Reptile pets bring plenty of satisfaction and fulfillment. Many people expect them to be low maintenance, but this isn’t quite true. They require very specific care. It’s important to clean every animal’s enclosure, but this is even more crucial for reptiles. Otherwise, owners risk contracting diseases like salmonella as well as risking their pets’ health. Let’s look at everything you need to know about cleaning a reptile enclosure now.
1. Cleaning a Reptile Tank Requires Multiple Steps
Here are the basic steps to clean a reptile’s enclosure. Remember, some species may have more specific needs so these steps may vary. This guide is typical for common reptile pets like bearded dragons and leopard geckos. Ask a specialist if you’ve any concerns about your pet’s requirements.
Here’s what to know about cleaning your reptile’s tank:
- First, put your reptile in their backup cage or enclosure.
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soapy water.
- Remove all the organic waste like feces, water, food, and old skin.
- Discard the entire substrate.
- Remove larger objects from the enclosure.
- Thoroughly scrub the entire enclosure using disinfectant and brushes.
- Don’t forget to clean large rocks and enrichment items like branches and toys. Some experts recommend boiling them for several minutes after disinfecting them.
- Clean the back-up cage.
- Soak your cleaning items in disinfectant.
- Wash your hands again thoroughly.
You can alter these steps as you become familiar with your pet’s lifestyle and eating habits.
2. Practice Personal Hygiene to Prevent Disease
Personal hygiene is extremely important when cleaning reptile enclosures. It’s essential to wash your hands before and after handling reptiles. There are many horror stories of people contracting salmonella through their pet turtles or lizards. It’s very easy to catch this disease from holding pet reptiles or touching their habitat. Regular cleaning is very important to reduce the risk of salmonella.
It won’t harm the reptile, but it can be very dangerous for humans. Salmonella germs can be on animals’ bodies, in their water, and on the surface of their enclosures. Take extra care when you’re doing a deep clean. Parents should be very mindful of children who may forget to wash their hands after handling their scaly pets.
If you have other animals, you should also be careful. Wash your hands before handling your reptiles, so you don’t accidentally spread bacteria to them. Owners of more aggressive reptiles like snapping turtles and some snakes also benefit from wearing gloves to prevent injuries.
3. Prepare a Cleaning Kit
Most experienced reptile owners have tank cleaning kits on hand. Do your research before using any new types of soap or solvents.
Chlorhexidine is one of the most popular cleaning agents. It’s an antiseptic and a disinfectant without any toxic fumes. This makes it safe for you and your pets. You must dilute it first, so follow the instructions on the bottle. Vinegar is an excellent deodorizer and is useful for cleaning glass surfaces.
You should also have different types of brushes so you can reach every crevice of your reptile’s terrarium or enclosure. Toothbrushes are very useful for those hard-to-reach corners. Never use your cleaning kit for anything else (such as cleaning kitchen counters) because this could spread germs.
Get yourself a sand sieve or a similar appliance to easily remove the terrarium’s substrate. A backup cage or enclosure is also necessary to contain your pet during cleaning. It’s also important to know which products aren’t suitable. Never use bleach because it can burn your reptile’s skin and cause respiratory problems.
4. You Should Clean a Reptile’s Enclosure Daily
Reptile pet owners should clean their terrariums every day. A little bit goes a long way. We’re not talking about a deep clean but performing simple tasks. You should change your pet’s water daily because they may defecate in it. This prevents the spread of bacteria and keeps your pet from contracting any fecal-related illnesses. Remember to remove feces and untouched food, too. Some species of pet snakes and chameleons shed their skin so you should clean this as well. This will only take a couple of minutes, but it helps to improve your reptile’s quality of life.
Meanwhile, you should do a deep clean once every week or two. However, if you see signs of mildew or mold you may need to do it earlier. This is crucial information for reptile pet owners who may have vacation plans. It’s inadvisable to leave reptiles alone for more than three days for hygiene reasons. Somebody will need to clean their enclosure or there could be serious health ramifications. If you do a little bit each day it will drastically shorten the amount of time it takes to perform a deep clean.
5. Relocate Your Reptile During Tank Cleanings
Owners should invest in a back-up enclosure or cage for their reptile pet. It doesn’t need to be as big as their regular reptile vivarium or terrarium. However, they should fit comfortably inside with space to move their limbs. Put the pet in the backup cage when cleaning their usual home.
Don’t forget that you’ll also need to clean this smaller space too. This should only take a few minutes because you don’t need to equip it as thoroughly as your usual enclosure. Nonetheless, it should still have the basics like a substrate, water, and food for your pet. You never know when a five-minute cleaning could turn into a five-hour ordeal!
