nwmnnaturalist
New member
- Joined
- Nov 8, 2011
- Messages
- 229
- Reaction score
- 9
- Points
- 0
- Age
- 41
- Location
- Hubbard County, MN
- Country
- United States
- Display Name
- Cassie
Ah, cleaning day! A time to get wet, messy and covered in dirt.
First I cleaned up my Ambystoma tigrinum's (Skaddi) vivarium. She likes to track the substrate into her dish, but I empty that out daily or every other day. I wanted to add another couple inches to the depth, as well as make sure her shelter was good and clean
Before photos. Messy girl!
Skaddi doesn't like to be put in her 'waiting room', especially since I cover it up to keep her from getting stressed. I think she gets more agitated when covered since she can't see what I'm doing and whether or not I'm bringing her food. >>'
After dumping the old substrate, then vacuuming out any debris, I spray it liberally with vinegar, let sit and scrub. I rinse again and again, then when I think it's clean I rinse it one more time. I wipe it out dry, use a little vinegar on the outside of the glass. I also clean out the dish with vinegar and some soap, then rinse it thoroughly. I get some hard water spots on it (well water with plenty of calcium), but it doesn't bother me that much.
I soak the shelter debris in hot water, after brushing it off. It helps keep it clean but also rehydrates it. There's a floppy piece of moss, a piece of bark with moss, a hollow tube of birch bark and a large piece of bark. I rinse afterwards and let it cool.
I added about 3 inches of her substrate (organic hardwood mulch), then tucked the birch bark shelter in and filled it with a little of the substrate.
Then I put the mossy bark on top, her dish back in and the piece of bark on top. Some of the mulch was still a bit icy, but I turned her heating mat on just to warm it up a bit.
And there ya have it! I put her burlap cover back on, then plopped her back in. She will take a day or two to make it the way she wants.
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Next was the Pseudacris vivarium. In this I have 2 female Pseudacris maculata, 1 male Pseudacris maculata, and a male Pseudacris crucifer.
Here's the before shot. Water is dirty, substrate and plants a tad dry. Poopy everywhere!
I pretty much did the same procedure for cleaning the habitat as I did with the A. tigrinum. I added more mulch, soaked the shelter, cleaned out dishes and got the plants cleaned and watered. They were also put in a small carrier and sheltered while the cleaning happened. I take care to clean up my cleaning area before moving to the next vivarium, to prevent contamination.
First I cleaned up my Ambystoma tigrinum's (Skaddi) vivarium. She likes to track the substrate into her dish, but I empty that out daily or every other day. I wanted to add another couple inches to the depth, as well as make sure her shelter was good and clean
Before photos. Messy girl!
Skaddi doesn't like to be put in her 'waiting room', especially since I cover it up to keep her from getting stressed. I think she gets more agitated when covered since she can't see what I'm doing and whether or not I'm bringing her food. >>'
After dumping the old substrate, then vacuuming out any debris, I spray it liberally with vinegar, let sit and scrub. I rinse again and again, then when I think it's clean I rinse it one more time. I wipe it out dry, use a little vinegar on the outside of the glass. I also clean out the dish with vinegar and some soap, then rinse it thoroughly. I get some hard water spots on it (well water with plenty of calcium), but it doesn't bother me that much.
I soak the shelter debris in hot water, after brushing it off. It helps keep it clean but also rehydrates it. There's a floppy piece of moss, a piece of bark with moss, a hollow tube of birch bark and a large piece of bark. I rinse afterwards and let it cool.
I added about 3 inches of her substrate (organic hardwood mulch), then tucked the birch bark shelter in and filled it with a little of the substrate.
Then I put the mossy bark on top, her dish back in and the piece of bark on top. Some of the mulch was still a bit icy, but I turned her heating mat on just to warm it up a bit.
And there ya have it! I put her burlap cover back on, then plopped her back in. She will take a day or two to make it the way she wants.
--------------------
Next was the Pseudacris vivarium. In this I have 2 female Pseudacris maculata, 1 male Pseudacris maculata, and a male Pseudacris crucifer.
Here's the before shot. Water is dirty, substrate and plants a tad dry. Poopy everywhere!
I pretty much did the same procedure for cleaning the habitat as I did with the A. tigrinum. I added more mulch, soaked the shelter, cleaned out dishes and got the plants cleaned and watered. They were also put in a small carrier and sheltered while the cleaning happened. I take care to clean up my cleaning area before moving to the next vivarium, to prevent contamination.
I love what a good cleaning can do 