Feces inspection?

[guidofatherof5]

I've been trying out a need procedure here at the Ranch and it seems to have paid off. A week ago I posted about my girl Charlotte(female radix) and her bloody stool, which lead to her being treated for hookworms. The reason I was able to find this problem was the fact I had placed all my large groups on white paper towel as substrate. I usually use aspen pellets. They are great but don't offer me the opportunity to inspect stool samples. I know it seem gross to make time to look at poop but I clearly think it can give many clues to their overall health. I certainly feel it was a good idea me for me. If I had been using aspen pellets I wouldn't have found the blood. I've been doing a paper towel rotation as bedding every 6 months. For my large adult groups that means daily changing but it gives me some piece of mind with respects to their digestive system.

[drache]

me too - I like to see the poop without having to dig for it
all my garters are on cage carpet now - it's machine washable, and some pieces I've had for a couple of years now without apparent deterioration

[gregmonsta]

Repticarpet is definately good for that :) ... I tend to dive in whenever I spot some pooping action anyway and carefresh is also good for spotting the offending waste ;)

[count dewclaw]

All of my snakes have paper towel for substrate. It makes monitoring poop easier, is easy to clean, and is inexpensive.


me too - I like to see the poop without having to dig for it
all my garters are on cage carpet now - it's machine washable, and some pieces I've had for a couple of years now without apparent deterioration

Do you add bleach when you wash the cage carpet? Or is the regular detergent good enough? I may need to look into changing over to cage carpet.

[drache]

I splurge - I presoak in cold water for a half hour in a tub with a splash of chlorhexidine glucamate - but bleach will do; I like to get the big chunks off before I throw it in the machine; and since now it's been pre-disinfected, I then feel free to put it in the same wash as Jeff's smelly work-out clothes; I do give it an extra rinse to make sure to get out more soap residue; it air-dries over the back of a kitchen chair or on top of a screen top - usually within a half hour, but I have spares that I trade out, so that most of the time I can just wash a whole load of cage carpet
it's true that I have to take out everything in the tank, but frankly - most other stuff usually needs cleaning also

[count dewclaw]

OK, thanks. Makes sense to disinfect and get the big chunks off first.