What's the worst that could happen?

[ChaosAffect]

As I was rinsing out a tub that I just disinfected with bleach (over and over and over) it occurred to me that I don't know exactly WHY I was doing it. Yes, I know it's bad to have any bleach residue, but I don't know the actual consequences. Will it poison the snake? Irritate it's skin? Cause the apocalypse?

So I thought a thread that outlined common husbandry mistakes along with the Worst Possible Scenario consequences might be helpful to me and other new BP keepers. I'm thinking of things like adhesives, overheating, feeding issues, low humidity, etc.

Can the more experienced members post along the lines of "If you don't do X then X could happen"? Pics would be helpful as well.

Thanks!

[SnowShredder]

If you leave bleach residue that will be harmful to any creature.

http://www.thecloroxcompany.com/down...leach0809_.pdf



If you wash the bleach away completely then it's fine. I use diluted bleach to clean. Just make sure there is no hint of that bleach smell and thoroughly rinsed. You don't have to rinse it 5000 times, just make sure that smell is FOR SURE gone

[ChaosAffect]

Yeah... not really what I was going for here. I know that bleach is bad (Umkay). I was aiming for an instructive thread with examples that might be a good reference (and catalog of cautionary tales) for new keepers.

[wolfy-hound]

I don't know. In emergency situations, we've told that putting a capful of bleach into a gallon of water will disinfect it for drinking... but even a trace amount in a enclosure is supposed to be horrifyingly dangerous.

I'd like to see the scientific type explanations too. It's always interesting to see WHY we do the things the way we do.

[ChaosAffect]

Don't get fixated on the bleach, y'all. The perfect example (that I can't find the thread for) is the guy that let the temp get too high on his UTH and his snake got a bad burn. Pics and links to threads would be helpful.

[Mike41793]

I dont think i've ever heard of a keeper's animal getting hurt/killed from improper use of bleach. It's not exactly that easy for bleach residue to soak in through their scales. I'd be more concerned about the fumes, personally.

[Tannerrrtx]

and why never to put tape anywhere around your setup ill post links later

[Mike41793]

and why never to put tape anywhere around your setup ill post links later

Tape is fine on the outside. You just gotta be careful and pay attention.

[Pythonfriend]

why use bleach anyway?

that would be my question, why is everyone using bleach? Bleach here, bleach there, i dont get it.

Yeah, its a powerful disinfectant with the ability to kill all known lifeforms. But it also attacks plastics, and when a plastic surface is chemically attacked or corroded, toxins can get out of the plastic no matter how long you wash it afterwards.

i recommend the method of disinfection we use for the plates and forks and spoons and knives we use, and even for baby bottles. Hot water with some dishwashing liquid followed by cold clean water. If its good enough to disinfect milk bottles for our own babies, why shouldnt that be enough for our snakes? The heat does the disinfection, and a bit of dishwasher unlike bleach cannot hurt my snake and also cannot eat my hand off.

Also, no bacteria or virus can survive for long on a clean and dry and smooth surface. So you can just take your tubs and water bowls outside, blast them clean with cold water at high pressure, let the stuff dry, let it rest for a few days, and for all practical purposes its clean. not sterile because new bacteria arrive being carried through the air, but clean enough to rule out any transmission from one snake to another. So why even use bleach? Why not get the stuff used for antibacterial and antiviral disinfection on human hands? or medicinal alcohol, which quickly evaporates? or a hydrogen peroxide solution, which also quickly evaporates?

People try so hard to keep their snakes absolutely sterile, reaching for the most agressive cleaning products, and then feed them living or dead rhodents. Uncooked. Not deep-fried, sometimes deep-frozen. Containing some poop, among other things. Anyone else see a contradiction here?

[ChaosAffect]

Sigh... THIS THREAD IS NOT JUST ABOUT BLEACH!!!! Do you people even read the OP?