A smelly viv

[simbles]

Hello, I am new to this site, I will post a few pics on the introduction topic when I get them online.
But first a quick question.

I have 2 male bearded dragons that myself and my girlfriend bought back in March, they are around 7 months old now. Yeah dodgy keeping two males i know, but when myself and the misses bought them the shop sexed them and said they were male and female (how wrong where they).

Anyway, we have had them for 4 months, they are in a 4 ft viv with UV bulb and heat lamp, they have a large basking spot, food bowl all that jazz that was provided by the shop.However, since I have had them, they has always been a bit of a smell, I started the on sand provided by the shop but since move to some artificial turf as I read on other forums it doesn't smell. Well it still does! and despite giving the viv a deep clean once a week and bathing the beardies 2-3 times a week I cant seem to get rid of the musky smell, does anyone have any tips or ideas what it could be and how I could sort it.

My two house mates where a bit reluctant me getting them and I am dreading them asking me to get rid of them because they smell. As I totally love my beardies to bits.

Any help would be massively appreciated.

 

[LLLReptile]

Switch substrates. I actually don't recommend using any sort of carpet at all - one of the main reasons being exactly what you describe. Even if you washed your carpet every day, would you want a dog or cat pooping on your house carpet on a daily basis? Why is a bearded dragon so much different? The carpets need to be thoroughly washed and sterilized at least one

In our stores, we use and recommend sani chips, a type of chipped aspen bedding. That makes it easy to spot clean the cage, and keeping up on spot cleaning will keep the smell down. Basically the more you clean the bedding, the less it'll smell. The easier it is to clean out the cage, the more often you'll clean it.

-Jen

 

[bunnyrut]

i use tiles. i got mine at home depot, and they can cut it for you so it fits in the viv. i picked out tiles that were a little rough on top. if it is too smooth they won't be able to grip.

they are easier to clean. i put paper towels down and the tiles on top, if he poops on the tiles i just take out which ever ones are dirty and do a quick clean up. an vinegar solution will help sanitize and neutralize the smell. just make sure it dries up before putting it back.

if you don't want to use vinegar check out http://www.beardeddragons.co/beardeddragon/index.php?route=product/category&path=73

are both boys in the same viv? if they are you'll need to separate them very soon. males are very aggressive and beardies in general are territorial.

 

[simbles]

Thank you both for your reply, they have been great help.

I paid nothing for the grass so I will most likely change it. The tiles idea seems like a good one which I will look in to!

thank you so much!

-Si

 

[Goonie]

[Moved from General to Enclosures]

 

[simbles]

Just an update.

Yesterday I did my weekly deep clean of my beardies, and took the turf out and replaced it with some news papers and they seem so much happier! I am looking into getting tiles once pay day comes around as the vivs I have seen on here look really good.

I read up on the issues with 2 males once we discovered they where not male and female, we had a bad phase of a lot of head bobbing but they have calmed down over the past 2 weeks, my girl friend is buying a viv soon and we are splitting them up as I would hate for one of them to get hurt or killed.

Thanks again everyone