Smell free enclosure

Celiagg

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It’s me again! I’m a bit OCD about smells and although I don’t smell any funky smells in my sulcata’s enclosure. Are those reptile disinfectants effective for cleaning the enclosure or recommendations on what to use to keep my Sulcata enclosure fresh smelling? I have him inside the house since he too small to have him outside.
 

wellington

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Spot clean daily. He should be in a closed chamber if he's small witn 80% humidity.
I have no idea if the cleaner stuff is really safe or not. Spot cleaning daily of the poop and any unwanted food along with cleaning the dishes and stirring up the substrate should keep the smell down.
 

Tom

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It’s me again! I’m a bit OCD about smells and although I don’t smell any funky smells in my sulcata’s enclosure. Are those reptile disinfectants effective for cleaning the enclosure or recommendations on what to use to keep my Sulcata enclosure fresh smelling? I have him inside the house since he too small to have him outside.
You should be soaking daily and your tortoise should be pooping in the soak water. This, along with cleaning up leftover food daily, should leave your enclosure clean and free of any bad smells. There is no need to clean the enclosure if there are no waste products building up over time.
 

Celiagg

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I already do what you’ve suggested
Spot clean daily. He should be in a closed chamber if he's small witn 80% humidity.
I have no idea if the cleaner stuff is really safe or not. Spot cleaning daily of the poop and any unwanted food along with cleaning the dishes and stirring up the substrate should keep the smell down.
I already do all you’ve suggested :) just thought maybe there’s something more I can do to keep his enclosure extra clean again it’s just my OCD. Just trying to be a good tortoise parent.
 

Tim Carlisle

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I've never used it around my sully, but I use OdorXit for my dogs. Stuff is amazing!
 

Yvonne G

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Actually, what smells is their urine, not the poop, and you can't really see the urine in the substrate. But they DO release urine in the soak water, so that would be helpful.
 

JackieJax

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During the coldest part of winter, I have a house in the house for Tortimer. I clean his substrate with a kitty litter scoop. He usually pees when I soak him, so urine in the substrate isn't too big of an issue. I do have allergies, so I have a large air purifier in the same room as him. I put down those pet dryer sheets on the outside of his house as well. (Since I can't use air spray perfume or anything like that) Also dusting/cleaning the walls, floors, everything constantly helps my OCD feel like I'm picking up all smelly molecule I can get without disturbing him. Hope that helps.
 

vladimir

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Actually, what smells is their urine, not the poop, and you can't really see the urine in the substrate. But they DO release urine in the soak water, so that would be helpful.

Agreed! I've found that having coco-coir in the area where he likes to pee helps soak up the urine and reduces the overall odor. I then scoop it out like kitty-litter to clean up
 

Celiagg

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During the coldest part of winter, I have a house in the house for Tortimer. I clean his substrate with a kitty litter scoop. He usually pees when I soak him, so urine in the substrate isn't too big of an issue. I do have allergies, so I have a large air purifier in the same room as him. I put down those pet dryer sheets on the outside of his house as well. (Since I can't use air spray perfume or anything like that) Also dusting/cleaning the walls, floors, everything constantly helps my OCD feel like I'm picking up all smelly molecule I can get without disturbing him. Hope that helps.
 

Celiagg

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Yes this helps. I forgot I have a purifier I can use in the same area as his. His enclosure it’s just my OCD of making sure his area and my home is clean..
 

Blackdog1714

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I use pill bugs(isopods) to help with the cleanup and never feed Mazuri indoors- it smells like barf to me minutes after being in a closed chamber.
 

LeoTheWaywardTortoise

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Agreed! I've found that having coco-coir in the area where he likes to pee helps soak up the urine and reduces the overall odor. I then scoop it out like kitty-litter to clean up
Silly question, but how do you identify the pee-soaked coco coir to scoop? I use it in my way-too-small indoor enclosure (now only used overnight when temps are too chilly outside) but because I keep it damp, I cannot see where he pees… if he even pees in it. I can locate poop, but only after I’m alerted to its presence due to its unique odor and then use my hands to feel around until I find it and remove it. Yeah, it’s a little gross, but such is the life of this pet guardian, LOL.
 

vladimir

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Silly question, but how do you identify the pee-soaked coco coir to scoop? I use it in my way-too-small indoor enclosure (now only used overnight when temps are too chilly outside) but because I keep it damp, I cannot see where he pees… if he even pees in it. I can locate poop, but only after I’m alerted to its presence due to its unique odor and then use my hands to feel around until I find it and remove it. Yeah, it’s a little gross, but such is the life of this pet guardian, LOL.

Ah, Vladimir is over 100lbs now so I don't keep the coco-coir damp anymore :)
 
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