Cleaning New Toys?

[bustersbuddy]

The "best way to clean perches" thread below reminded me of another question I had intended to ask. Do you wash new toys before giving them to your fids? If so, how do you wash things like leather and rope? I think new toys really should be washed pretty well and as nearly sterilized as possible but do you find that shrinks the rope or makes them smell like bleach? What about wood products? We don't give Buster any plastic toys at all. Some of those toys have hung around the shops for a while and I'm wondering if that is really safe. Please let me know your thoughts.

[Mike B]

For wood toys, and anything that will hold moisture. Bake them, put in a 250 oven for an hour. Plastics, and other non pourus items. Spray with bleach, then rinse, rinse, and since your hands are wet rinse again. Then spray w/ vinegar, and let dry.

Mike

[The Outlaw]

Or, better yet, get your toys from Mike (www.grasshoppersparrottoys.com). He maintains the HIGHEST sanitation humanly possible.

[Mike B]

Originally Posted by The Outlaw

Or, better yet, get your toys from Mike (www.grasshoppersparrottoys.com). He maintains the HIGHEST sanitation humanly possible.

Thanks Nancy.

Mike

[kathleen]

Would putting the toys in a dishwasher work?

[Mike B]

Originally Posted by kathleen

Would putting the toys in a dishwasher work?

No, I don't think the diswasher would able to totally dry the wood. This is where the issue comes in. If the wood stays wet bacteria builds, then you'll have real issues, and a Vet visit.

Mike

[GeminiGirl]

I always wash toys prior to introduction to my flock, another good way to clean toys is to spray down with GSE (grapfruit seed extract) it is all natural and works great, and smells good too!rinse well even block and rope toys after letting them sit about 10 minutes. Placing them in the sun for 1 hour also helps greatly, but then here in Texas it is like 100 all the time, so that really works, you really shoudnt bring toys in that have hung in a store around other birds and bird shoppers, they can carry disease and be very bad for your fids.

The "best way to clean perches" thread below reminded me of another question I had intended to ask. Do you wash new toys before giving them to your fids? If so, how do you wash things like leather and rope? I think new toys really should be washed pretty well and as nearly sterilized as possible but do you find that shrinks the rope or makes them smell like bleach? What about wood products? We don't give Buster any plastic toys at all. Some of those toys have hung around the shops for a while and I'm wondering if that is really safe. Please let me know your thoughts.