I’ve read multiple times people saying that Boaphiles and other cages made from PVC type plastics smell over time. They claim that no matter what they did, they could not get the urine smell out. Well, I’ve got a solution for you!
Take one gallon of water. I use an old milk jug. Add one ounce of bleach and one ounce of white vinegar. Shake to mix solution. Put this mix in some type of sprayer. I like to use a small hand held garden sprayer from Lowe’s. Spray down the inside of the cage and let it sit for a few minutes. After a few minutes, wipe down the entire inside and let air out. The small amount of bleach used should not leave much of a smell. If you like, wipe down the cage again with plain water.
Not only should this get rid of any smell, but it is one of the best disinfectants you can use!
Here are two good links for more information on using a bleach / vinegar mixture:
I’ve had many people ask me about the feeding cards I use. Whenever I ship out a boa or ball python, I also send out a feeding card. These are the same type of feeding cards some of the big boys use. I liked them, so I made some up myself. I created the card in MS Word and then had a few hundred printed on card stock paper at Kinko’s.
I also created a PDF version of the card. My default font in MS Word was Calibri, which Kinko’s did not have at the time. By giving them a PDF, this shouldn’t be a problem.
These cards make things easy to track. I put all pertinent information about the animal on the card. Things like the animals common name, sire, dam, DOB, sex, prey size, feeding schedule, etc.
If you’re interested, you can download them by following the link below. You’ll notice that there are a couple versions of the file. I’m currently using v1, but I am playing around with the format of the card and may switch once I run out of what I have. With v1, I have to write in things like sire, dam, prey size, and feeding schedule. The newer versions have spots for this included.
Awhile back, I was complaining that my rat production stunk. I was feeding FRM 15%. The 15% formula is a special order product a local feed store here always has on hand. The price is great. Only $11.50 or so a bag. Great price or not, I was not producing rats or mice. Normally during the winter months, I am able to feed my animals and fill the freezer for the upcoming year. This winter, I barely had enough rodents to feed my ball pythons, let alone my boas and fill the freezer.
A few weeks ago, I was told about another local feed store that sells Mazuri 6F rodent feed for $16.50 a bag. That is a great price compared to other feed stores here.
So, a month or so ago, I switched to Mazuri. It took a few weeks of course, but my rodent production is off the charts. Unfortunately, winter is over and it is getting HOT here in Florida. The heat will cause my production to slow, but I am sure it will still be better than I was getting when using FRM 15%.
I was proud today. My son, who is 16, shipped his first box out by himself.
He has really gotten into spiders and scorpions lately. His scorpion had babies a few weeks ago. He has already sold or traded all of them. Today he shipped out five baby scorpions. He did all the research on how to pack and ship them all by himself. I thought that was pretty cool.
What I was surprised about is how he moved them. He did it just by posting videos on his YouTube page.
If you use protein powders or other supplements, be sure to check out TrueProtein.com. Below are some links to some great products. These guys are a direct supplier / manufacturer. Many times when you buy from GNC or other companies, you are using their product with another label on it.
One thing they do, that other companies do not, is give you what you order. If you order 5lbs of protein, you get 5lbs of protein. They add the protein per your order, then they add the flavoring or other additives that you choose. Plus, it’s pure protein without all the garbage fillers.
I have been using these guys for a while now and really like them. If you decide to order, use the discount code LYP800 for 5% off your entire order; 10% if you order 16 lbs or more!
For a post workout whey protein, try this product: Whey Isolate
For a protein that can be used anytime, try this: TeamSkip Blend
To save money, I use my old protein powder tubs and order my protein in food grade bags. Make sure to select the Premium Flavors when ordering. I have been ordering small amounts to try the different flavors. The Premium Dutch Chocolate Fudge and Chocolate Coconut is my favorite. They also have things like fish oil and other supplements.
Give them a try and make sure to use the discount code!
I am asked all the time if feeding live superworms is safe. Yes, they are very safe. You do not have to cut the heads off superworms before feeding them to your leopard gecko, bearded dragon, or other reptiles. The thought is that if you feed a superworm to an animal without cutting the head off it will eat through the stomach. This is simply not true.
We feed thousands of superworms each year to our bearded dragons, leopard geckos, and other reptiles. We have never had any problems whatsoever.
Last night I was taking pictures of Jungle boas het albino that I’m selling. I found one I really didn’t realize I had. When I say I didn’t realize I had her, I mean I didn’t know how stunning this boa was.
I was in awe by this girl. These pictures do her no justice at all. In person, her color is so bright and amazing. I was taking pictures of boas for sale. However, this girl will probably stay here.
I’ll be taking pictures and posting animals for sale this weekend. We have LOTS of baby boas and leopard geckos available. Please check back and see what we have.
My son Matt and I went to the “Daytona National Reptile Breeders’ Expo 2008″ this past weekend. We had a blast! I spent most of my time behind a table with my friend Ryan Homsey of TopNotchBoas. It was a great time. We got to meet so many new people in the hobby. We were also able to put many faces to names we know from the Internet.
On Saturday, Matt walked around with a video recorder. He got some great footage! I have to say, I think he’s getting really good at video editing. Check out his YouTube video.
