Cleaning vivarium

[camfish]

I'm going to be cleaning my old fire belly toad tank because i made a different vivarium for them. I'm going to use the old tank for other frogs or maybe a lizard so i want to make it safe for them, would it be safe to use pure bleach and water?

[MikeM670]

I'm going to be cleaning my old fire belly toad tank because i made a different vivarium for them. I'm going to use the old tank for other frogs or maybe a lizard so i want to make it safe for them, would it be safe to use pure bleach and water?

You just need to use a 10 percent bleach solution for cleaning. Wash all the surfaces with the bleach solution and if possible let the interior soak for 20 minutes. Then rinse completely and air dry.

[John]

Get rid of all of the contents - do not reuse them unless it's artificial decorations which can be treated with bleach. For bleaching the tank, you only need a 5% bleach solution, not pure bleach. Bleach is very nasty stuff and can kill any tiny nasties that could pose a thread to your frogs. Just make sure the bleach solution contacts all of the surfaces in the terrarium.

[John]

That'll teach me to load a thread and take 15 minutes to answer it. So, what Mike said!

[MikeM670]

That'll teach me to load a thread and take 15 minutes to answer it. So, what Mike said!

hahahaha

[Lacibeth]

I'm a bit of a nut when it comes to disinfecting, so after the bleach rinse I use non-iodized table salt and scrub everything down again and let it sit overnight. Outside of halophilic bacteria--not a whole heck of a lot can take that much salt, including Bd.

http://www.jcu.edu.au/school/phtm/PH...nson-2003b.pdf

[John]

Bd can't stand bleach either. The salt is a little redundant.

[Lacibeth]

Bd can't stand bleach either. The salt is a little redundant.

Yep, that's why I said I was a nut. Plus one of the girls at work is allergic to chlorine so she can disinfect w/ the salt and I don't get stuck w/ it all.

[camfish]

Ok i just finished cleaning the tank and it's air drying in my backyard now, i washed it out really good after using the bleach but it still smelt like a little bleach in there and my hands still smell like bleach after a few washings. I'm going to use the tank for a savannah monitor will it be safe for it? And how long should i let it air dry for?

[MikeM670]

Yes just give the tank and yourself some time to air dry and the smell will go away.

[camfish]

Thank you, you guys have been a big help.