No poopy??

[Porro]

Not sure if it's a real concern or not but I can't seem to find any of my snakes poop. I'm not sure if it's just the fact that he's too small right now so I don't really notice it, I'm not looking in the right place, or maybe I'm just overlooking it as something else.

Here's a link to see how big he is right now: http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=92353&page=2

Also as a tangent to this question, is there a time when I should totally replace the substrate in my tank? Or do I just have to do spot duty when I find excrement?

Thanks for all the help!

 

[Susielea]

When they are pretty small it can be quite hard to spot their poop, especially on aspen or similar substrate, as they digest quite a lot of the pinky and there's not much excreted, but if and when you find it, it will look similar to a small bird poop, a little dark material and a little white-ish possibly powdery stuff and sometimes it will just be a smear on the substrate. Sometimes they even like to hide it under the substrate

When spot cleaning, if using aspen or similar, I just remove the area of substrate with the poop in, wipe it with a damp cloth, or even a reptile safe disinfectant and place some fresh substrate in its place once the area is dry. Some people change the substrate fully once a month, others change it every couple of months or so, after a good clean of the tank, depending on how successful you are at finding the waste when spot cleaning. So if you're not finding the poop after every feed, then I would change the substrate out completely more frequently and if you are finding it every time, then you can leave it a little longer between complete changes.

If using paper towels or newspaper for substrate, then I think it should be changed after every defacation.

Hope that's helpful

 

[Aislin]

Oh wow...you mean I don't have to clean the substrate out completely every week? Cause I have been.

 

[Porro]

When they are pretty small it can be quite hard to spot their poop, especially on aspen or similar substrate, as they digest quite a lot of the pinky and there's not much excreted, but if and when you find it, it will look similar to a small bird poop, a little dark material and a little white-ish possibly powdery stuff and sometimes it will just be a smear on the substrate. Sometimes they even like to hide it under the substrate

When spot cleaning, if using aspen or similar, I just remove the area of substrate with the poop in, wipe it with a damp cloth, or even a reptile safe disinfectant and place some fresh substrate in its place once the area is dry. Some people change the substrate fully once a month, others change it every couple of months or so, after a good clean of the tank, depending on how successful you are at finding the waste when spot cleaning. So if you're not finding the poop after every feed, then I would change the substrate out completely more frequently and if you are finding it every time, then you can leave it a little longer between complete changes.

If using paper towels or newspaper for substrate, then I think it should be changed after every defacation.

Hope that's helpful

Yes, that's very helpful, thanks! I'll probablly do a full cleaning of the tank here soon since I can't seem to find his poop anywhere.....

 

[Susielea]

Oh wow...you mean I don't have to clean the substrate out completely every week? Cause I have been.

Yes that's what I mean, just spot clean whenever you see poop, check thoroughly once a week for any you may have missed, then clean out completely every few weeks (approx 4-8)

 

[Teddy Roosevelt]

Dig through the substrate. Mine about that size and their poop is about half the size of a quarter. It will be black and clumped in whatever substrate you use... or possibly the side of the tank, if your snake is like my little Mousey-moo-moo.

 

[Lennycorn]

What do you plan on doing with the poop once you find it???

 

[Teddy Roosevelt]

What do you plan on doing with the poop once you find it???

Why, he's going to collect it in a baggy and save it for years, of course. Just like Kathy Love's book suggests.

 

[Aislin]

Random thoughts, I babble a lot. And I'm cheap like that, when it comes to spending.

Babbling is good... keeps the brain free of mind 'poopies' and cheap is also good... but I prefer to call it budget friendly. Sounds classier that way... granted I'm as classy as a ten dollar whor...er lady of the evening...yeeeeah...that's it *nods sagely*

 

[Porro]

*update*

I cleaned my snaked cage all the way out today and I did seem to find something that resembled poop lol. It all was in the same area of the tank so I guess I'll just start checking there in the future, thanks for all your help!

 

[ForkedTung]

check the corners...and if you do find some taste it, if it tastes like peaches and cream then your good, if it tastes like tuna salad with extra sweet relish, there may be a problem....

 

[Teddy Roosevelt]

check the corners...and if you do find some taste it, if it tastes like peaches and cream then your good, if it tastes like tuna salad with extra sweet relish, there may be a problem....

My snakes' poo tastes like berries and cream with a hint of bourbon, what do???

 

[ForkedTung]

My snakes' poo tastes like berries and cream with a hint of bourbon, what do???

Put it in a crystal Sunday dish throw some whipped cream on that sucker and serve it to your friends and family.
:crazy02::crazy02::crazy02::crazy02:

 

[Nroc]

but I prefer to call it budget friendly. Sounds classier that way...

In my industry, we say "cost effective" instead of cheap, or inexpensive.

 

[ForkedTung]

In my industry, we say "cost effective" instead of cheap, or inexpensive.

How about being frugal?