4470 El Camino Real

Los Altos, California 94022

Veterinarian Always on Duty

Reptile and Amphibian Care

Keeping Clean

Cleanliness cannot be emphasized enough. Most herptile sicknesses are caused by an unclean environment. It is important to get into a routine of cleaning your herptile and its enclosure. Weekly cleaning of the enclosure and bathing of the herptile is recommended, but daily "spot cleaning" of any feces or other debris is also important. For larger herptiles a clean bathtub with enough warm water in it to partially cover the animal is a good way to bathe them, while for smaller herptiles a plastic "carry cage" can act as a pseudo bathing station. We recommend bathing our herptile for at least twenty minutes in warm water. Be careful not to make the water too hot as serious injury can result. While the herptile is bathing you can be cleaning its enclosure. We recommend an antibacterial soap and water, or alternatively, in cases where you know there to be infectious harmful bacteria, bleach and warm water. If using bleach, be sure to rinse thoroughly with hot water. No smell of bleach should remain when you have finished rinsing. If you smell bleach you have not rinsed well enough.

Back to Reptile and Amphibian Care