Disinfecting Cage?

[Crux]

Hello everyone, I'm new here and have some questions on cleaning my tank.

My tank was partially used and was given to me by my brother. He was a breeder out in chicago and I used to help him with his Boa's. Well long story short he no longer is in the reptile business after a little event happened at a reptile expo (that's a story for another post). He sold almost all of his other supplies but kept a few for me if I "ever wanted to get back in the saddle".

I was given:
10 gallon aquarium
Exo Terra type cave hide
Sand
Food and Water Dish
Supplements
UTH
Analog Thermometer
Spot Check Thermomter
Lamp with bulb
Screen Mesh
Rheostat


When I asked him what the sand was for because I knew it could possibly cause impaction if the geckos ingested it, he replied it was both to anchor in slate tiles if I ever used them and to retain heat better and to keep critters out of the little nooks and crannies.

My question is, how would I go about disinfecting the tank? He said everything he gave me was used for a baby leopard gecko display at another reptile show. He said only 1 gecko was in that tank and for maybe only 12 hours from the night before the event to the time when he was sold. He said the gecko was in good health condition and he was not giving me an infected tank.

How would I clean the sand?
How would I clean the tank itself?
How would I clean the Hide and the Food Dishes?

I'm also going to homedepot before I get the actual gecko for some Slate Tiles. How would I also clean that?

I've heard to just soak everything in a 1 part bleach 3 part water? I've never heard the term "part" how much is a part exactly? Sorry for the newb question there.

Also does anyone know a good way to spot clean slate tiles and a good general cleaning solution? I've read to use water and vinager in a spray bottle then wipe off with water. Would this be safe? Can I use generic distilled white vinager with water in a spray bottle to clean the tank?

Sorry for all the questions, might aswell do one big post.

My setup is going to be a small sand layer below slate tiles to anchor them in, get good heat transfer, keep insects and my gecko from gecko stuck between all the crack, and to get a good snug fit. I'm going to get another hide for the cool side and get a moist hide going with a sandwich container and moist paper towls because I might be getting a rather young gecko from a friend of my brother that is still a breeder. I'm going to feed him mealworms and just give crickets as a treat because the closest petstore to me is rather far from me and I've heard worms last longer than crickets. I'm going to keep plain calcium available at all times and dust with both Plain and with D3 on a schedule of every 2 weeks D3 every other feeding plain dusting with a couple treats here and there. Sound good? Would this be not enough? I'm rather tight on cash at the moment so any suggestions are welcome.

Thanks, Crux.

 

[WHYISPY]

Sounds like you've done your research.

 

[Crux]

Sounds like you've done your research.

Thank you, I helped my brother a lot in the time I was in Chicago and I learned a few things here and there.

 

[greenzebra]

I don't know about cleaning the sand but for cleaning everything else just soak everything in the sanitizing solution.

When i got a used tank and supplies for an aquarium from my uncle i threw everything in the tank and filled it with the bleach solution. (when they say one part bleach 3 parts water it just means that for ever amount [whichever amount] of bleach you use, use that same amount times 3 for water. so if you were to use one cup of bleach you would use 3 cups of water.) since i was planning on using it for an aquarium i let it sit for 24 hours to make sure it didn't have any leaks. Then I rinsed it all off and scrubbed anything that needed to be scrubbed off. Since I used my tank for fish I filled it with water again with everything in it and put water conditioner in it to make sure all the bleach was gone. Let it sit over night again to double check for leaks and then dumped it out.

 

[That_DL_Kid]

Everything you said seems appropriate. In addition for the slate or any wood items you can place in the oven at 350 for over an hour to kill bacteria and parasites but with wood you do have to closely monitor. Just remember to grab the slate with hot mitts. I do this just bc I'm super wary of bleach with smaller herps but that's just me. For sand I put it in a 5 gallon bucket and fill with water. You can drain water off using a cheese cloth or a thin bed sheet. Sounds like you're gonna have a great enclosure.

 

[katie_]

Bleach is fine as long as you rinse the items well and let them sit in a dechlorinator

 

[Crux]

I don't know about cleaning the sand but for cleaning everything else just soak everything in the sanitizing solution.

When i got a used tank and supplies for an aquarium from my uncle i threw everything in the tank and filled it with the bleach solution. (when they say one part bleach 3 parts water it just means that for ever amount [whichever amount] of bleach you use, use that same amount times 3 for water. so if you were to use one cup of bleach you would use 3 cups of water.) since i was planning on using it for an aquarium i let it sit for 24 hours to make sure it didn't have any leaks. Then I rinsed it all off and scrubbed anything that needed to be scrubbed off. Since I used my tank for fish I filled it with water again with everything in it and put water conditioner in it to make sure all the bleach was gone. Let it sit over night again to double check for leaks and then dumped it out.

