How to Clean Up After a Pet Insect

Maintaining a healthy environment for your pet insect is very important to its welfare. Keeping the pet's container clean is the best way to insure the good health of your pet. With most pet insects this is relatively simple. Colony pets generally have a single dumping site while others (such as crickets) leave frass anywhere. Either way, it is best to clean the container at least once per week.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Cleaning gloves
• Squirt bottle containing 1 part bleach to 10 parts water solution
• Paper towels
• Scraper (razor)

1. Remove the pet from its container before cleaning.
2. Discard the newspaper bedding entirely, if newspaper bedding is used. Then replace the newspaper.
3. Sift through the sand to find rejectamenta, if sand bedding is used. Remove material and place in a plastic bag for disposal.
4. Spray the container walls with the bleach/water solution. Carefully wipe the walls clear, making sure to get into any corners. This will also disinfect the container.
5. Scrape any resistant dried excrement off the container wall using a razor scraper. Safely dispose of the razor after each cleaning.
6. Vacuum or wipe down with the cleaning solution around the container and any areas outside the container in which the pet is active.
7. Return the pet to its clean environment.

Tips & Warnings

• While cleaning excremental material check for consistency. This will give you insight to your pet's health condition.
• Some pet insects eject their frass from their living areas. They can achieve ranges of up to 16 inches.
• Acrylic containers scratch easily. When scraping fecal material, be careful or use something soft.
• All feces contains toxins. These can affect humans as well. Wash your hands and arms after cleaning up after your pet.