F10 veterinarian disinfectant

I have heard mixed reviews ( almost all good). Does the product contain anything harmful to skin and eyes or anything like that. Any input on the product is greatly appreciated thank you.

Does anybody use this product? Is it more harmful than advertised? Any input appreciated! Also does it expire after being diluted?

I think you mean "veterinary" disinfectant? At least I've never heard of anyone having to disinfect their veterinarian? :rofl: Mine have always been pretty clean...;)

But seriously :D, I've used F10, Nolvasan, & generic chlorhexidine for many years. They are designed to kill 'germs' & many germs are harmless, even necessary to
life, so none of these products belong on your skin (& certainly not in anyone's eyes) for any length of time. When properly diluted for wiping cages, I don't feel the
need to wear gloves, as very little contacts anything other than my paper towels, but you should avoid saturating your skin. And they don't belong in or on the hands
of children, goes without saying (I hope). If you read the precautions on the label for any of these excellent products, they also pose a risk to wildlife, so you want
to take care how you dispose of surplus. Basically, used as directed (& diluted as directed) all are very safe, & need no rinsing from the cages...but please don't bathe
in any of them, & you'll be fine. (FYI, chlorhexidine is used in mouthwashes...but humans are much bigger than most of our pets, & mouthwash has other ingredients,
& isn't designed to be swallowed anyway.)

Search the site for F10. It's been talked about a lot.

I use the F10SC religiously. In proper dilution, it takes 5-10 minutes to clean the tank and kill most germs.

I think it lasts 2 years + in concentrate and 6 months in dilution. Never lasts that long here, LOL, with 13 tanks.

I use paper in all my tanks and the routine is remove the paper, spray F10SC, let sit for 10 minutes, wipe it up, and good to go. It also forms a barrier on glass and PVC, etc. to help protect and kill germs on contact.

I will say it does little for smells. I use Healthy Habitat to get rid of odor after using the F10SC.

In the proper concentration, F10SC is safe, and the Healthy Habitat is non-toxic and not concentrated, but a little goes a long way.

https://www.reptilebasics.com/F10SC-200ml

https://www.reptilebasics.com/healthy-habitat-gallon

Reptile Basics is out of stock currently, but google it, and you will find many other places that have in stock now.

Next time, wait for a response instead of starting a new thread 20 minutes later, in a different section. Keeps the site from getting cluttered.

Moderators - can we merge please?

In the meantime, I responded on your other thread.

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...n-disinfectant

Also, I am sensitive to chemicals and in proper dilution, causes zero issues for me, even if if I get on my hands. I do wash after cleaning tanks, however.

Thank you

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Originally Posted by Rollingthunder1

Thank you

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You are welcome.

(Two threads on the same topic merged.)

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Originally Posted by dakski

Search the site for F10. It's been talked about a lot.

I use the F10SC religiously. In proper dilution, it takes 5-10 minutes to clean the tank and kill most germs.

I think it lasts 2 years + in concentrate and 6 months in dilution. Never lasts that long here, LOL, with 13 tanks.

I use paper in all my tanks and the routine is remove the paper, spray F10SC, let sit for 10 minutes, wipe it up, and good to go. It also forms a barrier on glass and PVC, etc. to help protect and kill germs on contact.

I will say it does little for smells. I use Healthy Habitat to get rid of odor after using the F10SC.

In the proper concentration, F10SC is safe, and the Healthy Habitat is non-toxic and not concentrated, but a little goes a long way.

https://www.reptilebasics.com/F10SC-200ml

https://www.reptilebasics.com/healthy-habitat-gallon

Reptile Basics is out of stock currently, but google it, and you will find many other places that have in stock now.

