jamest0o0
Chameleon Enthusiast
You don't think hydrogen peroxide would be safer? Bleach can leave harmful residue and soap too in many cases
How to Clean Branches with Hydrogen Peroxide?
- Thread starter ERKleRose
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snitz427
Chameleon Enthusiast
I just cleaned my branches, cork, and vines due to a plant pest outbreak (scale). I washed them with a mix of water, dawn, and a little rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle. I sprayed and rinsed 2-3x to kill and remove the pests. Then I poured boiling water over the clean branches to kill any eggs that might have survived.
For routine cleaning of new branches - I think this mix or a diluted bleach mix is more than sufficient. I only clean my branches to avoid bringing in plant pests.
if you are cleaning for coccidia, thats a different story.
For routine cleaning of new branches - I think this mix or a diluted bleach mix is more than sufficient. I only clean my branches to avoid bringing in plant pests.
if you are cleaning for coccidia, thats a different story.
snitz427
Chameleon Enthusiast
I think you should rinse like the dickens no matter what you use, but I do especially well when using soap or bleach. I do some serious sniff tests to ensure I rinsed thoroughly.
I just realized I have hit the “old enough” level to use the term “____ like the dickens.” I apologize profusely.
Klyde O'Scope
Chameleon Enthusiast
Respectfully disagree.
will 3% peroxide kill bacteria?
AFAIK, it will kill what we want/need it to in a chameleon enclosure.
jamest0o0
Chameleon Enthusiast
I was thinking the more hard core peroxide lol.
Odd you say that about bleach, a lot of stuff online mentions that residue becomes dangerous again when moisture is added. I'm just going off random articles/comments though so not certain
Either way, I'm sure you guys are rinsing enough. Some are more careless than others though. Like I'm obsessive and things have to be perfect, but then there's my ADHD family members... they breeze through things as fast as they can, no matter how important it is.
You don't want to leave chlorine bleach residue on items that go inside cages. I'm just saying in the presence of organic material like dirt or poop it breaks down into what I was taught are harmless compounds. I no longer recall all of my organic or clinical chemistry so I can't tell you what the compounds are. *Que our crack researchers* Regardless a thorough rinsing is important when using most cleaning agents on anything that will be in prolonged contact with an animal. I also make sure you can't smell any sign of bleach.
You only need to use hair bleaching level peroxide to kill coccidia oocysts. Branches that haven't had other chameleons living on them shouldn't be harboring anything like that. I only sanitize my branches to eliminate salmonella or other pathogenic bacteria. Bleaching peroxide can burn your skin and would be overkill. I do use it to clean non porous surfaces like cages but you can not count on it to kill coccidia on wood so it would be better to get new branches. There are other safer disinfectants that will clean branches but not sterilize them enough for reasonable use.
Basically I'm just trying to get the bird poop off whether I can see it or not.
You only need to use hair bleaching level peroxide to kill coccidia oocysts. Branches that haven't had other chameleons living on them shouldn't be harboring anything like that. I only sanitize my branches to eliminate salmonella or other pathogenic bacteria. Bleaching peroxide can burn your skin and would be overkill. I do use it to clean non porous surfaces like cages but you can not count on it to kill coccidia on wood so it would be better to get new branches. There are other safer disinfectants that will clean branches but not sterilize them enough for reasonable use.
Basically I'm just trying to get the bird poop off whether I can see it or not.
Klyde O'Scope
Chameleon Enthusiast
With chlorine bleach, It depends on the surfaces you're cleaning. Chlorine is highly reactive with metals like aluminum (screen & screen framing) and can create & leave behind salts (e.g. aluminum chloride), which is one reason I don't use it. OTOH, bleach should not react to PVC. Problem is mfd enclosures with PVC have aluminum frames!
I tried bleach on some stones & bricks once, and it turned out to be a royal PITA.
They'd have to be some pretty special/impressive branches for me to re-use rather than replace, but that's me.
Good argument for stripping off bark or using textured dowels/rods.
