| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| longtongue |
Posted - 17/10/2010 : 13:23:46
hi guys i am getting a rainbow boa and am wondering a few things.
so here my top need to know questions:
what is a rianbow boas poo like and how do i clean out his/her vivarium? also when will i need to clean it out?
thanks
Longtongue |
| 3 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Snakesitter |
Posted - 18/10/2010 : 18:22:49
Welcome to the forum, longtongue! Glad to see you’re getting a rainbow while you’re young!
quote:
Originally posted by longtonguewhat is a rianbow boas poo like
As with all snakes, rainbows produce two types of waste: brown (the feces, sometime almost as dark as black) and white (the urates, sometimes with a green or yellow tinge).
The consistency depends what you’ve been feeding: for most animals, at least those old enough to eat meals with fur, they are a normal stool consistency (soft when fresh, hard when dry) and shape (tube-like). For babies, who often eat young furless meals, they are often softer and more puddle-like (as Steve said, like a blob of oil).
Volume also varies, both by amount of food and age of the animal. One of my big females left me almost eight inches of “gift” the other day.
quote:
Originally posted by longtongue how do i clean out his/her vivarium? also when will i need to clean it out?
Everyone has a different answer on this one.
I spot-clean my cages several times a week. This means that if I see a mess, I open the cage and remove the offending material, as well as the substrate directly under it. If the mess was on paper, I will usually wipe down the spot under the mess with a Clorehexadine solution, dry it, and then replace with fresh paper. If the mess was in moss, I just toss that part, but do not replace. If it was in the water bowl -- and Brazilians seem to like nothing better than messing their water bowl, usually the day *after* you clean it ;-) -- I change their water.
I also keep an eye out for mold during these checks. If I see that, I wipe it off and treat with Clorehexadine, then keep a careful eye on that spot. If it comes back, I move up that ammo chain and treat with a weak bleach solution.
I change water weekly, including wiping down the bowls completely.
I change moss monthly for adults, less often for babies (due to the much smaller messes).
I do a full viv breakdown only once per quarter. This is a large operation, though: I clean and sterilize *all* cage furnishings with a soak in a weak bleach solution, and wipe down the cage itself with Clorehexadine solution. I also switch out the moss at this time. It takes about 20-30 minutes per cage.
One note: if you treat with bleach, always make sure to rinse away thoroughly and then air-dry before reintroducing an animal. Those fumes are dangerous!
Oh, and most important of all:
quote:
Originally posted by IncurableFlirtWe are looking forward to pictures!
What she said. ;-) |
| IncurableFlirt |
Posted - 18/10/2010 : 15:57:57
Hi Longtongue, welcome to the forum.  Sullysteve did a great job on the description of the feces, it should be a darker colored blob that may or may not be accompanied by urates and some liquid. Urates will be a chalky color (sometimes even yellowish) and this is perfectly natural (that is what a snake passes).
Cleanup really depends on what sort of substrate you are using. If you are using astroturf, you will need to remove the soiled piece and then clean the tub/rub/tank/viv before placing a new piece of astroturf. If you use orchid bark or Eco-Earth (or something similar to these), then spot cleaning should work sufficiently between cleanings. If you are using paper towels, simply throw the soiled ones away and replace.
You should clean your RB's enclosure at least every 2 to 3 weeks to avoid mold/mildew growth. Wash everything really good and allow it to air dry before replacing it into your viv. Replace all of your substrate at least once a month (though I have heard some people go every 2 months, I would just watch the mold/mildew buildup). Hope this helps some and I'm sure others will be chiming in soon with more suggestions and advice. Best of luck with your Rainbow Boa! We are looking forward to pictures! |
| sullysteve |
Posted - 17/10/2010 : 14:40:09
Hi and Welcome to the Forum.
I personally clean out my set up every week. Keep you eye out daily for poop and fung growth.
The poop is as you can imagine....poop lol. i can only describe it as like a blob of oil paint. Its very easy to clean, just grab it with a plastic bag making sure you take out the substrate in that area.
be careful when using cleaning products. Dont use any type of cleaner that goes white/foamy when water is applied or anything that leaves a white substance. I tend to use clear dettol and then rinse with lots of water.
Do you own one yet? if not, when do you intend to??
Sully |
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