BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

I only just noticed in the general care info that it suggests using a shopvac to make clearing out all the substrate easier when doing a full clean... I didn’t have a clue what this was, so have googled and OMG now I want one!! Just wondered if anyone uses one here and if so which one? Or any other tips to make s full clear out quick as possible?

I have a shop vac, and I had the same idea for cleaning my box turtle enclosures. However, I use cypress mulch, which clogs the shop vac.
But, it's great for other clean up chores.

Herpin Man wrote:I have a shop vac, and I had the same idea for cleaning my box turtle enclosures. However, I use cypress mulch, which clogs the shop vac.
But, it's great for other clean up chores.

Ah right, thanks for letting me know that, I would imagine I’d have the same problem then with coco coir substrate. Might still get one for general use though they do look handy.

Those shopvacs are very noisy , I'd remove the critter to a quieter room when using one to clean out the tank , else it'll really freak out .

kingofnobbys wrote:Those shopvacs are very noisy , I'd remove the critter to a quieter room when using one to clean out the tank , else it'll really freak out .

Ah okay, that’s interesting thanks. Ventress is like a baby with the normal hoover and hair dryers, seems to like the white noise but yes if I get a shopvac il put him in another room, by the sound of it I don’t think I will be getting one, so far not really sounding like it’d come on useful for what I was thinking .

Suzle87 wrote:

kingofnobbys wrote:Those shopvacs are very noisy , I'd remove the critter to a quieter room when using one to clean out the tank , else it'll really freak out .

Ah okay, that’s interesting thanks. Ventress is like a baby with the normal hoover and hair dryers, seems to like the white noise but yes if I get a shopvac il put him in another room, by the sound of it I don’t think I will be getting one, so far not really sounding like it’d come on useful for what I was thinking .

We used commercial shopvac in the met, ore, coal, and research laboratories to help with controlling dust , very loud (ear protection required).

I'm going om my experience with vacuumer sounds with my skinks - all my water skinks were initially terrified of the sound , Wriggles eventually learnt to ignore the sound of our old very noisy fabric bag house vac, our new house is quieter. They have all been scared of the lawnmowing sounds (edger, mowers, blowers). When we had kitchen renos and window renos getting done the powertools (espec the big oscillating saws and circular saws were enough to scare them too , didn't come of from hiding until a few hours after the work was done).

The bluetongues were are not keen on the sound of the vacuums and tended to hide when vacuuming is going on when they will little , they just glare at the noisy beast now .

Oddly enough my dragons and skinks all recognize the sound of the little bugblaster I use to collect crickets , and know it mean food is on the way.