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Cleaning Your Birdcage

Your bird, like any other pet, needs a clean and safe environment to live in to remain healthy, happy and fit. Your bird cage should be cleaned daily and you should observe if any changes occur inside the cage, such as excess feathers on the bottom of the cage. The daily clean should include a simple change of the liner and cleaning out of food trays etc. As well as the daily clean, a bird cage should have a thorough cleanout every 4 - 6 weeks.

Firstly you need to take out your bird. This seems pretty obvious but it must be done. You then need to take out all the loose items inside such as feeding trays, baths, perches and toys. These items need to be cleaned very well! Firstly, all excess dirt such as droppings should be removed, you can then begin cleaning with a NON toxic cleaner. Common dishwashing liquid should be acceptable for this process, but make sure everything is thoroughly rinsed off afterwards. Another product that can be used is common household bleach; use around half a cup of bleach to a gallon of water to clean down the cage.

Some cages may have a removable bottom, so take this out and remove all the filth from it, if not you should remove any liner from the bottom of the cage. The cage can now be totally washed, this can be done in any tub or simply outside with a hose. Again use a NON toxic cleaner and scrub down every part, including the wire cage, as food stuffs and bird droppings can get caught up in it. All parts of the cage should be rinsed afterwards, and it is better if it is left in the sun to dry off completely.

Any item inside the cage such as feeders that do not come clean should be discarded and replaced with new or clean items. This can stop any potential diseases or foodstuffs from remaining inside the cage. Dirty feeders can be very unhealthy for your bird. After all of the items are clean, place them back in the cage and replace the liner at the bottom. Newspaper is the best option for liner, but remember to only use black and white paper, as some colored text can be toxic to birds. You are now done and can replace your birdie, just remember if there are any problems or inconsistencies consult a vet or your local pet store. PetHandbook.com

And for a random fact:

What start with S, ends in T and is at the bottom of every bird cage.........

Answer: Shell Grit

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