People love keeping parrots because they are playful, intelligent and loyal companions. They are also much easier to maintain than dogs and cats.
However, there are some things you can do to make sure your bird is healthy and vital. The bird’s cage is the home of your bird and it is of vital importance that this space is kept clean.
Cleaning your bird’s cage regularly will have a positive impact on the overall health of your bird. Plus, this process is not that difficult and once you work out a routine it should not be that difficult to do. This process will also give you personal satisfaction as you will know that you are doing some activities that will keep your bird happy and healthy.
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There are some things that you should observe while cleaning your bird’s cage. First, make sure that you spot any signs of diseases or injury. After all the cage is your bird’s home and by observing your bird’s home you can learn whether your bird is feeling alright.
This is important because it is not that easy to determine whether a bird is in their best physical shape. Also, always watch out if there are any hazardous conditions in the cage and get rid of them. While you clean your cage, observe:
- Does the bird eat regularly?
- Are there any feathers in the cage? How many?
- What conditions are the toys in and do they need to be replaced?
- Are the bars in a good condition?
- Is there any regurgitated material in the cage?
Disinfectants
It’s important to choose the proper disinfectant when you clean your bird cage. This disinfectant should be able to immediately remove and get rid of disease-causing viruses, fungi and any bacteria that can be harmful to your bird’s health.
Be careful because birds are very sensitive to toxic fumes. So make sure you place your bird in another room while you clean the cage.
- While there are many disinfectants on the market, the most available solution on the market is a household bleach. Make sure you use bleach at a dilution of approximately ½ cup bleach to 1 gallon of water.
- Make sure you remove seeds and droppings before using the disinfectant because the presence of organic material will prevent the bleach from working. Clean all soiled areas with a hot solution before you apply a disinfectant.
- First apply the disinfectant and leave it to absorb for 5-10 minutes. After that rinse the cage thoroughly with clean water. Be particularly careful with the wooden items. Make sure you protect yourself while cleaning. Put on rubber gloves and safety goggles. Also make sure you apply the bleach solution in an ventilated area.Finally, make sure the cage all items in it dry properly before placing the bird back in the cage.
Daily Bird Cage Cleaning
Liners: Keep in mind that the liner of the cage should be replaced regularly. Also make sure you only use black and white newspaper as the colored one may be toxic. Choose a paper liner which can be easily replaced and which allows easy observation of the droppings. Some people put several layers of liner in the cage so they can remove only the last one. If you also do this make sure the remaining liners are clean.
Dishes: Make sure you wash food and water dishes in hot and soapy water. After that make sure the dishes dry thoroughly. Don’t clean your dishes in the kitchen. Make sure no soap or disinfectant is left on the dishes as it can be toxic for your bird.
Also, the food dishes must be completely dry before adding food in it. One thing you can do is to have several sets of dishes, so when you clean one set of dishes you can have another set ready for your bird. It’s recommendable that you use stainless steel or high plastic dishes because they clean easily and are able to withstand repeated washings.
In case you use a water bottle, keep a bottle brush on the side so you can clean it thoroughly. You can also have two or three bottles on the side available so you can make cleanup easier.
Accessories: Sometimes pet parents buy a variety of accessories for their pets such as toys and birdbaths. Make sure that you remove them from the cage, wash them in hot soapy water, rinse them well and dry thoroughly. It’s not a good idea to leave the accessories dirty as they also influence the health of your bird.
Surrounding area: You can sweep or vacuum the floor to remove seeds, feathers and debris. You can use a small hand vacuum for this purpose. If the area around the cage is carpeted you can put a mat under because it can easily be cleaned and disinfected.
Weekly/monthly bird cage cleaning
There are various factors that determine how often you will need to clean your bird’s cage. It depends on the number of birds you have, the size of the cage, the surrounding area and how much time your bird spends in it. In general, the cages of larger birds should be cleaned thoroughly once a week. If you have a small bird, monthly cleaning should be sufficient. Follow these steps in your cleaning routine:
- Assemble supplies: To make things easier for you, keep all your supplies in one place. Keep all your supplies in a plastic tote so you can easily find them. These supplies include cage liners, paper towels, cage wipes, sandpaper, scrub brush, cleaning cloths and a bird-safe disinfectant.
- Place a garbage can close to you while you clean, so you can finish faster.
- Place your bird in another room or in an alternate cage while you clean so they won’t be exposed to any fumes from the disinfectant.
- Remove all toys and accessories from the cage.
- Next step is to get rid of any seeds or droppings in the cage. Afterwards you can scrub the cage with soapy water. You can also play with the cage in your shower and clean it with a spray. First rinse the whole cage with hot water and spray it with disinfectant.Rinse in thoroughly and let it dry completely. You can easily dry it in the sun.
- You can remove droppings from perches and toys by using a dish-washing detergent. With sandpaper you can remove all droppings from wooden peaches and accessories. You can also wash and rinse the perches and accessories in a dishwasher. Once clean, disinfect all items and clean thoroughly. Toys and perches should also be completely dry before you place them back in the cage. You can air dry them in the sun or in the oven. If you use the oven you will need to wait 10-15 minutes. Again, it’s a good idea to have two sets of perches and toys.
- Make sure you wash the cage apron and clean the area around it. The carpets can also be washed and disinfected.
- Finally, place all dry items back in the cage. Put a clean liner, fill the water and food dishes. And that’s it, you just did something great for your bird’s home.
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