tank I would spot clean everyday and would completely break down the tank for cleaning/sanitizing and fresh substrate every other week.

it's true :)

when I say I 'spot clean' not only does that mean remove poop or urates, but it means take out a section of the substrate all around any urate because that's where the liquid has been soaked up. Cypress and aspen soak it up really well, and usually contain it to an area 6 inches in diameter or less. It's important to throw away that substrate when you spot clean.

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Originally Posted by Brimstone111888

Don't get anymore snakes.

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way to be an ass:rolleyes:

he was asking a question to see if it was ok or not. how about helping him instead of being an idiot?

at a reptile store in hamilton they told me to change the bark once a month whether it looks dirty or not so thats what ive been doing. its kinda pricey but thats what is recommended.

i wonder if you could bake it in the oven to kill any bacteria and then reuse it?

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

Well let's see, would you enjoy sleeping in your bed if you hadn't changed the sheets in 5 months and you had a problem with bedwetting?

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Ewwwwwwwww :P

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Originally Posted by ch312

way to be an ass:rolleyes:


at a reptile store in hamilton they told me to change the bark once a month whether it looks dirty or not so thats what ive been doing. its kinda pricey but thats what is recommended.

i wonder if you could bake it in the oven to kill any bacteria and then reuse it?

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Pricey? What kind of substrate are you using? A bag of aspen and 4 snakes will last me 6 months with full monthly cleanings and spot cleaning. $13

And unless you want urine baked bedding, than go ahead. Baking may kill bacteria, but probably not all of the other things in feces and urine.

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Originally Posted by Brimstone111888

...A bag of aspen and 4 snakes will last me 6 months with full monthly cleanings and spot cleaning. $13...

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Wow! That's very inexpensive relative to where I live!! I got a tiny bag of aspen for $8 to use in my boa cages but I have since switched to indented paper because I can see the pee much better. I think that when they are older I might switch back to aspen for their burrowing fun, but for now, it is just cleaner for them to be on paper. :)

I get huge bags of aspen from Petco. They are the only place around that sells big bags that aren't marked up like crazy. Maybe try there if you haven't. They come in big green bags and the aspen isn't shredded as fine as some others, which I personally like.

Better to be safe than sorry!

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Originally Posted by Brimstone111888

Don't get anymore snakes.

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Originally Posted by Brimstone111888

Pricey? What kind of substrate are you using? A bag of aspen and 4 snakes will last me 6 months with full monthly cleanings and spot cleaning. $13

And unless you want urine baked bedding, than go ahead. Baking may kill bacteria, but probably not all of the other things in feces and urine.

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You know, I find you quite rude after reading this post, I wont lie.
I think you went about that answer the completely wrong way.

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Originally Posted by Brimstone111888

Pricey? What kind of substrate are you using? A bag of aspen and 4 snakes will last me 6 months with full monthly cleanings and spot cleaning. $13

And unless you want urine baked bedding, than go ahead. Baking may kill bacteria, but probably not all of the other things in feces and urine.

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its $30 something dollars for a large bag of reptile bark. i think it maybe even be over $40 after taxes...

notice how he was asking about changing BARK not ASPEN? :rolleyes:

The cypress I use to use cost $19 a bag and 1 bag lasted 3 tank cleanings. I gave up on those kind of substrates anyway and use Scott Shop Towels, but it is true that substrates can be pricey if you don't have 10 stores competing for the best price.

Cypress: HOME DEPOT $2 for a 2cu ft bag.
Orchid Bark(same thing as ReptiBark crap): HOME DEPOT, $3-$4 for a BIG bag. Not as dusty either.
Aspen: Petsmart or Petco, 4.5cuft bag, $10-$12
Newspaper: *GASP* IT'S FREE!

The aspen Snake Bedding that is sold in pet stores, is the SAME STUFF you find in the rodent section. It's just labeled different and priced WAY higher. No reason to buy it..

The price of any type of bark around here is pricey. Even going to Home Depot or Lowe's, it's only a few dollars more at a Pet Store no matter if it's Petco, Petsmart, Pet Supplies Plus, Pet World, or Pet Land (yeah that's our local chain pet stores around here) lol.

We are lucky in that we can get triple milled cypress mulch for a very good price. I love the cypress mulch and I preach it to the end.

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Originally Posted by SatanicIntention

Cypress: HOME DEPOT $2 for a 2cu ft bag.
Orchid Bark(same thing as ReptiBark crap): HOME DEPOT, $3-$4 for a BIG bag. Not as dusty either.
Aspen: Petsmart or Petco, 4.5cuft bag, $10-$12
Newspaper: *GASP* IT'S FREE!

The aspen Snake Bedding that is sold in pet stores, is the SAME STUFF you find in the rodent section. It's just labeled different and priced WAY higher. No reason to buy it..

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hmmm....ill have to checkout the home depot section. i figured that the reptile bark would be better because they may treat it to get rid of any bugs.

i use my aquarium as a display so bark is the only option to make it look half decent. newspaper is fine for tubs...

Your snake's enclosure is for ITS benefit, not yours(aquariums are for fish). If you can make it nice looking while the enclosure is appropriate for the snake, then that's fine. Ball Pythons aren't display snakes anyway, it's like having a tank with a pet water bowl or something.. Get a colubrid or a boa, they adapt better to display enclosures and aren't as secretive(generally speaking).

Try newspaper once.. Once you actually see how much urine they produce that is hidden under all that bark, you'll likely clean ALOT more. Cypress works pretty well, but isn't easy to spot clean IMHO. It can be a bit messy.

The stuff found at the pet store is going to be the worst priced, as well as being exposed to parasites such as mites that can transfer to your snake(or your rats/mice). The Orchid bark at HD is exactly the same thing as ReptiBark and about 1/3 of the price. It's nice small pieces and isn't dusty. I use it for my orchids though.

www.uline.com has some professional looking indented kraft paper that is absorbent. I use it for my boa(plus newspaper as she's MESSY) and the Balls every so often. Looks nice and works well.

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Originally Posted by Patrick Long

You know, I find you quite rude after reading this post, I wont lie.
I think you went about that answer the completely wrong way.

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Agreed!
This site is to help people get info to help their animals, not to belittle those that are new. We all started somewhere and more than likely it was with some generic petstore misinformation.

This is a husbandry thread where people ask for info, not rude remarks.

thanks for the feedback... i just got back from the petshop i got some new bark and a new water bowl... i took the old bark out n put the new stuff and it smells really fresh.. i also cleaned the inside of the tank so it looks really good now

Awesome!

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Originally Posted by SatanicIntention

Your snake's enclosure is for ITS benefit, not yours(aquariums are for fish). If you can make it nice looking while the enclosure is appropriate for the snake, then that's fine. Ball Pythons aren't display snakes anyway, it's like having a tank with a pet water bowl or something.. Get a colubrid or a boa, they adapt better to display enclosures and aren't as secretive(generally speaking).

Try newspaper once.. Once you actually see how much urine they produce that is hidden under all that bark, you'll likely clean ALOT more. Cypress works pretty well, but isn't easy to spot clean IMHO. It can be a bit messy.

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my enclosure is appropriate for my snake and it looks great. abby (the snake) and i are happy with it;)

i would never use bins for a snake unless i were a breeder to make it cost effective so in my case, as well as many others, an aquarium is for a snake.

sure she sits in her hide most of the time but when she comes out looking around and doing laps around the tank she turns into a "display snake".