Snakes are fascinating and beautiful pets. One great thing about them is that they don’t need a whole lot of care. They don’t eat very often, so your only daily tasks will be spot cleaning and offering fresh water. However, you will need to keep your scaled buddy’s cage clean. A local Covington, GA vet offers some tips on cleaning your snake’s cage in this article.
Before getting started, gather everything you need in one place. Some of the things you’ll want to grab include paper towels, spray disinfectant, a spray bottle with water in it, and garbage bags. You may also want some old towels. New substrate is another must. Last but not least, thaw a rodent out, so you can feed your pet when you put him back in his habitat later.
For obvious reasons, you don’t just want to let your snake roam freely during tank-cleaning time. We recommend getting a second, smaller tank, so you can put your scaled buddy in that while you’re cleaning his home. A plastic storage tote with air holes will also work. This can also double as a travel carrier for trips to the vet.
Start by taking all the furniture out of the habitat. Put washable items, like hide boxes, pools, and decorations, in the sink or tub. Remove any equipment, such as heaters or lights, as well. You’ll also need to remove the substrate. Newspaper and butcher paper are easy to discard, but if you use aspen or something similar, you may want to use a shop vac.
When the tank is empty, wipe it down with water and paper towels to remove dust, feces, and grime. Follow up with a good pet-safe disinfectant. Ask your vet for product recommendations. While that is working, start scrubbing your pet’s things. Regular antibacterial soap will work for many items. However, anything that is really dirty should be soaked in a 1-to-4 bleach/water solution overnight. (Note: this shouldn’t be necessary if you clean the tank often enough.) When you’re done, thoroughly rinse both the tank and your pet’s belongings in really hot water. Let everything dry completely, and then put the tank back in order again. Don’t forget to add your snake’s dinner!
Please contact us, your Covington, GA vet clinic, for all your snake’s veterinary care needs. We’re here to help!
