Hi I’ve been a snake owner for a year and a half now.
Recently my mom and sister have complained about my room smelling bad. They think it could be related to Vierra (my 4.5 year old sand boa) I’m not sure because I can’t smell it (I got covid a few months ago and can’t smell all that well anymore)
My mom and sister didn’t start complaining until about 1month or so. My cleaning habits haven’t changed all that much since this past fall when I changed them a lot. When I first got Vierra I completely changed all her bedding monthly I also used coconut hide bedding she seemed stressed and wouldn’t eat so I switched her back to sand which was the bedding her previous owners used. I still continued to clean it out monthly but then I read the package and it said to do a full clean yearly while spot cleaning. It’s coming up on the yearly mark but I’ve been buying smaller bags and periodically changing about half the sand every month or two. (I did this about two weeks ago)
She ate about a week ago but I haven’t seen any feces.
I’m wondering if y’all could give me some hints on how often you entirely change substrait or how to deep clean a tank. And if there is any way to get rid of the smell in my room. Or if you think the smell is actually Vierra herself. That would be awesome thanks!
Honestly the substrate is such a crapshoot when you try to go by timing. Sometimes it just all needs to be changed sooner than usual and other times it can last forever.
It definitely sucks when smell is impacted in a case like this. I had the same issue happen with cat boxes. Because the litter pellets started smelling more like urine even though I was changing the pads regularly. (Breeze litter system). Thankfully smell came back.
As Dean said, charcoal can help in a pinch.
If you think the snake had been sitting in urine at some point or finger painted then a little soak to freshen up is fine. But it’s probably just a badly timed pee to clean ratio.
I kind of doubt it’s the snake, honestly. Even when one of my snakes has left me a fresh present, or when the substrate is starting to get a bit stinky and needs a change, it’s never made my whole room smell (and I keep my 3 snakes in my fairly small bedroom). You can really only smell it if you stick your face into the enclosure.
I will say that sand isn’t the best substrate for sand boas (despite the fact they’re called sand boas). I use shredded aspen as substrate for my sand boa. It holds her tunnels a lot better and gives them much better airflow when they’re under the substrate. And who knows, it might even help your odor issue? It is decent at neutralizing odors.
EDIT: To answer your questions, for my sand boa, I do full substrate changes and deep cleans maybe every 4-6 months, depending on how things are smelling. But that seems to be the timeframe when the aspen will start smelling a bit musty. I do partial changes every couple months.
To deep clean an enclosure, I first wipe away any visible dirt/poop/dust with a damp cloth, then spray the inside of the cage down with Chlorhexidine. I let it sit for about 10 minutes to disinfect, then give it a good scrub, wipe away the liquid, and then wipe everything down with a wet towel twice to rinse. Then dry everything off, put in fresh substrate, and replace decor. I’ll also scrub down her plastic decor before putting it back in the enclosure.
I agree with @jawramik Jennifer. I don’t see how your sand boa itself can be making your room smell. I have at least 33 snakes plus lizards and T’s in my bedroom and there is no smell. However I am constantly checking/spot cleaning etc. Also most of my snakes are in tubs.
Now poop, pee, an uneaten rodent, or a regurgitated rodent can of course create an unpleasant/disgusting odor if not removed quickly. But the boa itself should not emit any odor at all.
I also agree with Jennifer on the substrate. Sand boas do not actually live in the sand. They live in generally arid dusty environments but not in sand. I use shredded aspen as well. My girl loves a few inches too burrow but she also uses her cork bark and her hide as well.
It’s worth mentioning also that sand can be detrimental to your boa if you feed in the enclosure, due to the possibility of impaction if the boa ingests the sand while eating the rodent. Sand had a drying effect too. It sucks the moisture out. Imho I do not think sand is a suitable substrate for a sand boa.
I doubt it’s the boa. Maybe get some of those activated charcoal bag things to keep around the tank area anyway.
then a little soak to freshen up is fine. But it’s probably just a badly timed pee to clean ratio.