Effective ways to keep a tank floor poop-free?

[Calypratus]

I haven’t been very active as I’ve been pretty busy with school. I’ve been researching to get a new reptile for a while to replace my late chameleon, Edgar.

I was just wondering if you guys have any tips for keeping the bottom of a tank totally poop free? I always just put newspaper at the bottom of my enclosure, but it was always a pain to have to take anything resting on the floor out to replace it every two weeks or so.

I was thinking of getting one of those tank trays and filling it with substrate, so I could simply scoop the poop out (kind of like a litter box) but that seems like it would be messy to set up.

I’m not totally sure if I want to get a another chameleon just yet, but I’d like an solution to this problem because I can’t stop thinking about it (I have no idea why. It just keeps plaguing my thoughts)

p.s any refreshers in Cham care would also be appreciated, especially specifics on stuff like supplementation.

 

[Kamikaze Chameleon]

You absolutley should NOT use substrate unlees your doing a bioactive setup, your cham can ingest the substrate and it is a hazard. Its guna sound weird but the BEST way to keep a clean cage....is to keep a clean cage.... I used to do the newspaper method too but its just counterproductive tbh. It holds in all the water and harbors bacteria and allows mold to grow. Now i just do bare bottem, i have tile as my base so clean up is VERY fast and easy. I simply shop vac any poops and urates everyday. I will scrub his branchs and plants weekly and bake them and then monthly I deep clean his cage and drainage tray with a steam gun ?

 

[CasqueAbove]

Go BoiActive it is the only way to avoid cleaning daily. Cleaning is just a part of it.

 

[Calypratus]

Thanks for the reply. Could you go into more detail about the tile? Did it come installed with your enclosure or did you buy it separately (if so, where do you get/buy it?)
Your method sounds way more efficient than mine lol. Every two weeks I would take out the newspaper and sanitize (with reptile safe cleaners) the whole bottom of the tank, plus any branches or plants with poop or gunk on them. This normally took me awhile because of all the stuff resting on the bottom.

 

[Kamikaze Chameleon]

No it didnt come with my cage i just mounted it to the pvc bottem and drilled some holes for drainage. Thank you, yea it is pretty effective method and you can get it pretty cheap at any hardware store. @CasqueAbove is correct if you dont like to clean go bioactive, it is part of being a cham owner ?

 

[MissSkittles]

Just to be a cheerleader for bioactive...it’s much easier to set up than it initially appears. Here’s a great blog that really breaks it down. https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/intro-to-bio-activity.2429/

 

[CasqueAbove]

Just to be a cheerleader for bioactive...it’s much easier to set up than it initially appears. Here’s a great blog that really breaks it down. https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/intro-to-bio-activity.2429/

I will agree. I have taken to finding large plastic pots or bins that fit my cage. Simple I just build the BioActive in the bin. It catches 90% of droppings and if necessary the hole thing is removable.

 

[MissSkittles]

I will agree. I have taken to finding large plastic pots or bins that fit my cage. Simple I just build the BioActive in the bin. It catches 90% of droppings and if necessary the hole thing is removable.

I currently use root pouches (like Bio Dude sells, but bigger than his) with good success.

 

[jamest0o0]

I also say bioactive! I've had loads of enclosures and never had to clean any of them. There's no difference from ingesting bioactive substrate or not, you just don't want large choking hazards where the cham can get them. Any soil will become bioactive given that it's not literally sterilized. I had a few enclosures with 1" of soil on the bottom loaded with isopods/springtails and poop was gone before I even saw it most of the time.

 

[Beman]

The only way to be totally poop free is to not get a chameleon. Poop comes with having them. lol Bio active or bare floor are your only options.

 

[CasqueAbove]

The only way to be totally poop free is to not get a chameleon. Poop comes with having them. lol Bio active or bare floor are your only options.

That is what I tell my son. Everything poops. Get over it or don't have pets. this is to him not you lol

 

[jacksonchamnew]

I was told that I can clean it up with paper towels and hydrogen peroxide. So far so good. The commercial cleaners are expensive.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Now i just do bare bottem, i have tile as my base so clean up is VERY fast and easy. I simply shop vac any poops and urates everyday.

+1 to tile. Pick up the ? with a paper towel, spritz with a little Nature's Miracle, let it sit a few (for disinfecting & odor control) and wipe dry.

IME, the faster/sooner you pick it up, the better.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

I was told that I can clean it up with paper towels and hydrogen peroxide. So far so good. The commercial cleaners are expensive.

FWIW, a 24 oz. spray bottle of Nature's Miracle is about $8 and lasts me 9 months.

 

[Beman]

Simply using dawn dish soap and a wet paper towel work. It is safe, no odor and effective.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Thanks for the reply. Could you go into more detail about the tile? Did it come installed with your enclosure or did you buy it separately (if so, where do you get/buy it?)
Your method sounds way more efficient than mine lol. Every two weeks I would take out the newspaper and sanitize (with reptile safe cleaners) the whole bottom of the tank, plus any branches or plants with poop or gunk on them. This normally took me awhile because of all the stuff resting on the bottom.

Any big box home improvement store carries ceramic floor tile. I'd get it as big as possible that will fit, and leave space around the edges (and maybe a little between the tiles in lieu of grout) for runoff.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Simply using dawn dish soap and a wet paper towel work. It is safe, no odor and effective.

I hesitantly observe that this is debatable.

I'm going to cite a couple of searches and let folks decide for themselves. I've checked and there are articles in support of both sides in each of them.
is dawn dish soap safe
is dawn dish soap toxic

...or use any search criteria you prefer.

 

[Beman]

I hesitantly observe that this is debatable.

I'm going to cite a couple of searches and let folks decide for themselves. I've checked and there are articles in support of both sides in each of them.
is dawn dish soap safe
is dawn dish soap toxic

...or use any search criteria you prefer.

lol If they can bathe oil covered birds in it to remove the oil and the birds have no issues then I will go with safe. I would rather use that in my enclosure then natures miracle that has a strong odor.

 

[Lpsouth1978]

Having dragon ledges allows me to keep the floor free of any pots or plants. I ended up using a window screen kit with aluminum screen to make a screen floor. Water passes right through it into the drainage tray and I can easily remove the screen floor, spray it off, scrub with soap and water as needed, and return it to the tray. Easy peasy!! This also allows me to easily access the entire drainage tray for cleaning, without needing to move the entire enclosure.

 

[Calypratus]

Great suggestions! I was aware that chameleons poop and there’s not much you can do to prevent it (I’ve kept a variety of pooping pets in my lifetime). I think I’m probably going to go with the tile option, as It seems a lot easier to clean than using newspaper (what I used in my old Cham enclosure).
I probably won’t go bioactive as I’m not great at keeping plants alive (I currently have a small bioactive enclosure for snails and it’s finally working after so many redesigns and scrapped bioactive projects).