• Hello!

    Either you have not registered on this site yet, or you are registered but have not logged in. In either case, you will not be able to use the full functionality of this site until you have registered, and then logged in after your registration has been approved.

    Registration is FREE, so please register so you can participate instead of remaining a lurker....

    Please be certain that the location field is correctly filled out when you register. All registrations that appear to be bogus will be rejected. Which means that if your location field does NOT match the actual location of your registration IP address, then your registration will be rejected.

    Sorry about the strictness of this requirement, but it is necessary to block spammers and scammers at the door as much as possible.

Basic Sanitation Tips

MilesHerp

MilesHerp

New member
So I usually thaw my frozen mice in a warm tub of water for like an hour or so and put some more hot water in right before feeding. I started thinking about sanitation and risks of bacteria growing. I want to know everything you do to ensure proper sanitation. Is the water already seriously contaminated? If some drips inside the snakes cage is that area at risk for bacteria and germ growth? How anal should I be about rinsing the tub out and cleaning habits? You could tell me what you do when you thaw your mice. Thanks!
 
I feed in seperate containers. So there is newspaper in the bin to soak up any messes. After feeding is done wash the container out with mild bleach and then vinegar solutions for next feeding.
 
I only warm pinkies and fuzzies in water. I don't like getting anything with a full coat wet because the aspen sticks to the fur.

I take the adult mice out of the freezer and place them in the refrigerator (in a plastic bag) at least 24 hours before feeding time.

In my experience, even the largest mouse is completely thawed after the 24 hours; rats take longer. I take the mice out of the bag and leave them out near the snakes to pre-scent (gets them in the mood) and to warm them.

When they're room temp I place them under a heat lamp for a few minutes so that they're just slightly warmer than room temp. Then everyone eats.
 
I put my mice in hot water for about 10 minutes. I have to change the hot water out about 3 times, but the mice end up nice and warm.

You want to minimize the amount of time the mice are above 40 degrees, and feeding in a separate container probably helps with any lingering bacteria.

Overall, though, our culture has made us germaphobic. Your snakes don't need to live in a sterile environment- in fact, that would be bad for their immune systems.

That is the reason the CDC recommends against using antibacterial hand soap- it is bad for the human immune system.

I use white vinegar diluted half with water for the vast majority of my snake cleaning. Vinegar is non-toxic and an antibacterial agent/ deodorizer. Using harsher cleansers is a risk to your snakes.

Snakes should never be allowed to crawl through their excrement, as that can cause infection. That is why an absorbent substrate is good to use. I remove poop at least once a week. Water bowls should be taken out and cleaned regularly. A full tank clean should be done about every 3 months.

Remember that moisture leads to bacteria, so keep the moisture down. Humid hides should be temporary and kept fairly sanitary.

Those are my sanitation tips.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top