My leopard gecko's cage smells bad. How do I clean it effectively?

For a new tank, hot, soapy water followed by a thorough rinsing is sufficient. Steam cleaning and a dilute bleach solution (1/2 cup bleach:1 gallon water) can be used for disinfection. There are also commercial cleaners, such as Zoo Med Wipe Out, that can be purchased online or in most pet stores.

You can clean the terrarium with a diluted vinegar mixture but you have to make sure the smell is completely gone before putting the geckos back in it. I suggest this protocol: 1. Spray glass tank with a 50-50 vinegar water solution. Wait 5 minutes. 2. Dry the tank with paper towels and then spray tank with just water. Wait 2 minutes. 3. Dry the tank and wait 30 minutes. The same goes for the items inside the terrarium. The smell of the vinegar is the problem.

I am so sorry about your leopard geckos. You are definitely on the right track toward prepping your vivarium safely. It sounds like you have already cleaned everything so it just needs a final sterilization. For your tank, and anything else nonporous, use a bleach solution (1 cup bleach per gallon of water) and let sit for at least 10 minutes. Then, rinse thoroughly and allow to dry. Heat and UV will also kill it, so letting it dry in the sun is ideal. Any wood can be baked in the oven at 285deg for 1 hour. You can then consider it safe.

Submit a stool sample o your veterinarian to diagnose intestinal parasites. Clean and sanitize the cage, bowls and tank furniture. Discard anything that cannot be sanitized. Check Gecky's other toes and tail for any stuck shed. This can compromise blood supply, resulting in lost digits. If he has a tough time shedding, soak him or mist him daily during a shed and provide a moist hide at each end of the enclosure. Monitor the foot for swelling, redness, bleeding or discharge. See your vet if necessary to treat infection. A daily soak in diluted betadine or chlorhexidine can keep the area clean. Use plain paper towels as a substrate and change them daily until he is healed.

You must treat both the environment and the pet. You can try some over the counter products but many can be ineffective if the environment is not treated concurrently. Ivermectin can be dispensed by your veterinarian to use systemically or topically. Do not treat with ivermectin without the advice of your veterinarian as it is quite easy to overdose. A 30 minute soak in a diluted Betadine bath can remove most mites and may soothe irritated skin. Remove the substrate, bag it and take it outdoors. Clean and sanitize the cage, bowls and tank furniture. You can use hot, soapy water followed by a 1:30 dilution of bleach and water followed by a thorough rinsing on the tank, bowls and non porous surfaces. Discard anything that cannot be sanitized. You may need to clean and sanitize the enclosure weekly for several weeks. The pet may need multiple treatments as well.

You can use a diluted Betadine or chlorhexidine (Hibiclens) solution to clean the spot once or twice a day. Keep the area free from debris (substrate, food, droppings, etc.). It should heal on its own within a week or so. Monitor for lethargy, loss of appetite, redness or discharge. If it doesn't show signs of healing within a few days, consider an exam with your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles.

Unless you have cleaned your tank with bleach (which you should never do) then it is probably due to the chlorine in the tap water. There are dechlorinating chemicals you can get from your pet store that should take care of that.