My BP Kaa did her first poop for me a few hours ago, and it honestly smells so bad? I’ve got a young woma python and her poops didn’t smell nearly as much. The poop probably smells worse because I got it when it was fresh, so I guess I just want confirmation that this is normal? I didn’t take pics, but the shape and size looked normal. It’s just much worse smelling than I was led to expect.
What are some good ways to quickly deodorize that fresh-poop smell?
It’s always terrible when they’re fresh, I usually paper towels to spot clean, then take out the trash immediately after. My new guy was literally a poop cannon during and after his unboxing, and I had to open all my windows and dispose of his packaging immediately
Pro tip: keep a roll of those dog poop bags nearby. The ones I buy are scented. When I find fresh poop I scoop it up with the bag, tie it off, and toss it away. Makes the whole process a little easier.
Aside from the poo bags I keep a particularly potent candle in my reptile room. If I go in and smell the funk I light the candle before I start to clean up.
Really extreme smelling waste can also be an indication of flagellates (parasites).
@cnow1. Have anyone nearby that sells ASFs?
One of many benefits they get “more” out of them so there is less waste, less poo and not so stinky! Just a thought!
That is both the most hilarious yet horrifying thing I have read yet on this forum. 
Funny enough, I had to clean up some poop this morning.
It’s a strong smell for sure…
I think another one may have pooped as well, so I’ll have to check his tub when I get back home…
What are ASFs?
African Soft Furred rats, they’re a popular rodent feeder.
It was an interesting morning, my excitement at his arrival quickly turned into horror and disgust. I had to rinse him off as soon as I pulled him out because he was pretty well coated
I had a similar experience with my Tootsie.
She had pooped herself when I got her.
Needless to say neither one of us was happy as my brother and I cleaned her.
As I was cleaning her tank, trying to figure out why it still smelled so much, I realized that the fake plants I had in there retained the smell like crazy. As in, even though the waste had been removed hours ago, they still smelled like fresh poop. They are the type with the fabric leaves, so I switched them out with some aquarium plants. Hopefully those won’t hold the smell like the others did.
Pretty much as soon as I got rid of the old plants the smell cleared up.
I keep my old plastic grocery bags. When mine soil their tub, I empty the waste and coco husk into my plant beds (like mulch), and then the newspaper that is under the coco goes into the plastic bag. I go through my tubs each morning and do this. Then the plastic grocery bag gets tied like a diaper trash bag, and I have a closed lid trash can out in the garage that is specifically for these tied off waste bags.
I use a pet smell deodorizer air freshener in the snake room.
Personally I go minimalist in the tubs for the very reason you mentioned about the plants. Not only will it smell, but their waste gets everywhere. Cleaning a ton of decor or enrichment becomes nearly impossible. That part is just my own two cents.
I wouldn’t necessarily agree with that. Sure it takes time but it’s not nearly impossible.
@mnroyals If you had 100 snakes it would be. You get to a point (probably well before 100) where you’re either cleaning extensively every single day or you’re not getting everything disinfected.
@properroyals great video on the subject btw that’s a great point I don’t see brought up much.
Smell stays behind because bacteria stay behind. Whatever extra stuff you opt for, just have to make sure you have the extra time to get it all disinfected every time a snake soils.
I agree if we were gonna make a tier list tho @cnow1 the plastic leaves on aquarium plants surely will be easier to clean than the fabric ones.
I doubt anyone who has over 100 snakes would go the enrichment way.
But to say it’s nearly impossible is a far stretch. Takes time to clean all that stuff but if you have enrichment to swap out, gives you plenty of time to disinfect and sanitize the dirty enrichment.
I had over 30 snakes a while back in my collection. I kept them in minimalist enclosures and I still cleaned everyday. I don’t spot clean, I honestly don’t see the benefits to doing so expect to save yourself time.
You get to those kind of numbers it doesn’t matter how you keep them, you’re cleaning everyday, or at least you should be.
Sorry, with one snake, absolutely, it’s possible.
I’m a nut about bacteria and sanitation in my career, and it overlaps into my hobby. I shouldn’t say it’s impossible, I should have said it’s worth keeping in mind and paying special attention to. I advocate less is more, but that’s not to say it can’t be done.
I agree about the spot cleaning and cleaning everyday.
@thecrawdfather thanks for the shout out and for watching!
No need to be sorry, I was just sayin it’s definitely not impossible. I’m have a mix of enrichment and minimalist enclosures myself, and it honestly takes maybe 10 mins longer to clean all my enrichment items, especially because I take everything out and swap it then clean it all later.
Same here. I have to have everything clean as I can get it. I know it’s best for the snakes that way but honestly it also good for my sanity. Another big reason why I don’t spot clean.
Instead of starting a new thread…I’ll just add to this one…from my experience, fresh poo, even if the python is on an asf diet, still stanky as hell. I gagged so bad. But the one I just cleaned up the girl has been holding in for awhile, and I think is a few weeks worth. I normally check everyday to every other day. Ever since I got rid of the hides from the tubs, due to the snakes out growing them, it has been so easy to find the poo. They tend to just go in their hide.
Same or in the back corner