If you have birds at home should know that keeping the cage clean is of great importance to the health of the animal and hygiene in the home . But, if this task seems complicated to you, here are some tips that will help you offer your pet the cleanest space.
The best way to provide a good quality of life for birds that are chosen as pets is to keep their space clean, thus avoiding the proliferation of microorganisms that are harmful to their health or that contract avian diseases.
About the frequency for cleaning the cage, you should take into account the size of your bird, because the parrots and their varieties are larger than other birds and so they are more dirty, being necessary a deep wash every week. If you have smaller birds, this treatment can be extended every two or three weeks. However, another factor that influences this aspect is the size of the cage and the number of birds that live together.
However, with regard to the food plates, rockers, toys and bathtubs inside the cage, a daily sanitation of these accessories is recommended, because the birds have a direct contact, especially because they perch and defecate on them. Therefore, the recommendation of veterinarians and specialist carers is to wash these accessories daily with plenty of hot water and soap.
Plan the cleaning
To organize the daily and weekly cleaning routine of the cage, you should have different tools available to facilitate this task. Here are some ideas:
- A plastic bucket bigger than the cage.
- A hard bristle brush for access to hard-to-reach areas.
- A sponge.
- Non-abrasive, bird safe disinfectant or detergent.
If it is a deep cleaning of the cage, you should keep the birds in a safe room or another cage while the process of washing and drying their usual home. Then, all the accessories must be removed from the interior and the paper or canvas removed from the wastebasket.
Mix a little detergent with hot water in the bucket and immerse the cage in it, keep it inside for a few minutes to help the dry stools get wet and make them easier to remove. Then with the help of the brush and the sponge start rubbing each part of the cage, the sides, the base and the hard to reach corners. At the same time, you can place the accessories in the same bucket and leave them to soak while you wash the cage. Once all the dirt has been removed from the bird cage, you can rinse it with water to remove excess detergent and let it dry in the open air.
As for the accessories, we suggest you use another brush to wash the bird’s water tank, and with a sponge rub the dishes and other accessories. It is recommended to rinse them with hot water and, if possible, to leave them immersed in a solution of two parts water with one part vinegar. Afterwards, all these elements should be dried well with an absorbent towel. This cleaning should be done daily, which is why it is very useful to have two or three plates for the birds to serve as a spare, in case you do not have time to do it regularly.
Stool tray
Even the best bird cage of the moment (At this link you can find some purchasing options) retains the traditional format removable tray collects feces, which greatly facilitates the daily hygiene of this space. This tray is usually plastic and covered with a canvas or newspaper to make it easier to clean. This way, you only have to change the paper every day and avoid the accumulation of feces.
But if you prefer not to use newspaper we suggest washing this part of the cage daily to provide a cleaner environment for the birds.
We remind you that it is very important to choose cage accessories that are made of washable, durable and non-porous materials such as stainless steel or ceramic, as these prevent the proliferation of bacteria in the pet’s environment, while at the same time allowing for washing at high temperatures. Not to mention that they are materials that birds cannot break, unlike accessories made of plastic.
You can also get specialized cage cleaning products from pet shops and veterinarians such as cage disinfectants and absorbent linens for the trays.
Assemble the cage
Once the cage is completely dry and the accessories are clean, you can assemble the bird house, and introduce its inhabitants again to enjoy a hygienic and healthy space. In this sense, veterinarians recommend that the plates and rockers be moved so that the bird maintains its dynamism inside the cage.
The bird bath
When talking about the cleanliness of the bird cages we can not ignore the importance of hygiene of your pet, because free birds take frequent baths, so you must offer the time and space to groom properly.
On the Internet you will get options of bird baths that can be used inside the cage or larger ones to place them outside. The important thing here is to provide a comfortable space in which the bird can splash around for several minutes.
After the shower, it is advisable to scratch your bird in the opposite direction to the growth of the wings to emulate the mutual preening that the birds do when they are in a pair or in a flock. Now you can let your pet finish drying completely inside the cage, so it is necessary that the time of the bath is well before bedtime, or if you live in a very cold area provide warm water to the bird and a warm room to leave the cage after the bath.