I chose to soak the tank 1/3 of the way just because the gecko that was in there couldn't possibly clime to the very top. Then I added in 1 cup of bleach. Is this enough? I'm soaking his hide and food dishes right now. Tonight I'm going to drain everything and keep everything outside until morning then I'll soak everything in a reptile safe water sanitizer. Then I'll bring everything back in and scrub with normal water to get everything left off. Do you think a water and vinegar solution is good for spot cleaning the slate tile I'm getting? I've heard people putting 1 cup vinager and 3 cups water into a spray bottle then wiping everything off with a moist towl. Is this fine? Or should I use a bleach solution. Thanks

 

[Crux]

Everything you said seems appropriate. In addition for the slate or any wood items you can place in the oven at 350 for over an hour to kill bacteria and parasites but with wood you do have to closely monitor. Just remember to grab the slate with hot mitts. I do this just bc I'm super wary of bleach with smaller herps but that's just me. For sand I put it in a 5 gallon bucket and fill with water. You can drain water off using a cheese cloth or a thin bed sheet. Sounds like you're gonna have a great enclosure.

Thanks. I'm baking the slate pieces right now.

 

[greenzebra]

I don't know if it was enough bleach since i don't know how many cups of water you put in. using a white vinigar/water mix is fine for spot cleaning.

 

[Crux]

Also, do I need a moist hide at all times in the cage? I've read all the caresheets on here and they say to have them when they are shedding. If I have it in all the time I'll just end up replacing it everyday. Could I just add it when I notice his skin becoming flaky and licking his skin?

 

[Indigo]

I love it when people do their research! Awesome! Sounds like everything's pretty much covered. I'm not sure about cleaning the sand beneath the tiles. I usually just throw mine out and put down new stuff when the tank is clean.

As for the humid hide, most of mine have them in all the time just because they like them. One of my geckos never used his so I just took it out. They're in a basement and it's humid enough down there that he shouldn't need it. And I see no problem putting it in when he's shedding only, so long as you remember. In fact, I know some people who never have a humid hide in their geckos' tanks and the geckos shed just fine. What do you mean by you'd be replacing it every day?

 

[katie_]

IMO, a humid hide should never be taken out.
They prevent shedding issues, so why risk it by removing it?

You dont have to replace the media every day, once a week/2 weeks is fine.

 

[mudskipper]

IMO, a humid hide should never be taken out.
They prevent shedding issues, so why risk it by removing it?

You dont have to replace the media every day, once a week/2 weeks is fine.

I agree with Katie. I was away for 2 nights last weekend. I came home to find a shed stuck on my mack snow's eyelid and face. Took me half an hour to help her get it all off with q-tips. I have since modified all the moist hides to be extra wet so they hold moisture longer and won't dry up while I'm away. I stay at my boyfriend's 2 nights a week.

 

[Crux]

I love it when people do their research! Awesome! Sounds like everything's pretty much covered. I'm not sure about cleaning the sand beneath the tiles. I usually just throw mine out and put down new stuff when the tank is clean.

As for the humid hide, most of mine have them in all the time just because they like them. One of my geckos never used his so I just took it out. They're in a basement and it's humid enough down there that he shouldn't need it. And I see no problem putting it in when he's shedding only, so long as you remember. In fact, I know some people who never have a humid hide in their geckos' tanks and the geckos shed just fine. What do you mean by you'd be replacing it every day?

Well, where I live it's fairly warm here in San Diego. I'm going to use paper towels just because it would be easier for me to change out if it gets a little muddled. I've heard people using Eco Moss or Pete Moss, but I have no means of getting it from the petstore. From what a friend tell me, I guess because of the heat wave here people have been buying more for their reptiles. Pretty much all of the chain petstores and privatly owned shops are on back order until early September. Although, I could still order it online. Should I just switch to Eco Earth then? It's just paper towels are easier to aqurire for me.

 

[Crux]

I agree with Katie. I was away for 2 nights last weekend. I came home to find a shed stuck on my mack snow's eyelid and face. Took me half an hour to help her get it all off with q-tips. I have since modified all the moist hides to be extra wet so they hold moisture longer and won't dry up while I'm away. I stay at my boyfriend's 2 nights a week.

What are you using in your humid hide? Also, can you tell me how you modified it? Sounds like I might need it because of the hot weather out here.

 

[forgivenick]

Well, where I live it's fairly warm here in San Diego. I'm going to use paper towels just because it would be easier for me to change out if it gets a little muddled. I've heard people using Eco Moss or Pete Moss, but I have no means of getting it from the petstore. From what a friend tell me, I guess because of the heat wave here people have been buying more for their reptiles. Pretty much all of the chain petstores and privatly owned shops are on back order until early September. Although, I could still order it online. Should I just switch to Eco Earth then? It's just paper towels are easier to aqurire for me.