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This^^^.
Its all I use and thank you Dakski for mentioning the other product. I think I’ll try it for the smell. The whole upstairs of my house and down to the bottom of the stairs stinks for a hour after one of them goes to the bathroom... wife and kids do not like it especially when Im at work and cleaning has to wait. Hahaha


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I only have one tank, one snake. I have always (after getting out the substrate thoroughly) took and wiped down the inside walls and bottom with wet Lysol type (DG brand) wipes. I do one or 2 sections at a time and wipe it immediately dry with a paper towel while it is still wet till it is completely dry. I have never had a health problem or (neurological reaction) in any snake I have had whether it be ri or mites. But my question is does the stuff used for Lysol wipes have a more long term possible health risk to my snake. I know F10 is a good product and well liked by the reptile community, but I'd like to hear about what I do and what some of you think of how I do it and since I only have one tank will what I do work OK so far it has.

PS I have always been impressed by how Lysol works after spraying it when I was a teenager in a barn and seeing it clear up cats funky, horrible eyes mucus filled eyes.

I don't really need comments like oh I think that stuff must be bad. I want answers from people who know chemicals and are pretty knowledgeable about what chemicals shouldn't be used around a snake. Thank You.

I have 85 snakes and use nothing but F10 for sanitizing enclosures after a snake makes a mess. No issues. Just make sure you dilute it according to the package directions.

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Originally Posted by ballpythonsrock2

.... But my question is does the stuff used for Lysol wipes have a more long term possible health risk to my snake.

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I checked on line and found the answer I didn't expect but I did find the answer. Guess I need to get some F 10 thanks to the OP for asking this question which got me doing my own thinking. This is the source link https://www.moonvalleyreptiles.com/c...ecting-methods

Here is a quote: " Avoid formaldehyde and other aldehydes, Pine-sol, Lysol and other phenols which are highly toxic to reptiles."

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Originally Posted by ballpythonsrock2

Guess I need to get some F 10 ...

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I have only one snake, looked for a spray bottle of diluted F10 didn't find it anywhere. BUT I seen something called Wipe Out by Zoo Med. I crossed checked and Wipe Out has the same main ingredients that F10 has so for my just one snake I have purchased a small bottle of Wipe Out by Zoo Med. It is available at Petco and Petsmart on line. I just seen Pet Smart also sells a 32 oz bottle for around 10.99 (better deal) dollars you can buy on line. Will get that next time. I bought the 8.75 oz. at Petco which just offers the smaller bottle.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

I have 85 snakes and use nothing but F10 for sanitizing enclosures after a snake makes a mess. No issues. Just make sure you dilute it according to the package directions.

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Question for you-- what is better to use, chlorohexidine or F10- and why is one better than the other?

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Originally Posted by viper69

Question for you-- what is better to use, chlorohexidine or F10- and why is one better than the other?

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All I know is that uk vets use F10 as their default ..


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by ballpythonsrock2

I checked on line and found the answer I didn't expect but I did find the answer. Guess I need to get some F 10 thanks to the OP for asking this question which got me doing my own thinking. This is the source link https://www.moonvalleyreptiles.com/c...ecting-methods

Here is a quote: " Avoid formaldehyde and other aldehydes, Pine-sol, Lysol and other phenols which are highly toxic to reptiles."

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I'm glad you found the right answer before using for too long. :O All those products are horrible for snakes, as is anything that leaves a residual "scent" (including bleach!).

F10 is very effective but perhaps over-kill for someone with only one or several pet snakes. You can buy some generic chlorhexidine* from a feed store or online (often sold by the gallon for farms, but I've bought small bottles so I know they exist); it works the same way, not quite as strong but very effective. You dilute with water for a spray to clean cages that needs no rinsing, only wiped dry. F10 is just the more recent product, chlorhexidine (aka Nolvasan) has been around a long time & used to be the veterinary disinfectant of choice. F10 was presumably concocted because "germs" don't stay the same, they mutate & some become resistant, so while a breeder (or anyone with many snakes) or vet clinic may choose F10, you don't necessarily need to. I've tried it & went back to chlorhexidine. For me, F10 is over-kill & I have 19 healthy snakes currently, with no planned additions (& no recently acquired snakes besides the ones that hatched out unexpectedly from snakes I've had for over 10 years.).

