cool. most of the cat collar recomendations came from vets and pet stores. they said keep the snake in a seperate cage and drop a flea collar in. leave it for about 2-3 weeks. they said remove the collar and let it air, and let the snakes back in. i was told 45 minutes was a good time to let it air out, by everyone i talked to, but i would want more time. the cat collar isnt as toxic as things i have read about people using to clear a cage. deep off woods, and some other camping products. this is supposed to be safe, unless you put them in with the collar. the mulch really has no smell other then dirt and wood. there is no odor of cat collar or chemicals. of course i planned on cleaning it before. this was a preventative measure after cleaning the cage, to keep mites from laying eggs in the fresh moist substrate. the snakes have been kept out of the cage this whole time. i think my mite problem should be solved. i used several methods of cleaning and prevention. i am going to clean it very good before putting the snakes back in though. better safe, then brain dead snakes.