tank cleaning??

[goomysmom]

so this is my first bearded dragon and exotic pet. ive only ever had cats and dogs so im still learning. i have a few questions. how do you clean their tanks and how often. i do spot cleaning mostly when he poops. if he poops on his rock or tree (which he does often) i take it out rinse it with hot water and then use Sol u Guard Botanical disinfectant which is safe for cats dogs and babies so i assume is safe for dragons as well? and then i rinse the disinfectant and dry it off reallt well. ive only had him for three weeks and wanted to clean his carpet. do i have to get a new lizard carpet every time or can i use meleluca detergent to wash it in the washing machine. what cleaning producrs are harmful to beardies. and how do i stop stupid crickets and roaches from sqeezing themselves under the carpet? ive put velcro strips in the bottom of his tank so the carpet stays down but when i pulled it up today there were about for crickets and two roaches underneath! also i tried feeding him in a different cage but moving him to another cage freaked him out and he would not eat or move and then the crickets started biting his tail so i pulled him back out ive researched a lot about their care and stuff but i feel like theres so much more info i havent gotten

 

[CooperDragon]

You'll develop a routine in time that works and it won't be so tough or stressful as it is at first. Spot cleaning is good when needed. If he's pooping in his tank I'd do a thorough cleaning every week or when it starts to be smelly, whichever comes first. Wood pieces can be rinsed and baked in the oven on low to sanitize. The reptile carpet can be thrown in the washing machine but I've found it gets worn out pretty quickly so I prefer using a solid substrate like shelf liner or tile or a more durable soft substrate like fleece. I'm not familiar with that sanitizer but if it's safe for humans and other animals it should be fine. Just wash the surfaces and then give them some contact time with the disinfectant. The bugs are pretty clever when it comes to hiding so it might be easiest to offer just a few of them at a time so they are easier for both of you to track. Just keep offering more in small batches until he loses interest, then you should be able to remove the leftovers more easily after meal time.