What are Disinfectants?

These are chemicals that kill or prevent the growth of pathogenic (disease causing) organisms on inanimate objects. This includes virus, fungus, fungal spores as well as bacteria and bacterial spores. Proper disinfecting of pet cages is essential to their health.

What are Antiseptics?

These are chemicals that kill or prevent the growth of pathogens on living tissue. Never use "disinfectants" on living tissue.

Are absolutely to be avoided for use with reptiles. These are toxic to cold-blooded animals. E.coli and other enteric bacteria can actually grow in phenols. Iodides are sometimes used as antiseptics, but are extremely diluted when used in this way.

Chlorine Bleach

Is the cheapest and best product to use for aquatic turtles. It is very effective if you are careful to rinse it well then air dry everything that has been soaked in it. Air drying will break up any lingering traces of the chlorine. Bleach is corrosive to metals and is inactivated by organic material, you must clear away any body fluids first then use the bleach. Chlorine does kill spores, something that most disinfectants are not capable of doing.

Bleach for use with aquatic turtles should be mixed at 9 parts water to 1 part bleach.

Quaternary Ammonium Compounds

These are often marketed as reptile caging cleansers. They aren't bad but are inactivated in the presence of soap, and these do not kill spores. Bleach tends to be a better cleaner.

Chlorhexidine

This is the best choice except for the fact that it doesn't kill spores. It's a great nontoxic disinfectant to use in box turtle or tortoise enclosures. It is not corrosive to metals. It is not inactivated by anything, it has residual effects, and best of all if mixed correctly with water it can be used as non- stinging non- tissue damaging antiseptic. Follow directions on the bottle and you can't go wrong.

Antibacterial Soaps

While soap and water is a great way to clean surfaces that are heavily soiled the surfaces you clean with soap need to be backed up with a stronger disinfectant. By themselves, antibacterial soaps are a very poor choice because they only kill some bacteria.

Alcohol

Is not effective against certain types of virus, it is inactivated by soap and does not kill spores. Alcohol must be in contact with the object it is to disinfect for several minutes. Not effective because it evaporates too quickly.

Jan McArthur, RVT