Humid Hide, Handling BP & Introduction

[Bogertophis]

Just adding a little to this. I use Chlorhexidine Gluconate Solution (2%) to disinfect. Just don't spray it directly in your eyes, and it's fine. I just keep a spray bottle of it and spray everything down whenever I take it out to clean. I only have three snakes, so I just have a small spray bottle, mixed 3/4 tsp. solution to 2 c. water. Been using it for years with no problems, after my rodent supplier recommended it. It's effective, popular with reptile keepers, and not very expensive. I've also been known to use it in the kitchen, bathroom... etc... etc....

I think the only place I've never used it may be the chicken coop. I don't have a spray bottle big enough for that.

Yes, I also use generic chlorhexidine (diluted with water, in a spray bottle) for cleaning all my snake's homes, as well as my "rodent ranch". Spray on, wipe dry, no rinsing needed- NO FUMES.

I would ONLY use bleach as a last resort to sanitize non-porous things (ie. my glass tanks) IF the occupant had a serious & contagious illness or had passed away from such- which happily has never yet happened. I do not buy used tanks or enclosures ever, because you never know what the previous occupant died from, & sellers may not know or tell the truth if they do, so the amount of work involved just to clean that item is not worth the time & effort to me to make it satisfactorily safe. Porous items can be sprayed or soaked, then thoroughly dried with chlorhexidine solution (or F10), but not with bleach, as bleach usually cannot be completely removed & the fumes are toxic. Especially to our much smaller reptiles, but it's even bad for us.

[D-.No]

OK, thanks guys. I am going to rinse then soak everything overnight and let it sit out and dry for a couple days. Luckily her hides and furniture we’re easy to get the bleach smell out with a little Dawn soap. But I’ve been hanging out with her keeping her enclosure open hoping that it would dissipate. This is a lot easier and I definitely need a good nights rest.

Also thanks for the tip I will give the Chlorhexidine a whirl.

I do feel a little bad, I made it look so pretty for her and she seem so excited to have so much stimuli.

She still has plenty of places to hide just no cover to wiggle around.

Thank you so much guys.

I’ve oversaturated my brain with contradictive online reptile info this year It would be heartbreaking if I hurt Roxanne.

[Bogertophis]

OK, thanks guys. I am going to rinse then soak everything overnight and let it sit out and dry for a couple days. Luckily her hides and furniture we’re easy to get the bleach smell out with a little Dawn soap. But I’ve been hanging out with her keeping her enclosure open hoping that it would dissipate. This is a lot easier and I definitely need a good nights rest.

Also thanks for the tip I will give the Chlorhexidine a whirl.

I do feel a little bad, I made it look so pretty for her and she seem so excited to have so much stimuli.

She still has plenty of places to hide just no cover to wiggle around.

Thank you so much guys.

I’ve oversaturated my brain with contradictive online reptile info this year It would be heartbreaking if I hurt Roxanne.

I know you probably have a lot on your mind right now- but I also think the last thing you want to do is hurt your snake. I hope the bleach smell comes out in time. Time will tell.

Anyway, a few days or a week+ won't matter to your snake- you'll have lots of time to enrich her environment in the future. Safety is more important.

FYI- feed stores are usually a good place to buy generic chlorhexidine- also animal supply sources online, if you have nothing local. And try to buy a pint- it takes forever & a LOT of animals to use a gallon while it's still fresh, since it's used very diluted. Have a peaceful evening- all the best.

[D-.No]

So I can spot clean/treats with chlorhexidine? That’s pretty awesome! Do you guys recommend removing your pet for a little while when doing so?

On a sidenote I took your advice, tossed out anything that had any bleach like smell and got her enclosure where she seems pretty happy. It was an extremely stressful ordeal, just hours before I went into Surgery I started a disinfecting cleaning. Aside from the bleach her enclosure essentially fell apart. The caulk came undone For her lower heating elements and her interior thermostat. Even though cause me lots of stress and anxiety I think she enjoys the heat gradient more. And there is a lot more selection of warm hidden places to chill out and I found her using her cool side less and less. Plus after three nice sized rats and shooting up to 125 g I think she’s ready for another shed.

[Bogertophis]

So I can spot clean/treats with chlorhexidine? That’s pretty awesome! Do you guys recommend removing your pet for a little while when doing so?

On a sidenote I took your advice, tossed out anything that had any bleach like smell and got her enclosure where she seems pretty happy. It was an extremely stressful ordeal, just hours before I went into Surgery I started a disinfecting cleaning. Aside from the bleach her enclosure essentially fell apart. The caulk came undone For her lower heating elements and her interior thermostat. Even though cause me lots of stress and anxiety I think she enjoys the heat gradient more. And there is a lot more selection of warm hidden places to chill out and I found her using her cool side less and less. Plus after three nice sized rats and shooting up to 125 g I think she’s ready for another shed.

