Cage Furniture??

[makaveli]

I was wondering if anyone uses anything from outside in thier leo habitat like rocks, sticks etc. And if you do what is the proper way to clean it before you introduce it to the enclosure? Also with store bought furniture, water, food dishes,hides, plants, etc do you wash those too?

[Neo]

boil it, bake it, w/e kills the bacteria and microorganisms. watch out for some kinds of wood that release chemicals toxic to reptiles

[Tim and Julie B]

Any object that you place in your tank should be cleaned before use. Yes, boiling works well on rocks and some kinds of wood. Baking works on most wood, low temps of course. Anything plastic or glass can be cleaned using bleach or ammonia diluted to a 1:10 ratio with water (I think). I have also heard of using hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle, then you would rinse thoroughly with water and vinegar. All in all, yes clean everything first, even from a pet store:D

Julie