Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Need advice Y'all!!!! I like to use Nolvasan to do all my disinfecting. When I had 70 critters, I bought the stuff by the Gallon in concentrate to mix up. Since I have been sick, I got down to 16 critters!!!! I found that a couple suppliers have it in small, containers that are much easier for me to deal with. Problem--the small sizes come with some kind of additive that is suppose to smell sweet. I like the small bottle and hate the smell!!!!! I soaked a batch of bowls in the stuff for twenty minutes ( I use 4 Tbs/gallon water), Rinsed them (until my hands looked prune-ish!!!!), let them dry, and then ran them through the dishwasher with just water (incurred the wrath of wife!!!). The darn things still have a lingering odor. Is this perfume stuff harmful???? Anyone have any exerience with this "smelly version"??? What do y'all use??? I'd like to know!!!!

I personally just soak water bowls in a ten percent bleach solution overnight then give them a good rinse and air dry. Same with glass tanks.
However, I have had a negative experience with a bleach solution on resin-based water bowls (exo-terra specicially-natural looking rock bowls). I gave them a soak and air dried, etc...just kind of deteriorated the bowl and just smells off now. I just replaced the bowls with those standard ceramic glazed bowls now

Yeah I use 10% bleach solution also. I have some in a spray bottle and unless the bowl had some nasty crap or puke in it, I just dump the water, spray a little bit in the bowl, rinse real quick, and that's it. If I am afraid the animal was sick or it took a dump in the water, I'll soak it over night.
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
J Sierra

I use Iodophor an iodine based sanitizer, I have this from my homebrewing and it kills everything. It has a shorter contact time than 10% bleach needing only 2 minutes wet contact as opposed to the bleach which needs 15 minutes wet contact to be effective. Iodophor is a no rinse sanitizer, once it's dry it's inert. Can't leave a solution mixed though for sprayer use, over the course of 3 days it loses it's effectiveness. Not too good for plasitics as it will stain them. They are still safe to use just not pretty. Since I consider delicups disposable after they get to stained I just replace them. I will mix a partial sprayer full for spot cleaning then dispose of it. Pretty econimical too as it's a concentrate.

I mostly use glazed ceramic bowls in my bigger enclosures and delicups in my shoeboxes. It's great for cleaning glass tanks too.
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BigT
There is a difference between ignorance and stupidity. The ignorant can be taught, stupidity is beyond our control.
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I use sol-u-mil. It works great on anything and is oderless.

Sorry, I should have said it is concentrated and the smell depends on how strong you mix it. But the smell goes away after your done cleaning.

DAVY

www.revivalanimal.com/store/p/3171-Nolvasan-Solution-Gallon.aspx
Buy the gallon odorless size and break it down into smaller quart bottles that are easier to handle. You only have to mess with the big jug once that way. I do this with motor oil; I buy the two gallon size (cheaper than by the quart) and transfer it to quart bottles for my partner, who has a heart condition and is frail, so he can do the generator oil change without having to hoist that big jug of oil.

I use dish soap and Clorox with my reptile and mouse stuff.
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Bob/Chris
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire

Just chiming in with my 2 cents worth. I have used clorox over the years, however recently (this year) have been using white vinegar mixed with water. My wife tells me it is a great disinfectant and of course non toxic. Its been working good for me.

Dennis

didn't think i had anything to add to this convo until denbar brought up the vinegar. i use a 50/50 mix of distilled vinegar and rubbing (isopropyl or ethyl) alcohol. cheap, sanitary, and is awesome on glass. so far haven't run into any materials that it damages or cannot clean.

i always go over every cleaned surface with a dry rag afterward to minimize dry time, because obviously you don't want your critters exposed to the acid/alcohol fumes.

good call, dennis.

I also use white vinegar and water. It was recommended to me over 20 yrs ago by a herptologist that worked with the Brookfield zoo.

Thanks y'all for the responses. As to the vinegar--what % do you mix with water????

Pat G-C

I mix mine 10% vinegar. I don't suppose it would hurt anything if you mixed it stronger. I keep a small spray bottle of the mixture close by and it makes for a pretty fast clean up.

--Dennis