I work 50 to 60 hours a week as well and maintain 42 reptiles, mainly snakes. I really enjoy looking at everyone of my animals on a daily basis to see how they are doing and if their cage needs attention, how they are growing, and making sure everyone is in good health. I also enjoy keeping detailed electronic records of each animals activity. This allows me to evaluate the animals growth, if they are defecating like they should be, or if they are refusing food etc. I still enjoy the first snake I ever owned, which is a imported adult normal ball python I purchased about 27 years ago. For me, the hobby has just gotten more exciting every year.
I switched from newspaper to aspen bedding several years ago for all my snakes. I have a baby Surinam boa that prefers to hide in the aspen instead of the hide box. Usually you just see her head like she is waiting for some prey to come by. This allows me to spot clean daily and change substrate every two weeks depending on often and how much the animal defecated. A heavy water dish will help with accidental spills.
The most important thing about any hobby you pursue is to enjoy it.
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