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This information sheet has been designed to help you make an informed choice. |
How to choose reptile maintenance aids and equipment.
Setting up the perfect environment and choosing a healthy animal is vitally important but once in place, a planned maintenance routine is absolutely essential to ensure the reptile remains healthy and the vivarium clean and presentable. Maintenance tasks and the duration between them will vary depending on many factors such as the type of reptile, it’s size and age and the type and size of vivarium. Generally, larger vivariums will require less frequent attention than smaller ones. Hygiene is a very important part of reptile keeping, both for the sake of the health of the animals and yourself. Harmful bacteria can quickly develop in these very warm and often humid environments. Correct maintenance will ensure hygienic conditions. Below is a guide to typical maintenance tasks and the tools that are available to carry them out. The maintenance tasks featured are a rough guideline only and may not be applicable to the type of reptile you are keeping.
Daily Maintenance.
Daily maintenance should include checking of temperature to ensure heating equipment is functioning correctly. Check lighting equipment. Check humidity if this is an important factor. Mist spray rainforest and other vivarium environments requiring high humidity at least twice daily (The small plant misters available from garden centres are ideal for this).
Remove any un-eaten food and faecal deposits and substrate heavily soiled with urine. Removal of these materials will reduce odour build up and help to minimise the proliferation of bacteria. Change water in water bowls.
Weekly maintenance.
As daily maintenance plus wipe down the inside vivarium surfaces with a clean cloth to which has been applied a proprietary disinfectant or anti-bacterial agent (See below). Sterilise water and feed bowls. (This may need doing daily if the reptile sits in the water bowl for example Water Dragons. Snakes too will often immerse themselves in water after a feed in order to aid digestion). Rinse feed and water bowls thoroughly in clean water after sterilisation and before returning to the vivarium.
Monthly Maintenance.
As weekly maintenance plus remove the reptile from the vivarium and place in a secure temporary enclosure. Turn off all electrical components and wait for 15 to 20 minutes. Note, ceramic heating elements become extremely hot, do not place hands in the vivarium until they have been allowed to cool down, even when guarded, as there is a risk of injury. Remove substrate material and either follow manufacturers directions to clean or dispose of. Soiled substrate and faecal material should always be double bagged and tied securely before disposing of into the household waste system. If possible the preferred method of disposal is incineration. Incineration should only be carried out in a proper incinerator, outdoors and under adult supervision. Remove decoration and wipe clean with a cloth to which has been applied a proprietary disinfectant or anti-bacterial agent (See below). Heavily soiled items may require soaking. Rinse decoration thoroughly after cleaning and before returning to the vivarium.
Wipe down the base area and gently wipe full spectrum florescent tubes as dust deposits may reduce their effectiveness.
Replace cleaned or new substrate and decoration and switch on electrical supply. Allow approximately twenty minutes before returning the reptile to his cleaned home.
Annual maintenance.
As monthly maintenance plus replace full spectrum tube with new as the wavelength of light the tube emits has deteriorated to below the required level after this duration. Check all equipment and the vivarium itself for deterioration or wear which may need attention.
Aids to maintenance.
A number of useful aids can help to make sure maintenance is carried out correctly with the minimum of fuss.
A number of products are available from manufacturers, which are formulated to attack those microbial and viral agents specifically associated with and to be found in, the typical reptile environment. These, therefore, have to be recommended. Most also include deodorizers although products specifically for deodorizing are also available. Two companies produce cleaning agents produced from only natural ingredients. These are T-Rex Bio-Clean and ESU Terrarium cleaner. Wipe Out 2 by Zoo Med and VetaClean by Medivet use traditional chemical formulations. All except VetaClean are supplied in a pump action container for ease of application.
Repti-Por by Hagen is an enzymatic deodorizer, which should be used weekly by spraying onto vivarium decoration and substrates where it breaks down odour producing waste. T-Rex produce two deodorizers, Bio-Fresh Desert and Bio-Fresh tropical formulas. Not only do they deodorise but also they perfume the vivarium with the scent of these environments. I particularly like the description by T-Rex as to how they work which is “Selectively captures malodour molecules and holds them hostage”. Wow!! Don’t mess with the deodorizing S.A.S!! Usage every one or two days is recommended and these too are supplied in a pump action spray bottle.
Miscellaneous equipment and general tips. To assist with your maintenance tasks you will need a bucket, small sponge, cotton cleaning cloths and kitchen roll. Use the bucket to clean down decoration, the cotton cleaning cloths and sponge for inside the vivarium and the kitchen roll to polish the glass inside and out. Never spray household cleaners onto the outside of the vivarium. If necessary, spray a little onto a cloth well away from its location. Never use household cleaning agents or disinfectants on the interior of a vivarium or on decoration, under any circumstances.
You should always read the manufacturers instructions for product usage and follow them to the letter. As the saying goes “Cleanliness is next to Godliness” and if you apply this to a regular routine of vivarium maintenance then both you and your reptile friend will remain in glowing health.
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