I trust you're healing well from your own ordeal? I'm glad you got anything with a bleach smell out of her enclosure- those fumes are very irritating to their lung (snakes mostly only have one lung), & bleach is toxic to all living things (us too) so you should only use it when absolutely necessary, & only on things that cannot absorb it.

Yes, you can spot clean with chlorhexidine- just don't spray your snake with it, & wipe it completely dry before allowing your snake near enough to touch it. (it's nowhere NEAR as toxic as bleach & leaves no fumes) If your snake is active, you could either remove them while you spot clean, or just put something in their way to block them temporarily- they usually take "the hint".

Not sure what you meant by "can spot clean/treats with chlorhexidine" though???

[D-.No]

Sorry. I meant spot clean/treatment. Roxanne likes to go in a corner which is great but incognito. When I isolate the issue it would be great to disinfect it considering she’s such a clean critter otherwise.

[D-.No]

Hey guys. Didn’t know if I should’ve started a new thread or bring this one back from the dead, it is Halloween season so here it is.

Roxy is 3 1/2 months old and just recently started her on a every seven day feeding instead of every five day feeding. Last week I could not get a rat anywhere so I gave her a 29g mouse. Comparing the mouse to the rats she’s been getting it seem much more dense and bone rich than she’s used to. During this time she’s been getting bigger without any additional sheds being found. And ever since that mouse she’s been in hunt mode the entire time. She’s also been showing aggressive motioning towards me, Like almost jumping out of her enclosure like a slingshot today. Not sure if she is showing signs of a shed Or if she just has a raging appetite. I was thinking of giving her a small 20 g rat 6 days later thinking she might need additional energy for the shed. Roxanne is a light color and I cannot tell any difference physically just behaviorally . But the funky behavior and the fact that she spends 85% in a humid hide, 10% extended over the entire enclosure in an S shape and 5% in her cool hide Makes me think I should expect a shed.

Any opinions on both my and Roxy’s behavior humans?

[Bogertophis]

Young snakes eating young rodents often don't need to defecate until they've eaten multiple meals, since the younger rodents are very digestible, & snakes also conserve moisture in their body by not "going" more than they really need to. Rats have thicker fur than mice do & mice are usually easier to digest- that might explain her continued "hunger".

It's hard to say if she's going into a shed cycle, since we're not seeing her- but keep in mind that snakes often stay in what we call "feed mode" for hours or days after a meal- acting as if they're still hungry. Anyway, don't fall for it & don't feed her again until she's had time (a week) to digest her prey, as additional prey is likely to be regurgitated (due to insufficient digestive enzymes & interrupting the digestive process already in progress). I'd also skip feeding her if you see that she is in a shed cycle- most snakes refuse to eat then anyway- so why waste the prey?

Her "aggressive motioning towards you" sounds like it's just her normal reaction to something approaching that she hasn't yet identified as prey or predator- she's not identifying you based on vision alone- most of our snakes are quite near-sighted & need our touch &/or scent to recognize us- don't take it "personal".

She sounds a little too active to be in a shed mode right now- they usually aren't coming after motion when in shed, just laying low in a cool or humid hide. You'll get better in time (with practice) recognizing her impending shed cycle- the cloudy eyes, lack of appetite, dull colors, & texture change in the skin wrinkles on their neck generally makes it obvious, even in pale snakes.

[D-.No]

As you always say Bogertophis Snakes will be snakes and they work on their own schedule. Got a nice size poop and some urates today. I’ve been over inspecting her home because the last week there is definitely been a little funk in the air. Her feces was really well intertwined with the more complicated fake foliage suctioned to the bin. I assumed it was fresh because it’s still retain a lot of moisture and looked like the fresh poop I’ve cleaned up in the past. Then I was thinking maybe due to the humidity it just stayed moist, I couldn’t find it visually without removing the plant it and maybe that’s why she seemed a little agitated. I would not want to be locked in the Sterilite bin with a python poop.

[D-.No]

I know a lot of people on the board say their snake hides heavily before a shed but do some still stay in hunt mode? There might be some dulling in the skin and there is a possibility that her shed is in the Moss again.

But at her growth rate she definitely is due for a shed and seems uber neurotic or mad at me for continuing to keep her moist tide moist while she’s hiding.

But days on end she’s been in her humid hide And if her head isn’t sticking out in rest mode it’s in Hundt mode. And if she’s completely in hide she goes immediately in a hunt mold when she hears me coming.



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