*this > > > https://www.jefferspet.com/products/...fectant-gallon
And I recommend Jeffers, too, by the way. I've bought from them, they're a reliable company you may not have heard of.
If you look this product up from Walmart, they'll sell the same thing to you for several dollars more (they're the "middle man"). ;)

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

I'm glad you found the right answer before using for too long. :O All those products are horrible for snakes, as is anything that leaves a residual "scent" (including bleach!).

F10 is very effective but perhaps over-kill for someone with only one or several pet snakes. You can buy some generic chlorhexidine* from a feed store or online (often sold by the gallon for farms, but I've bought small bottles so I know they exist); it works the same way, not quite as strong but very effective. You dilute with water for a spray to clean cages that needs no rinsing, only wiped dry. F10 is just the more recent product, chlorhexidine (aka Nolvasan) has been around a long time & used to be the veterinary disinfectant of choice. F10 was presumably concocted because "germs" don't stay the same, they mutate & some become resistant, so while a breeder (or anyone with many snakes) or vet clinic may choose F10, you don't necessarily need to. I've tried it & went back to chlorhexidine. For me, F10 is over-kill & I have 19 healthy snakes currently, with no planned additions (& no recently acquired snakes besides the ones that hatched out unexpectedly from snakes I've had for over 10 years.).

*this > > > https://www.jefferspet.com/products/...fectant-gallon
And I recommend Jeffers, too, by the way. I've bought from them, they're a reliable company you may not have heard of.
If you look this product up from Walmart, they'll sell the same thing to you for several dollars more (they're the "middle man"). ;)

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Thanks a lot for this, couldn't find a small volume to purchase, I don't need a gallon.

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Originally Posted by viper69

Thanks a lot for this, couldn't find a small volume to purchase, I don't need a gallon.

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I know...it's hard to find locally in smaller bottles. You might also check with drug stores (chlorhexidine is an ingredient in mouthwash, & I can remember someone saying they wiped their enclosures with mouthwash, but I don't think I'm ready for "minty-fresh" reptiles, lol) they might actually carry it??? Only a really big operation (like a farm or vet hospital) would need a gallon of any of these disinfectants, they dilute by so much for use.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

I know...it's hard to find locally in smaller bottles. You might also check with drug stores (chlorhexidine is an ingredient in mouthwash, & I can remember someone saying they wiped their enclosures with mouthwash, but I don't think I'm ready for "minty-fresh" reptiles, lol) they might actually carry it??? Only a really big operation (like a farm or vet hospital) would need a gallon of any of these disinfectants, they dilute by so much for use.

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Yeah it is in mouthwash. I was going to buy a gallon from Walmart, then I read your post. I doubt I'd go through a gallon diluted. I only have 3 snakes.

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Originally Posted by viper69

Yeah it is in mouthwash. I was going to buy a gallon from Walmart, then I read your post. I doubt I'd go through a gallon diluted. I only have 3 snakes.

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It would lose effectiveness over time, sitting for so long as it took you to use it- so like me, you're much better off buying a smaller (16 oz.) bottle, & only dilute enough to use within a few months.

Some years ago, when I had a LOT more snakes than I do now, I bought Nolvasan by the gallon*. I also use it for cleaning my rodents, & back then I also had a huge # of rats, mice & hamsters- I actually had a side business selling surplus rodents, & for some years I had 85-90 snakes in my (larger) house. The # of snakes varied by the season, since most rescues that I took in were in the summer (typically wayward rattlesnakes, most of which were able to go back to the wild). Anyway, even THEN it took a long time for me to go thru a gallon of Nolvasan. ;)

*that was so long ago that it was only about $30 per gallon...now Nolvasan is roughly $108 for a gallon! :O Nolvasan is a trade name for what is essentially chlorhexidine, though it is said that there is also some small chemical difference that enhances the effectiveness & therefore justifies their higher price, but i can't swear to it?