I am in San Diego too and I generally keep a close eye on every gecko we have, handling them every other day, weighing them weekly, etc. so I find that the moist hides will get dry before I notice faster than I notice the gecko going into shed.
I provide the most hide right when they start to appear like they might be going into shed. There are many well respected breeders that recommend the same approach. If you pay attention to your geckos regularly, as you should, you will notice them going into shed way before it's a problem.
Take a look at davidsfinegeckos on you tube, he just switched all his most hides to eco earth. That guy really knows his stuff and is very particular about the quality of care, feed, and husbandry his geckos get.
Moist paper towels work really well in moist hides for me though. I also use vermiculite if they are mature females to serve as a lay box when that time approaches.
I hope that helps.
I am in mira mesa by the way. Let me know if you ever need anything. I have lots of extra hides, bowls, etc. I would be glad to help you out with anything you might need, either now or in the future.

 

[Crux]

I am in San Diego too and I generally keep a close eye on every gecko we have, handling them every other day, weighing them weekly, etc. so I find that the moist hides will get dry before I notice faster than I notice the gecko going into shed.
I provide the most hide right when they start to appear like they might be going into shed. There are many well respected breeders that recommend the same approach. If you pay attention to your geckos regularly, as you should, you will notice them going into shed way before it's a problem.
Take a look at davidsfinegeckos on you tube, he just switched all his most hides to eco earth. That guy really knows his stuff and is very particular about the quality of care, feed, and husbandry his geckos get.
Moist paper towels work really well in moist hides for me though. I also use vermiculite if they are mature females to serve as a lay box when that time approaches.
I hope that helps.
I am in mira mesa by the way. Let me know if you ever need anything. I have lots of extra hides, bowls, etc. I would be glad to help you out with anything you might need, either now or in the future.

Thanks, any tips on noticing when they shed? I've read when they start to lick there skin and face to soften up the tissue, or they begin to rub there bodies against things. My Exo Terra hide is mostly smooth on the inside, should I add an extra bit of slate in there to aid in the process? People say they will begin to emerge in the humid hide, but prefer to finish the job personally in a dry cool hide. Is this true?

Oh and thanks for offering extra bits. It's really great I found this forum where everyone is so helpful and willing to give an extra hand.

 

[forgivenick]

You bet Crux. This is a very cool community. Sometimes very opinionated , but open, honest, and respectful to be sure.
The rub seems to be one of the best indicators that my geckos are about to be in shed.
Get a hide that has some rough texture. I really like the exoterra reptile den. It has rough texture inside and I will spray it down inside when a gecko is rubbing and/or starting to look white/pale. As time goes on and you get more familiar with the geckos in your collection, you will learn how each one looks when they are a day or two away from shedding.
Even though your current hide is smooth, you might see them rub anyways. It might just seem like they are trying to get comfortable or are merely extra active inside their hide if you don't see them rub outside their hide.
My emerine female looked whitish for the last two days inside the reptile den where it was spayed down, then she finished in the cool hide which is the Fluker water dish/hide combo. With all this humidity, I think her preference the cool hide is to be expected for finishing the shed. It seems to me that half the time it seems the geckos finish shedding in the dry hides.

 

[Crux]

You bet Crux. This is a very cool community. Sometimes very opinionated , but open, honest, and respectful to be sure.
The rub seems to be one of the best indicators that my geckos are about to be in shed.
Get a hide that has some rough texture. I really like the exoterra reptile den. It has rough texture inside and I will spray it down inside when a gecko is rubbing and/or starting to look white/pale. As time goes on and you get more familiar with the geckos in your collection, you will learn how each one looks when they are a day or two away from shedding.
Even though your current hide is smooth, you might see them rub anyways. It might just seem like they are trying to get comfortable or are merely extra active inside their hide if you don't see them rub outside their hide.
My emerine female looked whitish for the last two days inside the reptile den where it was spayed down, then she finished in the cool hide which is the Fluker water dish/hide combo. With all this humidity, I think her preference the cool hide is to be expected for finishing the shed. It seems to me that half the time it seems the geckos finish shedding in the dry hides.

Well, today I bought my first leo

I think he's a normal morph because the breeder said he wasn't crossed with anything really special. I could already tell he was in the process of shedding as he was licking himself on the way home and he had bit's of skin beginning to peel off. I'm using the little deli container he came in as a moist hide until I make another trip to the petstore. I'll try to snap a few pictures tomorrow afternoon just to let him get situated in his new home tonight.

I've also thought about using the Exo Terra hide aswell. Would it make a better warm hide or cool hide? I was thinking of using it as a cool hide just because it says it reflects outside heat and keeps the inside cooler. So I would just use my plain Exo Terra cave hide as a warm hide and use the reptile den as a moist hide with some Pete Moss. In fact I might just go purchase it tomorrow, I might have left my Reptile Calcium at the petstore:worried:

 

[forgivenick]

Congrats!
Yeah, use the den as the cool hide, the one you already have as the warm one.
You definitely want the calcium powder asap.
Yeah post pics soon!