Less handling and stress at cleaning time

[ConcinusMan]

OK, thought I would share this, and it is relevant to husbandry.

Regardless of your enclosure type, if you have a typical tank, whether naturalistic or basic, or even a rack, this could be useful.

This is better than reaching in and having to remove your snakes by hand, and it's better than trying to work inside their enclosures when they are active or in there at all.

You can clear your enclosure of all the usual or favorite hiding places and place a box inside like this one (the top one) with the open holes and flaps. It's completely enclosed on all sides but I cut holes and left the flaps instead of removing them. It's the box on the top:

http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/2446/gedc1216q.jpg

Instead of having a box hide with the bottom open, if the box is just that, enclosed on all sides, it has another use besides just a hide.

As you can see, this tank is a mess. I waited 'till lights out, and all the snakes went inside this box. I simply closed the flaps, took out the box, then removed all the other objects, including the liner. Placed the box-o-snakes back inside and secured the screen top.

Cleaned the liner, the tank, the water dish, the cave, everything, all while the snakes were sleeping in their box. Put everything back, then opened the flaps.

No problem. No squirming snakes, no handling them, no issues. Just removed box-o-snakes and did what I had to do. No stress, less filler. :D

Better for me, better for the snakes, no snakes trying to escape, and less stress for the snakes and the owner.

Got the idea from how they handle venomous snakes at the zoos. Works like a charm.

[guidofatherof5]

I've tried the enclosed hide idea before. The problem I ran into was the fact they poop inside the box. With the bottom out of it that mess gets cleaned up with the rest of the tank.

I have found with my radixes that cleaning and other duties inside their home have become a normal part of their lives. It's just a routine they seem to adapt to. I do have a couple snakes that react in a startled way to intrusions but they are the exception to the rule. Clean up time seems to be more fun and games for them. I may be the only one getting stressed as they keep getting in the way of everything I want to do. Moving them to the other end of the enclosure doesn't work. They simple comeback to where I am as quick as they can. I think they know it annoys me:D Curious little beggars.:D

I think the closed in hide idea would be great for nervous or jumpy snakes or if you just don't want to handle them much.

[gregmonsta]

A good idea, but not for me, personally. To me cleaning time equals another chance to interact and check my snakes over. :rolleyes: no stress involved :p

[ConcinusMan]

Very good points. I did do it because even as long as he's been with me, the hypoery male concinnus is a nervous little twitch (typical high-strung male concinnus) and he usually gets the others to respond in the same way. I guess they figure if he's nervous, they should be too. If this box gets too messed up, (poop) I have more.

The box on the bottom is their usual hide. (bottom cut out) I only put the doored(and floored) one in this night so I could clean their tank. If you have spares and nervous snakes, or don't want to handle them, this is one way to help with that - Box-o-snakes.:D

Well, today I'm off to work. Hope they don't miss me too much.:p

[mtolypetsupply]

I know mine like to hide in used paper towel tubes, or toilet paper tubes. Same principle, put your hand over the open end, place in a temporary box, clean the enclosure, then put them back.

Yes, they poop in them, and on them, but they are disposable and readily available. If the hide is poopy, I put a new one in the clean enclosure, then gently dump the snake out into the clean enclosure.