cleaning...

what do you use to clean the cage?

Bleach! Works marvesl everytime.

Clean = hot soapy water
Disinfect = Nolvasan aka Virosan (perfectly safe for reptiles)
Sterilize = ammonia

http://www.anapsid.org/cleaning.html

Clean = anitbacterial soap
Disinfect: 5% bleach in water

AND RINSE RINSE RINSE!!!!

i thought there was something that had to do with some percentage of bleach in water how do u come up with the percentage?

3 capfuls to the Gallon.....RINSE RINSE RINSE RINSE WHEN YOU ARE DONE

I do a 1:10 ratio. I cup of bleach to 10 cups of water. And then like Freak says....RINSE RINSE RINSE...and allow to dry completely. There should be no hint of bleach odor when you put your animals back in.

I use Virosan buy it from Pro Exotics
You can use it on everything including your hands or right on the snake
Kills all germs and no need to rinse and no smell.
Won't harm your snake they use it when they have small cuts etc or for oral sugery
Great stuff, bleach scares me as you have to rinse rinse and more rinse.

I do rinse water bowls etc out good after using.
The stuff works well and is not expensive I think like 8.00 for a lagre spray bottle

If you use Virosan you can get a gallon for $35 here:

http://www.instawares.com/detail.asp?product_id=336THEO

For quick clean ups, I use "Wipe Out" by Zoo Med.

virosan looks expensive. I would rather spen an extra 5-10 minutes rinsing than spending 34 more dollars per gallon for a disinfectant.

You have to dilute it - you don't use it full strength. It goes a long way, I'd I prefer not having to worry about rinsing and drying the bleach all the way. I bleach deco in my fish aquariums. One time I swore it had been long enough - and it wasn't. Lost a good deal of my collection. I prefer the quickness and convenience and peace of mind of the Virosan. Works great. I keep a diluted spray bottle to spray water dishes daily and the inside of the tank on cleaning day. I then put a squirt nozzle on the gallon jug, and when I'm disinfecting deco I just squirt the amount I need into a tub of water. It's so convenient for me to just be able to rinse (not really needed) and towel dry as opposed to air drying. That whay I can put deco right back in the cage.

Quote:

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When diluted according to manufacturer's directions (Nolvasan, for example, is used at the rate of 3 ounces per gallon of water) they will last a long time (depending upon the number of enclosures, furnishings and utensils). Bleach should be used at the rate of 4 ounces per gallon of water, ammonia at 3.5 ounces per gallon. Note that weaker solutions should be used on amphibian enclosures and furnishings.)

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i might just have to give it a try then

Right on Smulkin thanks for that link!

I use antibacterial dish soap. I take each cage out on the porch, and hose it with hot water. then i put a few inches of soapy water in and soak for about a half hour. Then I scrub with a scrubby sponge, and rinse the hell out of the cage. Then, I dry it out with a clean towel and replace everything. I only strip them once a month, though. Spot cleaning is done with hot water, but usually just the newspaper substrate has the "dirt" on it.

I think what's important for everyone to know/realize is that there is a difference between cleaning, disinfecting and sterilizing. Hot soapy water cleans - and that's all it does.

http://www.anapsid.org/cleaning.html

Quote:

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Cleaning is the general removal of debris which helps reduce the amount of organic matter that contributes to the proliferation of bacteria and diseases.

Disinfecting removes most of the organisms present on the surface which can cause infection or disease - is useful against a number of bacterial and viral microorganisms

Sterilization, on the other hand, is the killing or removal of all disease causing organisms

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