Steam cleaning for pinworms

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So Porkchop has pinworms and coccida. =[ The vet called me today and let me know, and I hurried here for any other advice you guys could offer.

The most difficult thing to deal with sounds like its going to be the daily cleanings. I'm considering getting a steam cleaner and skipping the bleach hassle altogether, but I just want to make sure that the steam will be as effective on the pinworms as they will be on the coccida. Thoughts?

Also, I have non adhesive vinyl floor in the tank. Should I just just use paper towel while I treat Porkchop or can I keep the vinyl floor?

Im also using this hide http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3973417&lmdn=Reptile along with a mopani branch for his basking spot. Would these be okay to keep for him as long as they're cleaned? I don't want to the tank to be completely bare and stress him out.

I'm also concerned about not being able to keep things clean enough since I work 8 hours and he usually has already left a present for me when I get home. How can I keep him parasite free if he may have already reinfected himself by the time I get home?

Sigh. I'm just really worried about the lil guy. Any help would be appreciated. Also, sorry for errors! Typing this post on my phone, bleh.
 

Claudiusx

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hi there,

Sorry to hear your little guy is battling pinworms.

Steam cleaning is definitely the way to go in my opinion. It gets the job done and is much quicker/easier than the alternatives.

As for your substrate, I would just keep it paper towels for now to be honest.

I would remove anything porous from the tank. Porous objects are much much harder to clean. That link you showed looks like its pretty solid, so it should be easy to steam clean it. As for the branch though, i'd probably remove it.

There isn't much you can do besides cleaning the tank all the time, and giving the medications. Maybe you can get him to start poo'ing every day in the bath instead?

-Brandon
 

chickenhound

Member
Original Poster
Thank you for the reply! I'd only be able to give him a bath after I get home from work, which is after 5 every day during the week, and he's usually already gone by then. He'll go in the bath when I give him one, but most of the time its his second poo of the day. Unfortunately I don't think there's much I can do about that. :(

Does this steam cleaner look okay to you? http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000OP3ABM/ref=mp_s_a_15?qid=1329999585&sr=8-15

Or this one? http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003OAB5AM/ref=mp_s_a_4?qid=1330004202&sr=8-4
 

Claudiusx

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
I think I would go for the first link.

Usually the attachments like that second link have significantly cool the steam as its going through the attachment.

-Brandon
 

Claudiusx

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Sure that one will work.

As long as steam is produced, that is hot enough to kill basically everything.

-Brandon
 

chickenhound

Member
Original Poster
So I ended up getting this cleaner: http://www.amazon.com/Shark-Premium-Portable-Cleaning-Pockets/dp/B0034EG5X0

And I feel like it doesn't get nearly hot enough to clean properly! When I steamed an object, I could immediately touch that object and it didn't feel hot at all--cold, actually! I could even put my hand directly into the steam... it was hot directly out of the nozzle, but it cooled off right away. Shouldn't this thing get a LOT hotter than that?
 
Boy am I interested in this thread. I'm looking for the best steamer to buy also. I am interested on what some of the more expert beardie keepers have to say about this topic. when my beardie had pinworms I only use newspaper that I changed every single day. I kept the cage bare. it didn't stress him out really but he was over a year old. I potty trained mine in the morning. I raised him from a baby and in the morning I would put him in warm water for maybe 3 minutes and he would go. now he really only goes when I give him a bath and if he can't wait that long he goes in his water dish. he doesn't drink from it anyway and that way he doesn't run through it and spread it around everywhere.
 

Evergreen

Juvie Member
Would the steam from a regular clothing iron work? Usually that gets very hot and some even have different levels for the steam. It's be harder to work with but potentially cheaper and easier to find.
 

XtinaBeardieMom

Juvie Member
*bump* ...has anyone come up with the best easily available/reasonably priced steamer? @chicken I have that exact same hide & was wondering about cleaning it. I thought maybe I'd boil it? They love all their wood furniture, rly hope I don't absolutely have to take it all out. I was going to soak it in bleach then bake it. My beardies have coccidia & hookworms : (
 

mikem83

Hatchling Member
Hi, I actually just purchased that shark steam cleaner. Not sure what you paid but i got a refurbished one from "Big Lots" for only $40 and it works great. Not sure if you familiar with that store i am from PA. As far as the device itself your supposed to plug it in and wait a few minutes to use. When you pull the trigger you have to wait about 30 seconds until it starts releasing the proper steam. You can feel the entire hose getting warm. Its a bit of a pain but it is so much easier than the bleach cleaning. Also for daily cleaning i used a homemade cleaning mixture. It is one third water, vinegar, rubbing alcohol, and vanilla extract. The vinegar helps with the smell, alcohol disinfects, and vanilla helps with the smell of the cleaner. Hope this helps you out!
 

Tonja

BD.org Addict
I have a scunzi steam cleaner..I use it to clean everything in my Geico's home. I let it heat up till it produces steam and no water drips from the nozzle then let it go another 5-10 mins. I put a temp probe in the steam and it was over 180 degrees, enough to kill most anything in his tank. Do not put your hand in the steam or even close to it, it will burn as found out accidentally. I steam his logs, his rock, plants and his bedding, even the tiles and under the tiles. The window attachment is great for cleaning his glass and getting into the corners well. Use the scrubber attachment on his basking log and it get well into the nooks and crannies..love my scunzi!
 
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