Bearded dragons are reptiles and they are terrestrial so they can't fly, but they are fast and they can climb a tree easily. They live in coastal dune
Bearded dragons are reptiles and they are terrestrial so they can’t fly, but they are fast and they can climb a tree easily. They live in coastal dunes, heathland, tropical savannahs, deserts, and woodlands.
Bearded dragons don’t like a change in their environment. Have an enclosure ready that resembles the environment. With that kind of environment, it can sometimes be hard to keep the enclosure they are in clean. But don’t worry in this article we are going to explain the importance of cleaning your dragon’s enclosure.
Why is a Clean Enclosure Essential for Bearded Dragons?
A clean and healthy enclosure is very important for the well-being of your bearded dragon. These cute little reptiles have very sensitive respiratory systems, so it is imperative that you keep their home clean so they don’t develop irritations and infections. Also, a dirty enclosure can be a breeding ground for parasites which can then cause even more serious problems.
Sometimes your bearded dragon will not want to eat because it’s not able to smell its food from all the smells inside the enclosure.This of course leads to many more problems with your pet. Bad husbandry can cause tail rot in bearded dragons.
Apart from the things we stated that could happen, the dirty enclosure can also cause more stress in your bearded dragon. This stress can make your pet more prone to diseases. That’s why you should clean their tanks regularly. You should look at the tank like your own house, would you like to live in something dirty?
What Is the Necessary Equipment?
Well, the first step in cleaning anything is gathering all the essential equipment, you don’t need to worry about most of these items you probably already have. So, here is the list:
- Mask
- Gloves
- Paper towel
- Sieve
- Cleaning cloths
- White vinegar
- F10SC veterinary disinfectant
Be sure to have all of this on hand, as it’s going to make for a lot easier job, and gloves and mask will ensure you stay protected from all of the dirty things from the tank. Also, there is no specialized cleaner for bearded dragons tanks so, F10SC veterinary disinfectant will do the trick.
How Often Should You Clean a Bearded Dragons Tank and How to Do It?
We already stated why cleaning a bearded dragon tank is important, in this section, we will explain how to do it and how often you should do it.
Keep in mind that the more bearded dragon you have the more cleaning it requires. Also, during the breeding season, it’s important to clear it even more because the amount of poop, amongst other things, increases dramatically.
Now, we are going to cover three different times you need to clean your bearded dragon’s tank and how to do each one:
Daily Cleaning
This one is arguably the most important, as it requires you to clean the tank every day for a few minutes. If you skip this part there is going to be a lot of accumulating dirt and poop but, if you are cleaning it every day there is a much less chance of injury, illness, or disease occurring.
Here are the steps:
1 Cleaning the poop is one of the key steps here, you should remove and throw all the poop out as well as the contaminated substrate.
2 Remove any food that hasn’t been eaten.
3 Remove debris from the substrate.
4 Clean all of the feeding bowls with F10 disinfectant.
Daily cleaning allows you to clean the tank without needing to remove your bearded dragon. Also, you will never have a problem with hygiene in the tank.
Weekly Cleaning
You should plan this in advance since it requires about half an hour. It’s best for both you and your bearded dragon to have a routine where every seven days you’ll clean his tank thoroughly.
Here are the steps:
1 Remove all poop.
2 Remove leftover food.
3 Remove debris.
4 Clean all surfaces like food bowls and decors, also, take a look at the plants. Plants should be trimmed or replaced every once in a while.
5 After cleaning you should sanitize all the areas you cleaned. This is done with a 1:1 mixture of white vinegar and warm water.
When you are performing a weekly cleaning you should remove your bearded dragon from the tank and put it back when it’s all dry and clean.
Monthly Cleaning
It’s very important for the well-being of your pet to deep clean its tank once a month. For this procedure, you will need to remove your pet from its tank for at least two hours, as that much time is required for the process of cleaning.
This process requires cleaning and disinfecting everything as well as changing the substrate. Also, you could do steam cleaning as it’s safe for bearded dragons and it kills 99.99% of bacteria and viruses.
So, let’s go through the steps:
- Remove all of the bowls, decorations, furnishings, and hides and soak them in F10SC for about 10-15 minutes and clean them after.
- Remove all of the substrates from the tank, then you should use a brush to clean all of the poop and other stains. For stains that can’t be removed by brush, you can use bicarbonate of soda.
- After that, you should wipe down the entire tank using F10 disinfectant.
- Steam cleaner is not a necessity, but if you have it you can apply steam to all surfaces.
- Remove any excess chemicals by using a paper towel and hot water. This is done by thoroughly wiping down the entire tank with it.
- You should again wipe all surfaces but now with vinegar and water in a 1:1 ratio.
- Put in the new and fresh substrate.
- Ensure all of the things you put out are clean and dry and put them back in.
Once all areas of the tank are clean and dry you can put your bearded dragon back in his tank. And of course, remember to clean and sanitize your hands after this procedure.
Closing Thoughts
We hope we explained why cleaning a tank where your pet lives are so important, and by cleaning it you will have one happy and healthy pet. If you stick to our instructions on how to clean the tank and how often you should do it, we are sure you will never have a problem with your bearded dragon and his health. It’s important to remember that they are living beings too.
