Flagstone for BD to lay on

[Terminator7777]

Hi where can you get like stones or flagstones for your dragons. I have seen alot of photos of tanks on this site and have alot of flat nice basking rocks. What is the best way to clean them if they havent if anyone could tell me how they do it it would be appreciated.

 

[jharris08]

check garden centers or home improvement stores...and as far as cleaning I just soak all my decor in a bleach water solution.. approx 4:1 water:bleach and then rinse thoroughly with plain water before drying

 

[BadCon]

check garden centers or home improvement stores...and as far as cleaning I just soak all my decor in a bleach water solution.. approx 4:1 water:bleach and then rinse thoroughly with plain water before drying

4 to 1 is a bit harsh, and could be troublesome to rinse properly (not to mention the fumes). The recommended bleach solution for disinfection is 10:1, with a 20 minute contact time. Anymore than that is a bit overkill...especially if it comes into contact with your skin.
Another product you can use is Simple Green-D Pro 3 disinfectant and cleaner. Available at Home Depot for $15 a gallon of concentrate. Its recommended dilution ratio is 2 ounces to a gallon of water. Very effective disinfectant, and a potent deodorizer. For soaking soiled furniture I use the recommended ratio, however for routine cleanings I use a ratio of 128:1 (1 ounce to a gallon). Simply wipe dry after spraying, no need to rinse. Its a QUAT based disinfectant, which are very effective.

 

[Terminator7777]

I use bleach in a plastic tub thats about 45 gallon and a cup of bleach added. Is that ok i just throw everything in it after i rinse feces or urates off some decor items.

 

[BadCon]

Do you fill that tub up all the way with water? You sure its a 45 gallon? That's a lot of water...
As for how much bleach should be in there, to get the proper 10% ratio, you'll need to add 4.5 gallons of bleach :shock:
Find a smaller container and add around 1.5 cups of bleach to a gallon of water.

 

[Terminator7777]

Its one of those storage tubs and 1.5 cup for every gallon well i no now i havent used enough bleach but takes for ever to get the smell of bleach off wood and water bowls.

 

[Jess]

I always soak my stuff in water for a while after I've soaked it in a bleach solution. It helps get the bleachy-ness out of it.

 

[Terminator7777]

Thanks jess and that seems like the best way to do it. I used to just soak in bleach and let dry and reuse and never had a problem i dont think but i wasnt using enough. Just hoped the bacteria died from being in water. Just like if you rinse veggies with water most of the bacteria gets removed. For some reason i use plain white paper towel and when i go to replace it it jas a brown tint to it thats from the dragons?

 

[Jess]

It's better to under-bleach than over-bleach, so you're fine. I usually only bleach items that I buy used, and otherwise I don't really bleach things unless I think my beardie has parasites or something.

Is the brown tint from the wood? Because wood releases tannins when it is wet, and it stains everything. You should see the water in my aquarium after I added real wood, LOL.

 

[Terminator7777]

The tank that has this brown tint has coconut branch but no wood yet. I know what you mean a wood piece ruined a salt water tank i had because i listened to fish guy that said it will be alright.


Everybody wants be to be a good r-truth...

 

[Jess]

Eeek, that would suck. I like my drift wood though LOL, so I don't really care about the weird colored water too much.

 

[Terminator7777]

Yea that would blow and well i switched to reef. So then i use the wood for my four beardies lol. R-truth my big guy is over ten years old and eats more then i do jk. My 12 year old is flakey hes like he had to much coffee like when he eats and is a little blind i think cause he cant find and eat crickets. I worry about him or her everyday because he or she is a sweetheart. My iguana rexy well hes another story very strong and mean and i cant tell you how much blood i losed because of him but on high humid days hes great.

 

[BadCon]

Personally, I don't use bleach either...not when there are man other options that are equally as effective yet not nearly as toxic. Two options you'll commonly see recommended on this forum are chlorhexidine gluconate and QUAT based disinfectants.
Chlorhexidine dilutes down to 2 ounces to a gallon of water (yes, 2 ounces to a gallon!), and is pretty effective at removing common pet specific microorganisms. Whats nice about chlorhexidine is it doesn't need to be rinsed, has virtually no smell, and can even be sprayed on skin (its commonly used as a wound wash. Avoid contact with mucous membranes). Simply spray on, let soak for 20 minutes, and wipe dry...no need to rinse. It leaves the surface aseptic for a day, preventing any new bacteria from taking hold. You can find the concentrate online for about $20. This is enough to make 64 gallons of disinfectant. http://www.reptilesupply.com/product.php?products_id=3061
Another option is a quaternary ammonium disinfectant. These come under a variety of brand names, but are non-toxic once diluted and don't need to be rinsed. They are commonly sold as either a disinfectant/cleaner combo with detergents, or a pure disinfectant. The pure disinfectant varieties have no color or smell, and don't need to be rinse. The detergent varieties usually don't need to be rinsed either, but commonly come with strong fragrances and need to air out before you place the dragon back in the enclosure. Either variety is extremely effective at killing all kinds of microorganisms...much more so then chlorhexidine, and even more effective then a bleach solution.
Prices range...and the true "hospital" grade varieties get expensive. However you can get Simple Green-d Pro 3 from home depot for $15 a gallon. It dilutes down to 2 ounces to a gallon for strong cleaning, or 1 ounce to a gallon for quick cleanups. I use it at 1 ounce to gallon, and it has a very faint herbal smell...airs out in about 15 minutes and doesn't need to be rinsed. Very effective deodorizer for a messy dragon. The Pro 3 contains detergents, however hey also make the Pro 5 variety which is colorless and orderless...simply a disinfectant, and it too is around $15. Sold online or at office depot IIRC.
viewtopic.php?f=34&t=149514

Though it may not seem like they need it, I routine disinfection is a good way to keep you and your pet safe.

 

[Terminator7777]

These seem like a better bit then bleach and have to look them up so i buy the right product. The names i mean

 

[BadCon]

In the second link I list various QUAT disinfectants. There are many more, so don't assume that if they weren't listed they shouldn't be used...I just didn't have time to compile a super long list. As for chlorhexidine...I included a link with decent price, though there are places to get smaller quantities for less money. Remember to only mix small batches when you need it and use distilled water if possible. The mixed solution will expire in a week or so with tap water, and about 3-4 weeks with distilled. So mix as much as you need for a specific cleaning.
A major brand name for chlorhexidine is Novalsan. Its much more expensive then the generic. Virosan is another big brand name. Get the generic if you can...save some cash.
http://www.amazon.com/Chlorhexidine-2-for-Horses-Dogs/dp/B000HHNZVW
http://www.amazon.com/First-Priority-Chlorhexidine-Solution-Gallon/dp/B0040V1RES/ref=pd_sim_k_1

I personally use the Simple Green-D Pro 3 from Home Depot. You can get it locally and its very effective (and inexpensive!). I have also used chlorhexidine...and it was my go to disinfectant until I converted to QUATs awhile back. I like the Pro 3...diluted to 1 ounce a gallon is has a very faint herbal smell which does a good job deodorizing things, but isn't overpowering and doesn't linger. Its a very strong detergent too, which is nice as it makes scrubbing dirty items a breeze. One nice thing about QUATs is the contact time....60 seconds for a 99.9% reduction is most bacteria, and 5-10 minutes to kill off even the most pernicious pathogens. Bleach is a 20 minute contact time, and chlorhexidine is also a 20 minute contact time. I use Pro 3 to clean around the house too. At 2 ounces to a gallon you can go to town on a bathroom, leaving it as clean as an operating room in no time at all