BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

Ok, so I have another 3 days off and I am amusing myself. Just wondered what all of you are doing as far as substrate changes. Vote away!

i don't change so much as take some out and replace. but, pup also never goes to the bathroom in his cage. i actually can't even remember the last time he went in his cage. i definitely totally replace with each shed though because i don't like old shed laying around them. i feel like it's a host for things.

I spot clean but like Zenny do a whole cage clean after they have shed.

I change monthly or bi-monthly, but spot clean all my cages daily.

I spot clean daily.
I change it as needed every two to four weeks.

I spot clean daily and do a very good spot clean weekly, and I haven't had my blueys too long so I plan to completely clean out and change everything every 6 months (that is if it doesn't get very dirty sooner)

Depending on your substrate and how your bluey sheds it can be hard to get all their shed out. Having the little pieces of shed mixed in with everything makes it look dirty which is why I clean it after each shed.

Well Camille is very neat and poops in one spot in her cage so I change that every day or so (when she poops) them I have to clean it all out when she sheds. Elwood is pretty neat too. I do hte same with his. The Snickerdoodle is a MESS! He is still a baby, but I swear I clean twice a day!

Yea, you left out daily. So I can't vote. My substrate is paper towels or newspaper for now. It's not pretty but these guys make a mess with their food and poo everyday and it is just easier.

For the poll are you asking about changing ALL of the substrate or what?

I took it to mean how often you changed all the substrate.

Yeah, I was just curious. I figured we all spot clean poo piles, etc, daily.

I use shredded newspaper and I take it out and replace it every week.
The other end is astroturf and I alternate that each week, too. They're real easy to clean, you just hose them down.

Reptscue wrote:Yea, you left out daily. So I can't vote. My substrate is paper towels or newspaper for now. It's not pretty but these guys make a mess with their food and poo everyday and it is just easier.

I STRONGLY do not recommend newspaper!

The ink never dries, and it will leave your bluey's feet black and dry if used over time. The ink is also thought to be toxic under continual exposure, although not proven. Temporary use is fine. For reference, shredded is better than laying it down as a base.

Just my opinion....

I just realised I said I used shredded newspaper, but that's wrong. It's just shredded paper from my office.

I used to put flat sheets of newspaper underneath the shredded stuff but I don't bother now because it was supposed to be to keep everything neat and easier to clean but he'd just move it around, go under it and tear it all up.

lots of people use newspaper in the herp world, especially with snakes. but i've never really understood it because i always thought about the whole ink thing being an issue also.

And a large percentage of those people are you know what. Dealers, pet stores -- you know our opinions

But, I don't know myself about the toxic issue; I've only read that it is indeed toxic, just not proven to be deadly or anything. Smell newspaper though! It's awful.

Zach wrote:Smell newspaper though! It's awful.

Is it bad that I like the smell of newspaper?

...

Haha, well if you just put your face in it and breathed it in all day long!

*Mental picture of Heather walking around all day with newspaper wrapped around her head*