Thats a good deal for all that stuff, however I have one recommendation...
CLEAN EVERYTHING!!!
Often when you see complete setups for sale its because the previous occupant of said enclosure has passed away. Unfortunately, this might have been due to neglect and a sick animal, therefore it makes a good deal of sense to clean and sterilize EVERYTHING before putting your animal in there. Unfortunately, your going to be dealing with unknown nasties, so you going to have to use some serious sterilization methods to get the bacteria/virus/parasite load to safe levels.
Here are my recommendations for cleaning the individual items. While these methods may seem extreme, they will certainly kill most everything that might harm your beardie. Note, there is a high coccidia risk associated with used cage items, so the typically recommended 10% bleach solution WILL NOT WORK!!!. I am tailoring my recommendations to typical household items. If you have access to a steam cleaner, or more exotic disinfectants, they might work.
Disclaimer - Ammonia, bleach, and many other household chemicals are extremely toxic. Always where rubber gloves, and always work in a well ventilated area. The procedures listed below may require the use of heat...always make sure to rinse EXTREMELY WELL before placing any items exposed to ammonia anywhere near a heat source. If you can still smell the ammonia, keep rinsing until you can't. It would be a safe bet to do this work outside. NEVER MIX AMMONIA AND BLEACH, the same goes for any other household chemical.
The glass tank - Use warm water and soap to clean off any debris stuck to the cage, and
rinse well. Then, use a 10% ammonia solution (1 part ammonia, 9 parts water), and let it soak in the tank for 20 minutes (make sure it stays wet, and doesn't dry). After 20 minutes, rinse extremely well, and let air out for a day or so. It would help to do this outside with a hose. We are using ammonia here, as a 10% bleach solution doesn't kill coccidia. Never mix bleach and ammonia, so just use one or the other.
The light bar and fixtures - You can not soak electronics, so simply give it a wipe down with alcohol. Use 70% isopropyl on a towel, and gently wipe the entire fixture. Don't be too concerned, as your animal will not typically touch this. However, the previous owner has so its not a bad idea to clean it off for your sake. You might want to wear rubber gloves while handling all this stuff, at least until its clean. Also, wash your hands before touching your reptile after handling this stuff.
Water and food dishes - Being completely honest, I would chuck these items as they are perhaps the most soiled. However, if they are ceramic they can be cleaned (if plastic of any kind, throw away). If these dishes are ceramic, clean them with warm water and soap to remove all debris. Then, place them in a
cool oven, and allow to heat to 320 degrees and hold them there for two hours. After two hours, turn off the oven but don't open it! Let the entire oven and its contents cool slowly, as rapid temp changes might shatter or crack the dishes. This is why we put them in a cool oven...so they heat up slowly. These items will be almost completely sterile once this cycle is completed....at least until you touch them with your hands
.
Driftwood and other wood items - Wood is tough to clean, as its porous. That said, quality driftwood is worth saving as it can be expensive to replace, so here is what I recommend. First off, use warm soapy water to clean off any debris such as feces, food, etc. Make sure to rinse before moving on to the next step, which is to soak in a 10% ammonia solution for 20 minutes (make sure its completely covered by the solution). After 20 minutes, rinse off, then soak in clean water for an hour (to purge any ammonia that got absorbed into the wood). After this, place in a 250 degree oven for two hours (will kill off what the ammonia didn't, and dry it). Make sure there are no ammonia fumes still present in the wood. If there are, soak in clean water until the fumes are gone. Always make sure to thouroughly dry it, as moist wood can harbor bacteria!
Plastic plants and other plastic items - Wash in warm soapy water, and rinse. Then, soak in 10% ammonia solution for 20 minutes then rinse, and rinse again. It may be beneficial to soak them in clean water for an hour or so after the ammonia soak...just ot be safe. Ammonia (as well as bleach) are caustic, and can degrade plastic or metal if exposed for a long period of time, so make sure to rinse well, and don't soak for any longer than whats listed above. Make sure there are no fumes when finished.
Temp and humidity gages - Wipe down with alcohol, as soaking will ruin these items.
Bag of sand - Sand is an impaction risk...throw it out, and buy tiles.
Food items - Throw these away, as they are most likely spoiled.
Heating Pad - Has no use with a bearded dragon (I am assuming you have or soon will have a bearded dragon), so throw away or give it to someone with a gecko.
I strongly recommend you clean these items. You may not want to do the entire process listed above, but I assure you that if you do, those items will be very clean and safe for your animals. If your not comfortable working with ammonia, you can substitute for a 10% bleach solution (same contact time, 20 minutes). That said, bleach won't kill coccidia in a 10% concentration...but it should kill most everything else of concern. Also, make sure to RINSE all these items extremely well after soaking in a disinfectant, regardless whether its bleach or ammonia. Mix the sterilizing solution fresh, right when you use it. Also, pay extra attention to pre-cleaning with warm soapy water, as organic debris can deactivate the above listed disinfectants. Don't forget to bake the items at the listed temperatures and times, as heat will kill off what the disinfectant soaks missed...especially on porous items like wood.
Other than the time spent cleaning these items, $75 seems like a good price if all the stuff is in working order. Make sure to get a fresh UV source, such as a MVB or Reptisun 10.0 fluorescent tube.
Nhà Cái Cá Cược Trực Tuyến Đáng Chơi Nhất 2024
