Hello! Do you know of any snake-safe air fresheners, candles, etc? The person I live with wants to use that sort of thing to cover up the sometimes-funky smell of our rented apartment. Since I have snakes, I don't think it's a good a idea, but can't come up with another solution to hide smells out of our direct control. (I also have asthma, so I don't much like scented candles either, but I mostly worry about the snakes).
I know how appealing a good smell can be, but you’re right to be wary of scented products.
All candles produce some soot. Soot is impure carbon particles, the result of incomplete combustion of the fuel. Improper burning and wick trimming results in more soot, and though some candles are advertised as safer, or even soot free, they all produce soot and all can produce more or less depending on how they are burned. In addition to this, all candles will produce smoke, particles of burned material which are visible in the air. The smallest particles are actually the most dangerous, because they cross cellular membranes.
The scents in candles, air fresheners, and many kinds of incense are either essential oils (”natural”) or fragrance oils (”artificial”). Though essential oils are “natural” (produced through intensive processing), they release volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These are irritating and potentially dangerous to humans and other animals. Many are safe for human use only in very specific ways, in specific dilutions.
Animal safety information is very much lacking for essential oils, and misinformation is rampant. Some of the essential oils known to be toxic to certain animals are often listed as “natural medicine” for those species online, or included in products meant for those species!
Oil diffusers are not a safer way to use essential oils around reptiles; the essential oils still offgas VOCs (and do so even more at higher temperatures).
Why are scented products dangerous for reptiles? Snakes are particularly sensitive for a variety of reasons, such as some only having one functioning lung. Some reptiles have very primitive respiratory systems. Others, like birds (which are also reptiles) have very specialized systems.
I personally advise against all air fresheners, sprays, scented cleaning products, candles, and incense around reptiles.
If they must be used, use them in a different room, with good ventilation (fans blowing the air out, windows open, etc.). Do not use them in the room with the reptiles.
In a small apartment, be extra careful, since the air space is small.
There are some safe alternatives!
If possible, open windows to freshen the house; outside air is almost always cleaner than inside air! VOC levels in the house are generally two or three times that of outside. Circulate air with fans.
Houseplants help eliminate VOCs from the air. NASA recommends two or three plants in 8 to 10-inch pots for every 100 square feet. Some are better than others; you can search online to find out which plants are safe for your situation (if you have pets that might eat them!) and which will do the best job.
Simmer orange, lemon, or lime peels with spices (such as cinnamon sticks) in a pot on the stove. Do not allow it to boil dry; burning food is dangerous too. (A slow cooker is a great option.)
Simmer tea, herbal tea, or coffee. (Again, don’t let it boil dry!)
Put citrus peels down the disposal in the sink.
Stud an orange with cloves and hang it somewhere, or use herbal sachets (dried herbs in cloth bags).
Use odor absorbent products such as charcoal, baking soda, or zeolite (you can find dedicated products in pet stores, department stores, and online). Just make sure no one can get into them. You generally hang them around stinky places, and replace as recommended for the product. (Coffee grounds also absorb odors!)
Vinegar diluted in water helps eliminate odors (of course it will smell vinegary, but when it dissipates the other smells are gone as well).
Water infused with whole herbs can be misted around safely (look for rose water recipes; can be adapted to other safe herbs like fresh lavender; or simply make like tea). Unlike essential oils, these are not dangerously concentrated. You can mist this around the house, or soak cotton balls in it and place in jars.
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