Hygiene Protocol for Reptile Keepers & Breeders

Whether you only have two reptiles, or a collection of two hundred, maintaining proper hygiene practices is essential for any reptile keeper/breeder in ensuring optimal health and preventing illness for your animals. 

Reptiles can be vulnerable to a wide range of pathogens including Salmonella spp., Mycobacterium, various parasites such as Ophionyssus natricis (the snake mite), and viruses like Nidovirus. These can spread via direct contact or by contaminated tools and hands. In breeding collections or households with multiple animals, the risk for cross-contamination risk increases.

Good hygiene is not optional — it is a fundamental part of ethical reptile keeping and it is our sole responsibly to ensure our reptiles are free from discomfort, distress, and disease. 

Why Is Hygiene So Important?

When undertaking maintenance tasks, our primary objective is to protect each animal's health and reduce the risk of cross-contamination between individuals.

Good hygiene prevents the spread of harmful bacteria, parasites, and viruses, supports strong immune function — reducing the risk of illness, minimises the chance of zoonotic disease transmission (illnesses that can spread from animals to humans), promotes animal welfare, and ensures you are caring for your reptiles ethically and responsibly.

Correct Hygiene Protocol

Ideally, each reptile should have a dedicated set of tools, including feeding tongs, water bowls, hides, and cleaning equipment. This system minimises the risk of transmitting disease between enclosures. Additionally, proper hand hygiene should be performed between handling each individual animal.

However, in large collections and in breeding facilities, having individual tools for every animal is not feasible. In these cases, using a new set of latex or nitrile disposable gloves during handling and cleaning for each individual is recommended.

Tools and surfaces must also be disinfected between individual uses.

Common Disinfectants

F10 

A veterinary-grade disinfectant widely used in clinics and in reptile care, it is effective against bacteria, viruses, fungi, and spores. F10 must be diluted and used according to the instructions. A 1:250 ratio of F10 to water is adequate for general disinfecting. For viruses, a stronger dilution and longer contact time is needed. Keep in mind, F10 is marked as harmful to aquatic life with long lasting effects.

Methylated Spirits 

This can be used for disinfecting tools, equipment, and surfaces. It is effective against many bacteria and some viruses due to its high alcohol content. Use with caution as methylated spirits can cause irritation and toxicity.

Chlorhexidine 

A broad-spectrum disinfectant effective against many bacteria, some fungi, and some viruses. When diluted correctly, it's said to be non-toxic, low-odour, and less irritating to skin and respiratory systems compared to other disinfectants. A 1:32 ratio of chlorhexidine to water is recomeneded. Note that chlorhexidine is not effective against all pathogens.

Vineger

This natural cleaner can remove mineral deposits, odours, and surface grime, but is generally not strong enough to kill most harmful bacteria, viruses, or fungi that may affect reptiles. Vinegar is best used alongside another disinfectant such as chlorhexidine.

Bleach

This powerful, broad-spectrum disinfectant is effective against bacteria, viruses, and fungal spores. Bleach must be properly diluted, I recommend a 1:32 ratio of bleach to water, but there is varying advice as to what the correct ratio of dilution is. After using bleach, surfaces must be rinsed thoroughly and allowed to air dry completely before animals are reintroduced, as bleach residue can be harmful.

Hydrogen Peroxide

A mild disinfectant that can kill many bacteria, viruses, and fungi by releasing oxygen that breaks down microbial cell walls. It is usually used in a 3% solution and is most effective on clean, non-porous surfaces. Hydrogen peroxide is safer than bleach and doesn’t leave toxic residues, but it's less effective for high-risk cleaning areas.

Eucalyptus Oil / Tea Tree Oil 

Eucalyptus oil and tea tree oil are natural oils with antimicrobial properties that can kill some bacteria and fungi. These oils should be used with caution as they contain compounds that can be toxic to reptiles, especially in a concentrated or vaporised form.

Step By Step...

- Prepare your area (disinfectant, gloves, paper towels, additional decor/water bowls, etc..)

- Preform maintenance tasks for an individual reptile

- Remove all disposable items that came into contact with that individual (this includes if you touch a pen with the same gloved hand that you touched the reptile with!)

- Clean all organic material present, then apply a disinfectant to kill harmful microorganisms on any surface that could pose a risk of cross-contamination

- Do it all over again!

A sneak peak into my hygiene routine...

@jurassicwildlife

By staying consistent with your hygiene protocols and keeping yourself up to date on information, you can ensure individual animal welfare and the long-term sustainability of your collections health and well-being.

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Written By Ava De Jesus

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