Thea
Member
Posts: 1,012
|
Post by Thea on Feb 5, 2021 11:05:17 GMT -8
Hi - me again! Sorry for all the threads, just trying to collect all info I can before *hopefully* getting some new gerbils tomorrow. So firstly - how should I clean Rolo's old toys for the new gerbils, and do I need to? I don't want them to get stressed out because some things smell like her, and since I have so many gerbil toys and accessories they'll be having Rolo's old ones. Also, I don't think I can put any kind of liquid on the cork logs because of the kind of wood they are, I think they would fall apart. Is there a way I can clean them? I bought them from my local pet shop but it looks like they collected the cork themselves but I don't know if they sterilised them so I want to make sure they're clean before putting them in. What can I do? Would they be safe to bake or would they fall apart? They are quite thin. Thank you, I'll make a thread introducing you all to my new gerbils when I eventually get them! Thea
|
|
|
Post by LilyandDaisy on Feb 5, 2021 12:08:16 GMT -8
Personally, when it's just moving wooden things between my own pets which I have owned for more than a few weeks, and there's no suspicion of contagious disease, I just store them for a few weeks in between animals to reduce any lingering scents. Very few germs can survive more than a couple of weeks on a dry surface so this "quarantine" should also take of any germs that might be present. Plastic and ceramic items get washed and reused immediately.
If I don't have time to store something I wash it in hot, soapy water. Things like coconuts, grapevines, bendy bridges, some kinds of houses, hold up well being washed. I've never tried to wash a cork log but like you would be worried about it falling apart. If the cork is from outside, I would bake it before using it. And if it's been heavily used by Rolo I would suggest waiting a few weeks before adding it to the new tank.
|
|
|
Post by tanzanyte on Feb 5, 2021 12:22:36 GMT -8
I've done the same as LilyandDaisy and our gerbils haven't been bothered. However my stepdaughter says she freezes some of her wooden items, bendy bridges, logs etc. Plus I don't think you need to keep them too long in the freezer if you don't want to wait weeks before using it.
|
|
Thea
Member
Posts: 1,012
|
Post by Thea on Feb 5, 2021 13:38:25 GMT -8
Thank you both I've washed some things, but I'll do a more thorough wash tonight. Some things I can't really do a deep clean with like Rolo's multichamber hideout, but I would really like to give it to them now rather than wait another week (that is, if I get them tomorrow. If I don't, it's no problem). Could I maybe freeze the multicamber hideout for 15 hours or so? I know it isn't long but it's better than nothing I guess! I have a big deep freezer as well as a fridge freezer so it could fit in there. I think I will bake the cork logs. They haven't been heavily used by Rolo at all as I only got them just before moving her into the detolf, but I'm mainly worried that they were never cleaned in the first place. Do you know how long I need to bake for and what temperature, or do I need to do some research?
|
|
|
Post by Markpd on Feb 5, 2021 16:57:33 GMT -8
Erin's Animals youtuber did a video about cleaning pet toys, although I'm not sure it includes cork.
Btw guys, what about microwaving some of these toys? (without metal!).
|
|
Thea
Member
Posts: 1,012
|
Post by Thea on Feb 6, 2021 0:29:53 GMT -8
Ok, thanks Idk about microwaving, but might be ok?
|
|
|
Post by betty on Feb 15, 2021 4:19:17 GMT -8
Bugs don't all die in microwaves I don't think because the chamber itself doesn't get hot. I am sure I watched a programme about ants and they survived it?
As for cork, I use a tooth brush, pet safe disinfectant (PSD) and warm water. I never soak the cork in the water. I dunk it in, spray on the PSD and scrub it hard in all the crevices. I usually also leave them for a while between uses.
A more expensive way - but more fun I suppose - is to have double enough stuff, so you can rotate it each clean. I mark on big things with a sharpie whose they were - mainly with my jirds - to avoid the smells of the others. I don't mark the gerbil stuff usually, unless one of them is or has been poorly or they are super stroppy. (Don't want to annoy them further).
|
|
Thea
Member
Posts: 1,012
|
Post by Thea on Feb 15, 2021 4:59:03 GMT -8
After a while I don't get notifications for a watched thread like this, annoying. Does anyone have the same?
Thanks for the tips betty, I'll give them a clean soon! I don't want to overcrowd their cage with toys and I don't want to put any in the digging area so I haven't got the cork logs in there currently - but I'll be using them for the next clean out hopefully.
|
|
|
Post by Markpd on Feb 15, 2021 14:55:54 GMT -8
No problems with that here, but at a BMW forum I post to I get no notifications at all! (instant notification is set, and they're not in junk mail either) very annoying!
|
|
Thea
Member
Posts: 1,012
|
Post by Thea on Feb 16, 2021 0:09:48 GMT -8
Oh, maybe there's a setting I need to change? If someone doesn't post in a thread for around a week I get no notification when someone does. So annoying with your other forum!
|
|
|
Post by Markpd on Feb 16, 2021 6:30:01 GMT -8
Hmm, now I think about it, I think I stumbled across a thread last night I wasn't notified of a new post, but I can't remember now if I had posted to it in the 1st place...
|
|
Thea
Member
Posts: 1,012
|
Post by Thea on Mar 20, 2021 0:45:05 GMT -8
edit: my first post was about baking time, but I've baked them for 20 minutes at 100 degrees celsius, I'm not sure if this is enough so please let me know someone if it isn't! One of the logs is completely clean, but one of them has this on it (i'll insert picture below), is that dangerous for gerbils? (the green growth) I won't give it to them until I get an answer! i.ibb.co/hMwdKQG/IMG20210320121429.jpgThanks
|
|
|
Post by Scott on Mar 20, 2021 7:43:19 GMT -8
I'd be careful about microwaving the toys. A while back, I'd read up on using a microwave to cure/dry fresh wood, and fire is a real risk; see this video for an example. I did a small block this way and it was effective, but the wood got pretty warm. Mind you, this was from a freshly cut log and so was very wet; dry wood (e.g., the toys) would heat much faster. How about spraying it with H2O2? That would decompose pretty quickly and become safe, with no residue.
|
|
Thea
Member
Posts: 1,012
|
Post by Thea on Mar 20, 2021 8:33:28 GMT -8
I won't microwave them, don't worry. Very interesting though!
I don't actually have any H2O2, but again that's a good idea. It would definitely be safe then?
I've already baked it and I'm pretty confident it's fine now, and I removed the green growth.
|
|
|
Post by LilyandDaisy on Mar 20, 2021 8:55:19 GMT -8
If the surface got very hot for at least a few minutes any germs should be killed. The green growth is lichen and it's fine.
|
|