Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, I just wanted to ask everyone what kind cleaning products or mixtures that people use because I just want try different ones and see what works best.

Thanks

Depending on the mess, I use a variety of things. For cleaning I use water, water & vinegar mix, Simple Green ready-to-use, or Simple Green concentrate. Whenever I use Simple Green I follow with water and let the tub/area dry completely before reintroducing animals.

If disinfecting is necessary, I clean with one of the above things FIRST and then apply either a bleach or lysol mixture followed by a rinse and plenty of drying time. Always clean before disinfecting.
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26 year old 0.1 from Lincoln, NE
Ball Pythons - 0.1 Silver Bullet, 0.1 Pastel, 1.0 Pastel het Pied, 0.1 Pied, 0.1 Cinn, 1.0 Black Pewter, 1.0 Woma, 0.1 Yellowbelly, 2.1 Normals
Kingsnakes - 1.0 L. m. thayeri, 0.1 L. m. thayeri X L. alterna, 1.0 L. g. californiae
Other - 0.1 Whitesided P. catenifer sayi, 1.0 H. nascicus, ?.? Chrysemys picta, 1.0 husband, ?.? Mini-human

Just follow the directions on the bottle. One spray bottle mixed with distilled water should be good for about a week.
IMO the best there is.

F10 veterinary disinfectant - approved by the EPA, used by vets, zoos and breeders world-wide. Kills bacteria, viruses and fungus, safe for reptiles.

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John Berry
www.bigreptileworld.com
www.bigreptileworld.co.uk
www.johnberryreptiles.com
New Designer Morphs: Western Hognose Snakes now available.

I use chlorhexidine as a disinfectant every week. I mix it 1oz chlorhexidine to 1 gallon of water. I clean all the big chunks out then I spray liberally and wipe out completely dry.

I use healthy habitat occasionally for big stuck on messes. I also use it whenever I pull eggs from a tub to get the odor out of the tub. I use healthy habitat straight not diluted. Healthy habitat can leave a somewhat soapy residue. So when I plan on using it I always use healthy habitat first then I follow up with chlorhexidine. I clean all the big chunks out that I can. Spray liberally the wipe out dry. After that I use chlorhexidine after.

The other thing I use healthy habitat for. The directions say its safe to spray on the animal; however, I never do, but after a female lays eggs I will soak her in water and I'll put just a small splash in the water to help remove egg odor. And that's really all I use.

Lastly. If I had a sink available to spray tubs every week. I would probably mix my chlorhexidine strong because it would be getting sprayed out. I would probably mix it closer to 4oz per gallon. And I would only most likely need the healthy habitat for odor control.
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I've used both F10 and chlorhexidine (Nolvasan) but after reading some of the health warnings online. Even the F10 bottle has some crazy warnings.

This site is a good read with lots of health warnings. http://www.drugs.com/vet/nolvasan-solution.html

I've stopped using both in fear of my own health.

I now just use Dawn dish detergent for most routine cleanings.

If I need to disinfect a tub for some reason I do it outside with a bleach solution.

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Hognose, Sand Boa & Ball Python Morphs

Greg Bennett | www.hognose.com

I use bleach too. Not sure it's so good for me either but the price is right and figure it does the job.
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Randy Remington
anyone@snakemorphs.com
www.SnakeMorphs.com
FaceBook.com/SnakeMorphs

I now wear a respirator when working with bleach. I only use bleach outdoors also.

>>I use bleach too. Not sure it's so good for me either but the price is right and figure it does the job.
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>>Randy Remington
>>anyone@snakemorphs.com
>>www.SnakeMorphs.com
>>FaceBook.com/SnakeMorphs
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Hognose, Sand Boa & Ball Python Morphs

Greg Bennett | www.hognose.com

Hot water and $1 a bottle dish soap.........

....got a problem?....bleach mixture...but it takes longer for the bleach to be cleaned out from containers sometimes than the messes...

.......
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........JY

Nolvasan (chlorhexidine). I have used it for 15 years or more. It is a bacteriacide and a viruscide so I feel that gives me more protection than plain soap and water. It comes as a concentrate with only about 3 oz. needed to mix with water in a 16 oz. spray bottle. A gallon jug lasts a long time.
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Susan Sentman
SSNAKES Reptiles
susan@ssnakes.com

I've been using a 5% ammonia water mix while allowing plenty of time to air dry. just like bleach cost effective 1 gallon for 1 dollar.

protection

from what???? only iF a snake is sick does it need protection?...I know , preventative....I never had a ball with URI.....or actually get sick....had a couple kids throw up...why I don't know...one adult....once...and a couple with female troubles....but pretty much of you keep balls healthy....you're ok...

....clean....I will add a few words on clean....clean a bird's cage too often...it will die....a friend...very intelligent friend...he cleaned all the time...with the vet stuff....$$ and time consuming....he got hardly any clutches one year....too clean....got mad a few years later....didn't clean for squat (funny haha word?)....ignored his critters (lots )....got eggs from mostly all of them....snakes like to smell more natural....this is why a niuce damp basement with LOTS of cages and lots of snakes...all warm and cozy and all smelling of ! SNAKE! will make a big fat ball happy...homey...they like it....think about it...they spend all day in a hole of dirt where they urinate year after year on their own eggs (and body) to keep the humidity up (I believe it anyways)....must smell really nice in them there used warthog and anteater holes....????

...I don't condone filthy cages...clean them , YES.,,,,while breeding and feeding and while gravid....the excuse "forgive the dirty cage" I took a pic and showed a turd- BUT they were REALLY gravid and I didn't want to disturb her....???....disturb....like she won't drop those huge eggs in her if you make her mad?...they will come out...period....

so...clean , YES....too clean...only if needed....

.....sick snake....remove from the room...and clean alot...

.......I don't know what I am going to buy....I think huge cages....lots of room....vivarium type setups...not sure what critters yet....thinking actually dirt floor and lots of wood in the cages....really....why not....?....I think snakes too often again....HA!...

good luck......
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........JY

"
.......I don't know what I am going to buy....I think huge cages....lots of room....vivarium type setups...not sure what critters yet....thinking actually dirt floor and lots of wood in the cages....really....why not....?....I think snakes too often again....HA!..."

Welcome back!

Unfortunately I think there are still some mites around. I used to get them from the old school breeders (like 20 years ago) who considered them just part of owning snakes and they are really really difficult to eradicate in wooden cages.
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Randy Remington
anyone@snakemorphs.com
www.SnakeMorphs.com
FaceBook.com/SnakeMorphs

...oops...yea...mites...clean well or clean alot...they are around...I had them from time to time...control them...gone...nope...there's one...wait...more than one...(albino balls are good tells)......yea....

...not sure....I'm not back yet and I never left....just own 0 critters still.....glass aquariums are cool....but 150 gallon ones take alot of room and I can't carry them alone....but then I would just get fish too....and maybe a full growing tank of plants and water and natural light....maybe a couple blue darts.....like 150 gallons for 5 little frogs....wow....No $$$ there....LOL....my yard got grass seed today....so...still working on the total plan ...(have to get grass growing on that 180 tons of dirt I got here !!!yea....180... ).....

.....
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........JY