Let’s face it; bearded dragons are cute to have pets, but when it comes to cleaning time, their poop is the smelliest of all reptiles. Nevertheless, if they have stinky poop or not, they need to be cleaned regularly to avoid any infection for your bearded dragon as well as for yourself.
You’ve already searched “how to clean up bearded dragon poop” because right now, you’re having a hard time cleaning your reptile and his poop. Don’t worry; in this article, we’ll be helping you out with step-by-step instructions and methods to make sure that your bearded dragon is the healthiest lizard out there.
How To Clean Up Bearded Dragon Poop?
Cleaning poop will always be unpleasant, but it’s a necessity for your pet. When it comes to cleaning your bearded dragon’s poop, you should first consider the substrate that she is in your enclosure.
If It’s on a tile flooring
If you’re using tile flooring for your bearded dragon’s home, then you would want to clean it as soon as you see their poop. A good cleaning solution for it would be a 9:1 water to red vinegar ratio. Why red vinegar? It’s simple; it’s more potent and effective than bleach as a cleaning agent for your bearded dragon’s poop and her enclosure.
If you want to clean the tiles deep, putting them in an oven would do the trick. Place them in the oven, set to low temperature for about 30-60 minutes. If you don’t have a range at your disposal, spray it with a veterinary disinfectant, and leave the tiles dry for 10 minutes.
Regardless of how you clean the tiles, always remember to put them back after they’ve cooled off or dried, as bearded dragons are specific when it comes to the humidity of their homes.
If it’s in a newspaper
If your bearded dragon has a newspaper as her flooring, then it’s more an easier job for you. Just completely crumple and throw the newspaper, and replace them with fresher and newer ones. Regardless of whether your bearded dragon pooped, consider replacing the newspaper once a week.
If it’s on a reptile carpet
Cleaning poop on a reptile carpet is the same as the previous materials. Remove it immediately with plastic gloves and deep clean it in a washer filled with hot water and fragrance-free detergent. Spraying veteran disinfectant on the poop spot will also work if you want a faster solution.
On the other hand, it’s best to keep several carpets as a replacement for the used one, just so that the home of your bearded dragon is fresh.
If it’s in a sandy substrate
This type of substrate makes poop-cleaning trickier. For example, if your substrate is sand, millet, or alfalfa pellets, it will be complicated to remove the poop altogether. Yes, you may see it within the substrate and remove it immediately, but the problem lies with the other particles that have been in contact with the poop.
This should be a no-brainer explanation for why these substrates are not ideal for putting in your bearded dragon’s cage. Although, if you’re committed and well-invested enough to buy packs of these kinds of substrates, your greatest weapon to get poop will be a scooper, as it scoops a ton of substrate that the poop has and other affected bits can you can dispose of already.
How To Deep Clean Your Bearded Dragon Tank?
It’s not just the substrate or flooring that needs you should be cleaning on a basis, but the whole tank as well. Deep cleaning your tank is the best way to keep your pet reptile fresh, cooled, and scented until the next bathing time.
Here’s how you deep clean their tanks:
- We’ve already explained the steps on how to clean each type of substrate your bearded dragon might poop in. Now, we’re going to get right ahead into cleaning the accessories of your tank. First & foremost, remove everything from the cage of your reptile. You can easily wash off the accessories with soap and water on a large container with a 9:1 water to bleach ratio. Still, suppose your bearded dragon poops ever on one of your enclosure accessories. In that case, you should wash it first bake it in a low-temperature oven for half an hour to remove any parasites or chemicals that can harm your bearded dragon.
- After you clean the accessories, now it’s time for the tank. There are a couple of options to choose from on what you will use to clean your bearded dragon’s tank. First, you can get a chlorhexidine solution-anti fungus, viral, and bacterial-and mix it with water. Second, you can go for a steam method by using a steam gun to clean the tank with hot water vapor. The good thing about this is that it uses water only. If you want to scrub the tank of your reptile, then going for a 1:1 water to vinegar solution is the most effective way. The only downside is that the vinegar smell can stay quite a while, so make sure you have another living area for your reptile.
How Often Should You Clean Your Bearded Dragon?
There’s no rule on how often you should clean your pet reptile, but ideally, you should do it once a week. As a reptile, they need to have a suitable temperature on their skin, not only with their enclosure.
That said, how often you should bathe your reptile also depends on weather conditions. Typical, when summer hits your area, bathing frequencies are increased to 2-3 times a week to keep your snake cooled and hydrated.
Why Should I Clean My Reptile and its Tank on a basis?
First of all, a dirty tank will affect your reptile’s smell. Uneaten foods, dead bugs, feces, bacteria, and fungi will naturally emit horrid odors that stick to your reptile’s scales. Also, if ever you mist or steam the inside of the tank, make sure that it dries first before closing it with the dragon inside as the moisture can affect fungi growth and hasten bacterial growth around your dragon.
Since they favor moist and humid environments similar to bacteria, fungi, and parasites, it’s essential to make it a habit to clean your reptile and their tank to improve their quality of life and health.
Can You Bathe Your Bearded Dragon Outdoors?
Yes, you can. BUT be mindful of the weather conditions when bathing your dragon outside. If it’s too cold, it may not be the brightest idea to do so. Additionally, use tools that are the same size as your reptile; basically, don’t use power hoses buckets of water to wash them. Always use a toothbrush or a tiny scrub, so they don’t get agitated and stressed.
Conclusion
There you have it! Cleaning your bearded dragon’s substrates can be a challenging task to do, not to mention, their poop makes it more complicated and ever the more difficult. But once you clean it, the result is more rewarding as your bearded dragon will have a healthy and bacteria-free home.
We hope we helped you gain the knowledge on how to do a proper cleaning on your reptile, their poop, as well as their enclosures.
