Laying bin maintenance questions

[HolyToledo]

Poppi loves her laying bin. She plays in it. She likes to drop her food into it and then go hunting in the sand. And, she likes to poop in it.

Right now, I have two batches of sand: one in the bin and the other drying after getting baked.

I have to sift sand, and move it around to keep it from being too dry and too wet. How do people keep the bin clean? Is baking the sand good enough to keep it cleaner?

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

Mine likes to poop in hers too. When she does I just spot clean by removing the poop and a little bit of the sand around/under it so I know I get it all. Same for feeders that die in it. Every few weeks I rotate the substrate (I use dirt and sand combo) with a very large spoon so it gets mixed up well and the moisture is distributed evenly. That's about all I do. It got way too wet one time with the mister head aimed straight at it on accident so I took it all out, let it dry for 2 days then put it back in.

 

[Ferrah88]

I'm no expert, but maybe using a sort of... sifter(?) (The thing you'd use while cooking to get the foam off the top of the water while boiling potatoes) and clean it like a cat box? Should let the sand fall through and get all the cham poop out too, if baking turns out to not be enough.

I have to admit though, that sounds really funny! You have one interesting chameleon...

::EDIT::
Forgot the sand is damp, that might not work then. D'oh!

 

[HolyToledo]

I try to get all the poo and dead bugs out too. But sometimes she goes in plays around and the poo ends up buried for a few days. I just hope the drying out sometimes will keep it clean enough.

And, I have to check her every few days or her armpits can get kind of raw from having sand in her pits.

I wonder it my stirring it around every few days is what gave her the idea to go in and move the sand around and dig and play in it?

 

[HolyToledo]

????

Thanks for the replies. But there are hundreds of laying bins out there and no one else has anything to say about them?

????

 

[jannb]

I completely change mine several times a year and about once a month remove the top few inches and add fresh sand. About once a week I check for moisture and normally need to add water, stir well and dig a fresh started hole. Hope this helps Jackie.

 

[HolyToledo]

All input is helpful, so thanks.

I am hoping I am doing well enough. At least the sand doesn't smell swampy.

I do think it is funny that Poppi likes to play in it. And it is kind of comforting that she buries the "starter hole" every time. So, hopefully, if she does get eggs she will not have any trouble. We are keeping our fingers crossed.