Cleaning/Bathing your BTS?

[Lunaire]

So... my little Northern just walked right through his poop. Poop he defecated like 5 minutes ago so it is still wet and gooey, haha. His belly has poop all over now.

What do you guys do in such situations? Warm soak with just water and wipe dry? Baby wipes? Or?

Also, out of curiosity, what is your preferred method of disposing poop? What I am doing right now is using tissue and grabbing it along with the surrounding aspen and flushing it. I am unsure if that is a good way of disposing their poop.

Thanks in advance!

[Nae]

Damp clothe, give him a wipe down. Easy as pie

As for poop, I clean out my ferrets litter tray into a plastic baggie, then swing by Zekes and chuck his poops in their too, then to the bin! If I do Zekes tank at a different time, then I just use this little plastic scoop I stole from one of mums washing powder boxes the chuck it the bin (Poop, not the scoop)- Why waste water flushing something so small down? Especially since my entire house is run off water tanks!

[Lunaire]

Thankyou!

[Linnea]

xD oh noes.

yes, wipe it off before he gets it everywhere. since its poop id actually give the bts a bath (lukewarm water, low water level) and then try with a paper towel or something better like a personal mini towel (my bts has one )

i just use a dog poop bag, the black plastic ones. pick it up and throw away. if the poop is loose or bad, then i clean the glass.

[skeetersmom]

LOL looks like a few of use have a poop routine Dogs go out - litter box gets cleaned - skeeter cage checked - snake cages (3) checked - all poop but cat is taken out with kleenex. I have a small plastic container lined with shopping bag and out it goes on my way to work.

[Spindown]

lol lukewarm bath sounds likes its in order

[Kbell31]

I have major meltdowns over this subject! I try my hardest to be home around Indah's "go" time. It is obviously not foolproof though and inevitably I will occasionally find her with a brown smelly belly and glass smeared with poop goop. Its just nasty.

In normal instances I use doggy disposable bags too, just put my hand in one and grab the mess and reverse the bag. In the trash in the basement it goes not to stink up the kitchen. Easy peasy. But when I dont get there in time and she wants to bellypaint the tank with her poo I will wet down some paper towels with warm water and wipe her down. Very hot water on paper towels for the glass.

And of course there are the regretful times when she has an all out party with it and it is stuck in between her toes and her face etc then it is time for bath. Once to clean it off and then fresh water to rinse.

I would not continue to flush aspen shavings down your toilet. I would think that could plug up the system over time.

[Spindown]

I would not continue to flush aspen shavings down your toilet. I would think that could plug up the system over time.

OMG yes it totally will. Made that mistake when my bp had the biggest poo ever...my bf was SO mad

[LarissaLurid]

Usually my skink will go to the bathroom when I take him out before I let him walk around so he doesn't often poop in his cage. What I'd do is probably what everyone else has said, warm water bath, you can just place him in the tub. (not too hot or too deep though, water around 90-100 degrees about) I definitely would not use baby wipes with all the chemicals that they contain and it would most likely be really bad for the lizard or at least it's scales if nothing else is of harm. I wouldn't use soap either. Both of these could be harmful and would dry the scales out a lot. Also if you want to spot clean like that, just make sure you are getting the whole area and definitely would not be flushing aspen (or paper towel) down the toilet. It will definitely cause problems with your plumbing or septic system.

[Lunaire]

Usually my skink will go to the bathroom when I take him out before I let him walk around

Question, do you soak him in a little water to make him poop before letting him walk around? Or?

Thanks everyone for your info! Been very helpful. Definitely not flushing anymore!

[LarissaLurid]

Actually I'd like to start doing it in the bathtub as he gets larger and has bigger poops probably, but for no I just have him go on a white towel outside his cage and make him stay on it till he goes. He's only a few months old, but he's already starting to learn that he should go to the bathroom on it. I think in the tub would be easier to clean though and warm water is supposed to help, but I don't use that for mine at the moment.

[Richard.C]

if bathing,90 to 100 degrees farenhite is pretty warm,id be more shooting for 75 to 80 tops,still warm but 100 degrees farenhite is above there preffered body temp and if stuck in there for a bit could over heat or if u think its at 90 to 100 it could easily be hotter again

i never bathe mine,a damp cloth and a wipe over is fine

[El Lobo]

We have to soak one of ours most sheds and set the water at 30°C (86°F). By the time we get her into the water it is around 27°C (80°F)and cooling in a steel basin. 90-100°F is as Richard said, way over PBT.

[Alioop]

Larissa- Please consider carefully what you are saying before you offer advice. Your water temperature recommendation seems based solely on your personal experience with one skink, and as other experienced members have mentioned, sounds MUCH too hot. All experienced keepers bathe their skinks in luke warm water, water as hot as you have mentioned has NEVER been recommended and could potentially cause quite a bit of discomfort to a skink. Its always great to see members participating and helping each other out, but as a new bts owner yourself, please word your advice carefully so that the OP knows you are stating opinions and not facts, and if the OP's questions are regarding something that you yourself have very limited experience with, it is best to leave the answering to the experienced members.

[LarissaLurid]

Yes sorry, around 80 would probably be best, just for my tub (again sorry since i stupidly based that on MY stuff) the water cools about 10 degrees in 2 minutes with how fast the heat is soaked from the small amount of water! I also didn't mention of how I let it sit for a minute *facepalm* agh.

Edit: also my skink doesn't sit in 100 degree water, as I said it cools FAST and I wait a minute with him walking around before putting him in, it does end up being around 85 by the time he gets in and quickly cools to 80 and then I take him out when it gets lower.

[skeetersmom]

After reading many different posts in different threads, I have come to accept the fact that in many cases, the term "depends on the skink" rings true! In this case especially. I am thankful that Skeeter does not demonstrate this trait of "poo rubbing". Perhaps it is because he is 7 years old. But he does poo in one area which is nice since he is in a 6' wide tank, makes my life easier

[LarissaLurid]

After reading many different posts in different threads, I have come to accept the fact that in many cases, the term "depends on the skink" rings true! In this case especially. I am thankful that Skeeter does not demonstrate this trait of "poo rubbing". Perhaps it is because he is 7 years old. But he does poo in one area which is nice since he is in a 6' wide tank, makes my life easier

I hope my young one never starts O.O I'm basically always around though, so I can pick it up right away when he goes, but usually it's nice since he just goes on a special towel when i take him out. Those sometimes accidents where he shouldn't go suck though D; we all know how nasty skink poo smells. DX

[Spindown]

really does depend on the skink. My friend had an AVID poo painter. My indo went through a short (thank goodness VERY short) poo painting stage...and none of the others have ever done it.

[tiliqua38]

My bts hates baths. He hates water of any kind anywhere but in his drinking bowl. His bowl is ceramic and got a crack in it. Apparently it was leaking and I hadn't notice yet. I figured it out when I was wondering why he was staying in the farthest corner away from his bowl and not moving. But he gets a little cranky when I try to soak him, during a shed or whatever.

[Lunaire]

I am sorry to bring up this old subject; but Kupo has belly-painted yet again! He has done this a few times now since I got him, I was hoping it was just a phase.

Reason I bring this up; could it be that it's the space in the tank? He is currently in an Exo Terra 40 gallon, I've been thinking of upgrading later to 48"L, I wonder if the larger the tank and floor space, the less poop smearing?

Does anyone have personal experiences with this where they upgraded their tank space = less mess?

Thanks in advance!