How do You clean your birds cages?

[PArRoT_CrAzy11]

I only have a pair of lovies, and they make a mess everywhere. I am curious how do you birds owners clean your bird(s) cages and playstands. Wow, just the thought of having to take care of 4 large cockatoos ,and other pets is making me tired thinking about it. How do you do it?

[Monica]

The smaller birds live in flight cages. The bottoms are lined with paper, and when it comes to cleaning them, more than just changing the papers, the trays/tray bottoms are cleaned usually in the shower while the larger part of the cage is taken outside to be power-washed with the hose, then scrubbed down with soap and hot water, and rinsed again.

Noel and Casey being above a 9' x 2' platform, the bottom has lots of paper that can be changed, the bottom either vaccuumed or swept up, and platform itself can be mopped. Occasionally, I move the entire thing out so I can clean underneath it (if seed happens to somehow get under it).

It can be quite tedious work, though for the birds, it is worth it! I just wish I could get a steamer to make the job go a little faster! Some people are smart enough to get a steam cleaner, and shop vaccuums, or a really good normal household vaccuum to do the job!!!

[The Outlaw]

It is a lot of work. I have 10 large birds and it is a constant drain on my energy. I use Grapefruit Seed Extract and hot water to soak the crusty stuff. I then use a rubber scraper and remove it. I follow this by a general wiping of the cage bars. I use Avicine about once a month to kill other germs. I spray all of the cages and let is sit for abourt 10 minutes. I then fire up my steamer and steam clean everything.

I also line my cage grates with about 4 layers of newsprint. I pick them up as they get soiled. Whenever I have visiting boarder birds, I clean everything that comes into contact with them with Virkon S and hot water and rinse them well. In the warm months, I take the big cages apart and power wash them. My cages are too large to get through the door openings unless I do.

I can remember when I only had 5 birds and it was so easy.

THE OUTLAW

[Skyebirdsmom]

Originally Posted by The Outlaw

It is a lot of work. I have 10 large birds and it is a constant drain on my energy. I use Grapefruit Seed Extract and hot water to soak the crusty stuff. I then use a rubber scraper and remove it. I follow this by a general wiping of the cage bars. I use Avicine about once a month to kill other germs. I spray all of the cages and let is sit for abourt 10 minutes. I then fire up my steamer and steam clean everything.

I also line my cage grates with about 4 layers of newsprint. I pick them up as they get soiled. Whenever I have visiting boarder birds, I clean everything that comes into contact with them with Virkon S and hot water and rinse them well. In the warm months, I take the big cages apart and power wash them. My cages are too large to get through the door openings unless I do.

I can remember when I only had 5 birds and it was so easy.

THE OUTLAW

Gee, maybe only being able to have one 29(yes! He gained a gram!!!!)gm bird isn't so bad after all!! LOLOL
Linda & HRC~

[Vankarhi]

I clean mine by daily brushing all excess off the entire cages, changing the newspaper daily sometimes even twice daily (especiallly Skye's cage). I regularly take them out to the verandah and hose down with soap and water or just get a cloth with soapy water and wipe down. I need to sweep around the cages quite a few times a day.

[Takoda]

well... i keep no more than 2 birds to a cage. I change newspaper and wash the tray every even day. I spray 10% bleach on the tray at least once a week and let it sit for ten minutes, then wash it. When the grate gets gross, I spray vinegar and water (50/50) on it, sit for a minute or two, and scrub with one of those hard plastic scrubbies. Then wipe clean with water. Every so often I take the entire cage outside (without the birds) and spray it off with the hose, leaving it to dry in the sun. Some of my cages have removable grates, they get cleaned more often, with soap and water. All water bowls and food trays are washed every even day (water bowls are changed as often as necessary, sometimes four times a day), bleached at least once a month. Perches as washed as needed, so are toys.

Vacuum at least every other day, wash the floor and walls once a week.

It IS a lot of work!!

[Lungfish]

Most of the year I can wheel my cages out on the deck and spray them down with the hose, let the water set and soften the crud and then spray again with a garden hose and scrub with a toilet bowl brush. I do this weekly.

[Vega]

Daily: Spray down the cage sides and bottom grate with water, use a plastic scrub brush and brush it all down, change the papers, vacuum up any dust from the tray with the hose attachment. Change food and water bowels. For the conures cage I also use a rag to wipe down the seed catchers. Clean perches and toys as needed.

Monthly: us a vinegar/hot water mix and spray everything down (removing any seed catchers/trays/grates. Wipe down each and every bar. Put trays etc. into the shower and power spray while using the scrub brush. I also soak the perches and toys, then replace those with new ones in their cage.

Vacuum daily.