Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I bought a used tank. It housed turtles. Is it ok to use soap and water to clean. Any other advice?
Thanks in advance.
Justin

I had one that I kept igaunas in for awhile and then put a boa in. I used water and bleach, then used dish washing detergant to make sure that was all gone, and its been fine. But I would use a mix of bleach and water. I don't know much more about turtles than how to keep them, not the bacteria or germs they might and might not carry, but just as a general rule I use, also me being obsesive compulsive about getting diseases and sicknesses, I clean everything in an overkill fashion(you should see me wash my car lol). The OC is urching at me to go into an even further cleaning detail, but I wont, just make sure you wash out the bleach. Don't want anything being put in it getting sick from cleaning chemicals.

>>I bought a used tank. It housed turtles. Is it ok to use soap and water to clean. Any other advice?
>>Thanks in advance.
>>Justin
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"Stupider.....like a FOX!!" -Homer Simpson

...if the tank is heavily soiled (dirty) than use soap/water FIRST, then use 1:10-15 dilution of Clorox. Trace amounts of clorox after rinsing is NOT toxic to a BP. Noteworthy is the fact that in several zoo surveys where all reptiles in the collection were cultured, MOST snakes tested positive for Salmonella but only a third of the chelonians did so. But there are MANY serotypes (kinds) of salmonella so why introduce turtle types to snakes? Disinfect well and remove the risk.
Scott J. Michaels DVM