newspaper substrate

[gmcclurelssu]

hey guys, just wondering how often people with newspaper substrate change the paper in the enclosure. i just switched over to it for the time being, and have been changing it about every other day. does this seem about right?

[nevohraalnavnoj]

I change mine every time they poop or pee...out of 13 tubs I probably do two/three per day on average. As they get older they'll slow down a bit. It's a pain to clean, but gotta keep em healthy!

JonV

[gmcclurelssu]

thats about what i thought. when i first put it in, i let it go for about 4 days, and when i opened the tank it was the worst smelling since i bought the snake.

[starmom]

Change mine whenever they have pee'd or poo'd and I check them 3x day. This morning I changed 4 tubs and 2 cages and fresh water for everyone. Most mornings it's fresh water for every one and 3-4 tubs.
I don't understand why you let the snake go for 4 days without fresh water? Maybe I'm not reading it correctly....

[wolfy-hound]

I think he meant he didn't change the paper for four days, not the water. I change on average once a week, to twice a week. Water is checked every day.
For me it turns into a "as needed" or at least once a week. Some snakes keep nice clean paper, and don't tip over the water, or poo on it for a long time. But once a week, everything gets changed anyway. If they tip the water over, or poo, then it gets changed.

[ama1997]

I change mine everytime they make a mess. Or even tip their water over. Most of the time about once a week. I just switched from newspaper to unprinted paper that I get from Uhaul. It comes in boxes of 140 sheets or so for like 8.00 maybe 9.00. Ive been told that its ok to use printed newspaper. I have a friend that works for one of the local papers. He said some of the toners and inks are really bad. He has a friend that does something with the printing and he said most of the inks and toners. Have biohazard stickers on them. Thats why I switched to unprinted. Is printed good or bad I dont really know. Ive used both and have not noticed any thing weird going on with the snakes. But unprinted makes me feel better.

[starmom]

I totally agree ^^^
I use kraft paper from U-Line. Thanks for sharing that so others might think about this

[Argentra]

I use unprinted as well...much cleaner and safer. Mine is from Harmony Business Supplies - 12" wide blank newsprint roll with 1,750' on it for $26 shipped. I got the roll about a year ago and have barely made a dent in it...and I use it under the aspen in all my enclosures.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

I use normal newspaper. No issues.

I change the paper every time i see urin or poop. other than that, they generally get changed every week if there has been no poop or pee in the past week.

I clean and put fresh water in the bowls every 5 days, but check to make sure the water is clean and full daily. Lots of people change the water daily, but lots, including me don't.

[Sasquatch Art]

I love using newspaper.

Tubs are checked at a minimum of three times a day...morning, afternoon, and right before bed. Whenever I see a dirty cage which could count as a tipped water bowl (very rare), pee, or poo the cage is cleaned.