enclosure smell

[Dennis Cronin]

Maybe this would be better in the enclosure forum but it also seemed like it was a fairly general question. Cleaned his cage this week. Smelled like a barn. I clean it once a week, floor is tiles. I scoop his poop out once a day but leave the main clean up for the weekend.

Wiped the tiles down with vinegar and water. Seemed better but still got some stank going on. Maybe it's the green onions he's getting. Any ideas? Anybody got a stinky beardie?

Dennis

 

[Germ]

Are your tiles loosely laid or permanently grouted in? If loose, do you remove the tile & clean underneath on your weekly clean ups? Sounds like it could be a problem with hiding crix dying off, creating an odor, too ...

 

[Dennis Cronin]

My tiles are extremely tight and will be problematic to get out. But my hope is that also keeps crickets from hiding in 'em.

We grow green onions and beets in the garden so I've been using their leaves a lot. I'm suspecting that green onions everyday is not helping. I'm gonna swap out his mixture of greens a bit and see what that does.

 

[Germ]

The liquid that gets expelled along with the solid waste, will seep between the cracks of the tiles, if not completely sealed, quite possibly where the odor is coming from, this will also be a bacteria trap. If not fully sealed, they must be removed & regularly, thoroughly cleaned.

 

[Dennis Cronin]

Ah, good point. I'll grout 'em up. I only have to tiles, a couple big 18x18" that have been trimmed to fit. But I'll fill in the cracks.

 

[Vincent]

wouldn't the grout be almost impossible to clean? I was thinking about sealing mine cause I have the same problem. why im asking is cause my kitchen floor is almost right there near impossible to clean. now I can imagine that all the fecal stain on the grout over time will tend to stink as well, I would think? please reply thank you.

 

[Mark W]

Miss Eliza, I will say, isn't a very tidy Beardie.

 

[Vincent]

can I use silicone rubber?

 

[Germ]

@Vincent - Then the grout in your floor has not been properly sealed. Almost all grouts need to be sealed after setting, particularly in an enclosure like this, or the issues that you mentioned will most assuredly arise ...

 

[Mark W]

Are beardies supposed to poop daily?

 

[Germ]

can I use silicone rubber?

100% Silicone will do the job until it gets older & starts to peel out from wear & cleaning. Personally, that is what I would use, as it is easily cut out with a razor knife & replaced. Just be sure to allow 24 hrs for the silicone to cure & the fumes to dissipate before re-introducing the dragon to the enclosure.

 

[Germ]

Are beardies supposed to poop daily?

Generally when they are younger, the bowel movements are pretty regular on a daily basis, but slow down as they mature. My fully mature adult BDs have gone a week+ without giving me any cause for concern.

 

[Vincent]

thanks for fast reply

 

[Dennis Cronin]

I haven't grouted yet but I did quit giving him onion greens every day and things seem much better. Man, he's getting big. Just got him some Dubias and he acted like I hadn't fed him in weeks.