Calling all AV experts....I need advice

Hey all, I need someone to tell me if there is a way to sterilize a glass tank and then be absolutely sure nothing, especially AV, lives through it. Can it be done and be absolutely 100% sure that the next beardie (that is, if I get another beardie) will not be able to contract that virus, if Whiskers did in fact have it. And in mine and my vet's opinion, he did.
So, please give me all the lists of ingredients that you can think of that will kill any organism!
Thanks!

will the wipe out work? vinegar?

Nothing is guaranteed to kill AV.

What about one of those steam devices? Steam is used to sterilize surgical instruments. Surely it would kill adenovirus if you steamed it good. I've heard of others using these things for their animal tanks since they don't utilize chemicals. http://www.amazon.com/SteamFast-SF-226-Handheld-Steam-Cleaner/dp/B00114LAP8

-Melissa

melissawf":80221 said:

What about one of those steam devices? Steam is used to sterilize surgical instruments. Surely it would kill adenovirus if you steamed it good. I've heard of others using these things for their animal tanks since they don't utilize chemicals. http://www.amazon.com/SteamFast-SF-226-Handheld-Steam-Cleaner/dp/B00114LAP8

-Melissa

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That is not a guaranteed thing either. So far, nothing has been proven to kill it. I would go with bleach, anomonia, rinsing good in between before I used steam alone. I use steam in my tanks but to sterilize a tank for a new dragon is different then just cleaning a tank as adeno is highly contagious.

Hello,

I would think that steaming would be the most effective. You would need to steam for at least 15+ minutes & very thoroughly. They are resistant spores.
I can't think of anything else not already mentioned.

Tracie

Thank you everyone for you advice....I really would like to make sure that dreaded virus is dead before I even think about bringing another precious beardie into my home.

Speaking of steam, how about boiling water? Whisker's glass house is extremely thick so I doubt that it would crack, but if steam would possibly work, wouldn't boiling water also?

im no expert but:

ive heard "UV-C wands" are used in fancy hotels to kill certain viruses... you hold the light over the surface for 20-30 seconds to kill bacteria and certain viruses.

you could email a site that sells them and ask what viruses(or what type) it kills.

Hello Sherri,

True, boiling water is practically the same thing. I would be careful though as not to crack the glass even though it is thick it could still crack.
That is an idea, Jason, a UVC wand. It is worth a look into the information.


Tracie

I may be a day late and a dollar short (I haven't been online a lot lately ) but I wanted to add that steam is what they use to sterilize surgical instruments and hence the best means of killing "cooties". The key would be to have a machine that uses a high temp, almost dry, vapor. I am betting you can rent a high-end machine to do the job from a place that rents carpet cleaners or other machines. They sell intro models for around $400. I've been researching them for my own home for multi-use cleaning. They look like canister vacuums and have attachments. Here is one: http://www.cleangrout.com/vs_1500.htm

-Melissa

PS, I would not use boiling water because it is the rapid temp change immersing the glass that would cause it to break. Plus, you have to actively boil an object for a period of time for it to sterilize. The steamer kills stuff more quickly since it is already at such a high temp, 200-something+

Look up a product called Virkon S it kills lots of nasty viruses:

"Highly effective biosecurity disinfectant for controlling and eliminating more than 38 viruses including foot-and mouth disease virus bovine adenovirus type four porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome equine infectious anemia canine parvovirus and pseudorabies and eradicates more than 20 bacteria such as E. coli and several strains of staphylococci streptococci and salmonellae."

From all the emailing I did in the past I was told steam wouldnt kill. From the test the cells still survived on the surface. It was being researched a high bleach concentration may be the ticket. But I dont know what came of that research. As I was told nothing can be garanteed and when my dragons go the suggestion is the enclosures do as well