Sterilizing hides

[Keitone]

How important is it to sterilize hides regularly? I clean my cages weekly but I have used cork bark hides and they are impossible to clean 100%. The texture of the bark does seem to help them shed.

I switched over to plastic (cleaned meat containers) but they move them around a lot.

I was considering making some out of clay but I am questioning whether I have the skill for them to turn out the way I want them to look.

Ideally I would like something relatively light weight, has some texture to it and easily cleaned. Any suggestions?

 

[Trevor's Leo]

I dont mean to hijack your post, but what size should hides be for leos? Thanks!

 

[Enigmatic_Reptiles]

I think what you want is going to be kind of hard. Anything with texture will be harder to clean. I use Tupperware and coconut fiber inside. I clean and disinfect weekly and replace the coconut fiber every 5 weeks or so.

Trevor...next time just start a new thread. The hide should be big enough for the leo to have some mobility while inside..IE turn around and all. I use large entree Tupperware for most of mine unless they are larger or laying.

 

[Keitone]

Yeah I realize im sort of contradicting myself as far as what type of hide I want.

Do I really need to have hides that I can sterilize or would cork bark be useable?

I was just watching one of my geckos push around her hide. She looked like she was trying to flip it over. I suppose that if I used something with a bottom she wouldn't be able to do that.

 

[Tony C]

I don't think it's all that important to sterilize cage furniture, unless of course the gecko is being treated for an illness. They certainly don't live under sterile conditions in the wild, and if anything I think an excessively sanitized environment would hinder the development of their immune system. How are they supposed to build resistance to pathogens if they are never exposed to any trace of them?

 

[Enigmatic_Reptiles]

The sterilizing I am concerned about is nothing to prevent the geckos immune system but growth in the coconut fiber or whatever substrate being used. Not only that but I have a 5 year old son who loves to come check on the geckos...and we all know kids and their germs. Sterilizing for me ensures the geckos do not contract any diseases or cage growths which can be harmful to my colonies. To me its all about prevention...a sick gecko will not become a "hardened" gecko because of multiple immunities (which when sold or relocated will then have immunities which are irrelevant to their new living area.)

 

[Keitone]

Sterilizing for me ensures the geckos do not contract any diseases or cage growths which can be harmful to my colonies. To me its all about prevention...a sick gecko will not become a "hardened" gecko because of multiple immunities (which when sold or relocated will then have immunities which are irrelevant to their new living area.)

Not only that but if my geckos are carriers of a disease and immune to it. They could spread that disease to who ever buys that gecko.

I suppose that I will go with top entry plastic containers. Its the best compromise that I can think of.