Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi Again Guys

My question this time is about sterilizing things before putting them into the WD's enclosure.

I went on the beach today and found some nice rocks to use in the enclosure and I read somewhere about how to sterilize them before putting them in but I can't remember where I saw it and can't find it again. If I remember correctly, 1 part bleach and 5 parts water is used? I'm not totally sure and that is why I need your help! I have decided to change the enclosure around because the logs I have in there are 1} limiting the space in the there 2} the water bowl I currently have is too small as he seems to want to swim but doesn't have the space 3} his food seems to find it's way into the crevices in the logs where he can't get at it and 4} you can do so much more with rocks! :-}

My second query is about mites. I have seen on a couple of occasions, these little clear/white things crawling on him. They are tiny things maybe the size of a pin head. Are these mites? And if so, how do I get rid of them? If not, what would you suggest they are?

Thank You :-}

I don't use bleach. I can't as my son is soooo allergic to all chemicals, plus I think it may be a health hazard in itself anyway. DragosMom told me about something as an alternative, and I can personally vouch that is works, having gotten rid of parasites - no easy feat!!

I have a spray bottle of vinegar, and another of peroxide. I would never mix the two together, as I am under the impression that the disinfectant qualities are instantaneous. So I spray with one, then the other. I rinse what I can. I wait 'til the vinegar smell goes away. Works. Charlie had a fecal last week, and it came up clean!!! Yay for DM!!! So you can spray away! And, you are not forced to rinse, as you would be for the bleach - ie substrate, lol!

Your "mites" are probably very tiny baby crickets. They start off looking like that and within a week you can begin to see the "cricket" characteristics. the sanitizer that Clouddancer described is excellent, cheap and effective. It has been used in the textile industry for years and is an FDA recommended sanitizer. Spraying the two, one on top of the other forms peracetic acid, which is a powerful sanitizing agent, but it's half-life is very short, so it does the job and then dissipates. I wipe down all hard surfaces, but I also spray my substrate and moss with it and use a fan to eveaporate it before I put my dragons back in the enclosure. You can also use it for kitchen counters, etc. Diane
-----

dianedfisher@yahoo.com

My 3 CWD-Avanyu, Tripod and Drago

Awwwww Thanks again guys you're the BEST!!

So before I go out and do something stupid let me get it right LOL.

I have 2 spray bottles ~ one with "Hydrogen Peroxide"? (undiluted?) and one with "White Vinegar" or "Brown Vinegar"? (undiluted?) I guess I should rinse the rocks off first to free them of the sand and seaweed stuck in there and then spray each bottle instantiously to have any kind of effect? Then get the hair dryer out to dry them before putting them inside the cage? {If you knew me you would know that I am a bit of a scatter brain when it comes to things like this ~ to me this is like cooking and believe me I can burn an egg!!!!! LOL}

Thank You for your patience ;-}

Oh and one last thing ..... when I said that he is hiding under the moss in an earlier thread, I really think he is in hibernation .... he comes out in the morning and goes in there hours before I turn the lights out until morning again and I read something about this. He is not eating very much at all either and I am a little worried but if it is this semi~hibernation thing going on {which I'm hoping it is} I will just be patient. Also his color seems to be spotty and blotchy black on his back rather than the smooth darker shades~ again I am hoping it has a lot to do with the change in the weather!

Oh and I will look out for those crickets diane! Hopefully they won't reach adulthood cause he's not eating them :-{

It's ok guys I opted for the easy way out and went to my local reptile suppliers and bought what they use ... lol

Thanks anyways :-}

It sounds like you could have a mite problem. There are many type of mites that you may find in the cage, but not all attack your lizards, signs of a problem are usually crustyness around the eyes or black patches on the skin. If that's the case you should go to a complete steril and substrate free environment until you have them cleared up. No soil or wood in the cage else the mites will just in them.Post a pic, and we will tell you if that's what it looks like.

Thanks Rick! It has only been once or twice I have actually seen these lil white/clear things on Rocky, but next time I see them I will most definately post a piccy {that is, if someone tells me how } hehehe