Best Cleaning Tips after a de-worming?

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animateash

Member
One of my leos has pinworms so I'll be giving everyone in the tank de-worming meds starting tomorrow. The vet suggested cleaning the tank tomorrow, and again on the 3rd (last) day of meds.

I've been reading that a diluted bleach solution is a good way to clean the tank itself, to get rid off any pinworms or eggs. What about oddly shaped or porous objects like the cork log and coconut hides? My geckos also really like a fabric tent that was originally meant for a bird. Should items like these also be soaked in bleach solution, or should I boil them? I want to be thorough, but I'm hesitant to just throw some of these things in a bucket of bleach water.
 
Conched

Conched

New member
The diluted bleach solution you are using is probably the best method for sterilizing the tank and any smoother, non porous items.

Cork logs and coconut hides are very porous and therefore very difficult to sterilize. Perhaps you should rethink the items you using as hides.
 
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animateash

Member
Conched said:
The diluted bleach solution you are using is probably the best method for sterilizing the tank and any smoother, non porous items.

Cork logs and coconut hides are very porous and therefore very difficult to sterilize. Perhaps you should rethink the items you using as hides.
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My geckos will not use tupperware hides, if that's what you're inferring would be the smarter choice. I've tried different sizes over the years, with entry cut in the side or the top, and they just won't go in them. If coconuts and cork logs are "bad", what's left that you feel is viable? Are the plastic caves/hideaways the way to go exclusively? I do have one of those which was very easy to clean.
 
Conched

Conched

New member
animateash said:
My geckos will not use tupperware hides, if that's what you're inferring would be the smarter choice. I've tried different sizes over the years, with entry cut in the side or the top, and they just won't go in them. If coconuts and cork logs are "bad", what's left that you feel is viable? Are the plastic caves/hideaways the way to go exclusively? I do have one of those which was very easy to clean.
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Well, finally an easy question ! There are tons of hides that are readily available and inexpensive. The one in the picture below is from Petsmart and costs around $11.00 and it can be sanitized. To give you an idea as to the scale of the hide pictured, that is an 85gram female plopped on top. To the right is the humid hide I strongly recommend as well, granted not as natural looking as the hide but it keep my Leo's healthy. I have an extra country crock tub laying around, i think i will experiment with painting it using a non toxic more natural color.

 
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animateash

Member
Conched said:
Well, finally an easy question ! There are tons of hides that are readily available and inexpensive. The one in the picture below is from Petsmart and costs around $11.00 and it can be sanitized. To give you an idea as to the scale of the hide pictured, that is an 85gram female plopped on top. To the right is the humid hide I strongly recommend as well, granted not as natural looking as the hide but it keep my Leo's healthy. I have an extra country crock tub laying around, i think i will experiment with painting it using a non toxic more natural color.

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Excellent! I did find some of those at Petco yesterday. I also saw peanut(?) shaped huts of a very similar material in the rodent aisle and am wondering if those might be good for smaller "rest stations". I'm also interested to find out if you find suitable paint for up-cycled tubs huts. I'm pretty sure acrylic would peel off and I'm not sure how safe spray paint would be, even after a long airing out period. I actually thought it was kind of funny to see that gecko peeking out of country crock unpainted :) I might try something like that again. In the past I had tried clear plastic containers and maybe they'd prefer an opaque, more private setting.
 
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animateash

Member
hmarie186 said:
How are they doing after the pinworm treatment?
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The one I originally took in as sick showed improvement the day after the first dose! She's eating like a champ --many wax worms and several good sized crickets. She obviously feels much better and it will just take time to get the weight back on her. Her tail and forelimbs are already looking a little more fleshy. I picked up some Fluker's Repti Boost and want to try giving her a little dose of that every few days to help things along. She doesn't like the syringe feeding anymore, which I take as a good sign. Everyone else who looks 'fine" but received medicine anyway continues to eat and behave well.
 
Elizabeth Freer

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
animateash said:
The one I originally took in as sick showed improvement the day after the first dose! She's eating like a champ -- many wax worms and several good sized crickets. She obviously feels much better and it will just take time to get the weight back on her. Her tail and forelimbs are already looking a little more fleshy. I picked up some Fluker's Repti Boost and want to try giving her a little dose of that every few days to help things along. She doesn't like the syringe feeding anymore, which I take as a good sign. Everyone else who looks 'fine" but received medicine anyway continues to eat and behave well.
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Nice that all leos are eating and being "good"! :)

How about ordering some mini-hornworms to help your sick leo gain weight? I'm betting they all would love them. Hornworms are nutritious and provide lots of moisture! :)

Click: http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...feeding-issues/68585-hornworm-guidelines.html

Oxbow's Carnivore Care is somewhat better than Flukers' Repti Boost. If your vet does not carry it, Amazon does in 70 and 340 gram pouches.
 
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animateash

Member
Agreed! I did look into Carnivore Care last week but Amazon said it definitely wouldn't arrive until after christmas. At the time I was very nervous about the sick gecko's condition and went with Fluker's since I could get it locally (immediately). One local vendor did say she could order CC for me, so now I have a few options.

I will ask my local guy if he ever gets mini hornworms. I know he stocks full size regularly. Thanks for the tip. I've never given them hornworms before.
 
Elizabeth Freer

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
animateash said:
Agreed! I did look into Carnivore Care last week but Amazon said it definitely wouldn't arrive until after christmas. At the time I was very nervous about the sick gecko's condition and went with Fluker's since I could get it locally (immediately). One local vendor did say she could order CC for me, so now I have a few options.

I will ask my local guy if he ever gets mini hornworms. I know he stocks full size regularly. Thanks for the tip. I've never given them hornworms before.
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You're quite welcome. :D

I've had an easy time keeping hornworms alive and a decent size with the methods I describe above.

I've yet to try silkworms. Those seem to be a bit more touchy.

Click here for guidelines for many recommended feeders: http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...ckets-blaptica-dubia-hornworms-silkworms.html
 
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