I have a normal box turtle who isnt doing the best and we also have a baby bearded dragon who is absolutely thriving. our turtles tank is huge and we were considering using it for our bearded dragon if it passes. but we heard that you cant reuse a turtle tank due to bacterias. is it possible to clean the tank and reuse it for our lizard?
reusing a tank
- Thread starter Lizardolover
- Start date
Totally possible to reuse it — just needs a deep clean and proper disinfection. Turtles can leave behind some nasty bacteria, especially salmonella, but if you scrub everything down with hot water and a reptile-safe disinfectant (or diluted bleach), rinse well, and let it dry completely, you should be good to go.
That said, just keep in mind that beardies need very different setups — more ventilation, dry heat, no standing water, etc. Turtle tanks sometimes don’t have enough airflow if they're tall or enclosed, so make sure it’s compatible for a desert species. Might need to tweak the lid or lighting.
Sorry to hear about your turtle though — hope things turn around.
That said, just keep in mind that beardies need very different setups — more ventilation, dry heat, no standing water, etc. Turtle tanks sometimes don’t have enough airflow if they're tall or enclosed, so make sure it’s compatible for a desert species. Might need to tweak the lid or lighting.
Sorry to hear about your turtle though — hope things turn around.
I had a similar setup once and reused a tank after years in storage without major issues. What really helped me restart everything smoothly was using an aquarium co2 regulator since I was planning on keeping plants again. It gave me better control and the plants bounced back faster than expected. Just make sure you rinse things really well and check for any leftover buildup or old sealant around the edges.