How to Clean an Iguana Cage

There are many important factors to consider when deciding to purchase an iguana. Cleanliness is one of them. It is just as important for the owners of the iguana's as the iguana's themselves. This is because iguana's naturally carry salmonella that can be transferred to people. This is unlikely to happen, however, if the iguana's cage is kept properly clean.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Bleach or Ammonia
• Dish Soap
• Rags
• Pooper Scooper
• Bucket
• Plastic Gloves

Daily Cleaning

1. Remove feces with a scooper and discard. Clean up anywhere your iguana has gone to the bathroom.
2. Remove uneaten food and discard. Do not leave any food left over from the day before in the cage. Always prepare fresh food for your iguana to eat.
3. Take out the food and water dishes and clean them with a little dish soap and water. Do not clean them with anything else as this could be harmful to your iguana.

Weekly Cleaning

4. Dilute your bleach. You can do this if you mix four ounces of bleach with each gallon of water. If you don't have any bleach you can use ammonia. Ammonia can be diluted by taking three to four ounces and adding a gallon of water. This is going to be your disinfecting solution that you will need to clean your iguana cage.
5. Remove your iguana from the cage. The best thing to do with your iguana during this time is to let it play in your bath tub. Add enough water for the iguana to still be able to keep it's head above water. Make sure the water is lukewarm. Then let your iguana play in there while you clean it's tank.
6. Scrub the entire iguana cage and all it's toys with the solution you created. It is important to sanitize everything in the cage. Let the solution sit for about 20 minutes.
7. Clean the cage and toys again with dish soap and water. The cage has been sanitized, but the chemicals will be too harsh for your iguana so you will need to wash the cage with dish soap and water before you can return you iguana to it's cage.

Tips & Warnings

• Wash your hands and arms completely with disinfecting soap after each and every time you clean your iguana's cage.
• Be extremely careful that you do not get any liquid on the iguana's heat lamp. You could get shocked.