Whatever works.
Klyde O'Scope
Chameleon Enthusiast
Oh, Skrat!
Lindasjackson
Chameleon Enthusiast
I use the soap and water thing for the branches I’ve gotten from to woods and yes, just scrub and rinse and let dry in the sun
Maybe I phrased this wrong. There are three kinds of peroxide we are talking about. There is the hydrogen peroxide many people keep in there medicine cabinets for cleaning wounds and rinsing their gums. It has a mechanical action that can remove debris from wounds but it can be harsh on the tissues and actually impede healing. It does very little to kill germs of any kind.
There is a cleaning product I've been calling activated hydrogen peroxide. I use the Lysol brand to clean cage bottoms and a few other items. With a fairly short contact time it kills a lot of germs but not coccidia. I rinse afterwards.
Then there is the hair bleaching product you can get at beauty supply places. There is anecdotal evidence of it potentially killing coccidia oocysts on surfaces with a prolonged contact time. It should be diluted and handled carefully if used at all. it can burn your skin and and eat holes in your clothes. You can read my blog entry if you want to know more and there are old posts on the subject of 40 volume peroxide.
There is a cleaning product I've been calling activated hydrogen peroxide. I use the Lysol brand to clean cage bottoms and a few other items. With a fairly short contact time it kills a lot of germs but not coccidia. I rinse afterwards.
Then there is the hair bleaching product you can get at beauty supply places. There is anecdotal evidence of it potentially killing coccidia oocysts on surfaces with a prolonged contact time. It should be diluted and handled carefully if used at all. it can burn your skin and and eat holes in your clothes. You can read my blog entry if you want to know more and there are old posts on the subject of 40 volume peroxide.
Klyde O'Scope
Chameleon Enthusiast
That's the part I disagree with from post #26.
Now if you're talking about a bottle that's been in the medicine cabinet for 3 years... Like bleach and ammonia, peroxide can lose potency over time. If it's a fresh bottle, it'll clean/kill just about anything except coccidia, but very few chameleons have that unless WC or raised in a contaminated environment. If an enclosure is clean, it'll stay clean as long as the occupant isn't exposed (like to something outside). Once exposed though, it's a whole 'nother ball-o-worms.
nightanole
Chameleon Enthusiast
Am i the odd man out that does a high concentration salt water spray at the end? Ant nothin happy growing after that.
Klyde O'Scope
Chameleon Enthusiast
Not something I even would have thought of. 
It is a contact time issue. It takes a minimum of 5 minutes of continuous contact for 3% peroxide to be effective. We only ever used it in veterinary hospitals to clean blood stains off of things. We didn't have 5 minutes to wait to use a room or cage. It's other drawbacks are as you mentioned self life and exposure to light affect it's efficacy. It is best on hard surfaces but that is the case with most cleansers.
Klyde O'Scope
Chameleon Enthusiast
As with most/all other cage cleaning products. If given the few minutes, it DOES work.
By the time the 5 min are up, you're likely left with water, and wiping dry will ensure that.
I can't think of another product that's safer to use around animals.
snitz427
Chameleon Enthusiast
This has no value for this particular debate… but my sister (a nurse) said her hospital doesn’t use or recommend hydrogen peroxide for wounds anymore as it actually causes more harm that good. It destroys the surrounding healthy tissue. Reg old soap and water for basic wound cleaning these days.
In the context of this convo - I think soap and water are simple answer often overlooked. Coccidia is the outlier and exception… but otherwise… I like to use this analogy for the weirdos who think hand sanitizing means they no longer need to wash their hands:
If you get baby poo smeared all over your arm… hand sanitizer might kill the germs, but you’re still covered in poop. Wash !
For branches and general cleaning - soap is an surfactant (or anti surfactant?) that helps to *remove* substances, rather than simply disinfect them. Wash away the poo! For extra measure, I sometimes pour boiling water as a rinse or steam… if I want to ensure something is dead (like plant pests).
