FINCHforum

I have had birds as pets on and off for decades, and they are appealing pets but often very messy. I thought I'd start a thread so people could list their hints for cleaning.
I have several cages on an Ikea Ullgump rug. It does a pretty good job hiding chaff and unlike the hardwood floor, traps it on the rug so it is easy to vacuum (with the dedicated vacuum that is always plugged in and ready to use in the bird room).
What cleaning hints help you save time and effort cleaning up after our adorable but messy friends?

Lucille

I use my dyson a lot, but haven't tried anything else. My dogs love to eat the fallen seed for some reason. They crawl on their bellies under the cages like they're getting a special treat. It's the funniest thing! I don't have any other suggestions, because I haven't found anything that I really like.

Lucille

Hi Lucille.

What does this rug look like? And how big is it?

My birds drive me nuts with all the seeds and hulls and whatnot all over the floor.

I am forever sweeping and vacuuming, and there is always a mess on the floor. I literally can start in one corner, and can go again, by the time I get to the last corner.

@slwatson

I wish I could teach my dogs to eat the seeds......
My larger dog will lay right beside a flight, get hulls and seeds all over him, then get up, walk into the living room and shake.....


I wish my floor was a grid, with a huge funnel beneath it, emptying into a large trash bin .

lovezebs

That would be the perfect floor! It seems like no matter how much I vacuum, I can never get all of the seed

My dogs were doing similar, lying on the chaff and then going to another room. But the rug sorta grips the chaff so it doesn't stick to dogs or waft around the room. (When one vacuums there is as well as suction, an exhaust that tends to blow the seeds around that have not yet been vacuumed, if they are on a smooth surface).
Even with the new covered seed cups there is a lot of chaff (part because of the millet sprays). So the wire shelf that holds six 30x18x18 cages is on this rug.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/produ ... 28Ww%3D%3D

Lucille

Thanks Lucille, definitely something to look into.

lovezebs

Same issues here except add children running around spreading it. I sweep a few times a day and vacuum once the boys are asleep. I got a couple of those net things you can put around the outside of the cage. They catch some of the discarded matter but only help so much.

Arama

I've even tried wrapping plastic wrap around the bottom of the flights, (saw that somewhere) but didn't work, plus It wouldn't allow acess to my bottom doors...

I'd love to have (but can't afford) a full time maid.
Ahhhh, I can see it now, some industrious person bustling about, sweeping the chaff, cleaning the cages, shampooing the dogs, getting rid of the dust bunnies; maybe as long as I'm dreaming an au pair, with the other person raking the leaves, trimming the shrubs......

lovezebs wrote: Lucille

Thanks Lucille, definitely something to look into.

My decorating tastes run to Apartment Therapy rather than Pottery Barn, so the Ikea spotted rug is not for everyone. But I like it, and it helps disguise the chaff much better than a completely dark solid rug would.

I'm getting a Shop Vac with extensions and attachments. My dedicated vac does a good job, but it is small and I have to empty it once a day. The larger Shop Vac will be better.
I think the birds enjoy being messy.

My finches are in their own room so they can make as big a mess as they want. I clean the room once per week. There is unprinted news paper on the floor under all perches. It makes cleaning up poop so much easier. Every Sunday I go in the room and vacuum up the hulls and seed. I live alone so I have a high tolerance for my birds' messes. I figure it comes with being a bird owner. I have been eying a small hand vac to clean the bars of the cockatiels' cages. For poop I use Poop Off but am about to try Aviclean.

dunker817

Once a week??? I only wish.
If I left it for a week, I'd be slogging about in seeds, hulls, feathers and poop up to my ankles.

@Lucille

Yes, a maid ! You know what I would like? Do you remember Rosey, the robot maid from the Jetson's cartoon ? She would be perfect.