Smelly Bird Room! Why?

[Grant]

I have 14 birds in my sunroom, and so I battle this problem too. I started using corn cob bedding so that I can get away with cleaning the cage once per week. I sprinkle a little baking soda in the litter to help keep down the odor. I think the smell is the urea. Birds do smell...ever visited a chicken coop? Eek! I also put out bunches of Eucalyptis...but I like the idea of mint. I have tons of it! In fact, I have put rosemary in my bird room before and that does give a nice aroma.

[Ginene]

I have an air purifier with a HEPA filter in my bird room. It really helps

[Nerien]

I've found that I notice an odor when the birds splash some water out of their bath or their water tubes, and get the stuff in the bottom of the cage wet. A little bit goes a long way, it turns out. Re-wetted bird poop and old seed hulls do smell.

[jonvill]

How often do you give your birds a chance to bathe? Do you think it could be their dander?

[DanteD716]

How often do you give your birds a chance to bathe? Do you think it could be their dander?

my birds have access to water to bathe in 24/7. It smells so bad when they splash the newspaper. I'm not sure if it could be the dander, but that is a possibilty!

[debbie276]

http://www.finchniche.com/features_poopology.php

Should the droppings smell?
No. Never. Healthy birds' droppings have no noticeable odor if they are fresh. A fowl smell is often a sign of infection in the digestive track. Most commonly it'll be a bacterial or yeast infection.

Now if the droppings have been sitting around and stay moist due to bathing birds or humidity then it is possible things will get a little smelly over time. If you clean your birdcage regularly this will not become a problem.

[Casper]

birds have their own smell, I use paper in the bottom of the cages and when it gets wet it can get a bit musty, I also have chicks so I have not been cleaning out one of my cages and the accumulated food, seed and poop in the bottom is a bit smelly when it get wet. I try to replace the paper often and give everything a hot wash but with chicks and the cold weather it is not happening, so i use carb soda and mint, the carb soda seems to absorb the smells and the damp, i just put a couple of spoon full in some dishes!

[cindy]

Casper, zebras are very tolerant of tray cleanings, none of mine abandon or stops sitting or feeding because I change the tray. If food and waste sits wet for to long mold can form, very time they fly, move over it mold can release spores into the air and they can inhale or even ingest it.

[Nanajennie]

I know what you mean as well. If I have to skip a day of changing the newspapers, the room almost smells like a wet dirty dog. But as soon as I clean the cage and change everything out, it is instantly better. My birds don't stink, the wet and then air dried papers absorb the veggies and eggfood and splashes from bathing,

I was looking into buying some cage cleaner from Ladygouldian. I don't always like the whole bleach process, as it is time consuming and needs air/sun drying.

One question: You say you boil your perches? are they wooden? How do you dry them? Maybe things are getting so soaked that they aren't drying out thoroughly ? Just a stab in the dark...

Good luck!

[Martie]

I was looking into buying some cage cleaner from Ladygouldian. I don't always like the whole bleach process, as it is time consuming and needs air/sun drying.

Which cleaner is it? I've been loving AviClean recently - http://www.avitec.com/AviClean-no-rinse ... -p/avc.htm.

[Nanajennie]

Martie http://www.ladygouldianfinch.com/product_petfocus.php

I will check out your stuff too... Thanks


Ok, so I just read the info on the AviClean, it sounds really nice! minty scent AND removes red wine stains from lace! I think I am sold! Plus the price is right

Thanks Martie! I love this forum!

[Martie]

Ahhhh - OK! You are wanting a disinfectant - mine is a cleaner. Yours should be used after everything is clean (no poop, etc.) to disinfect against viruses and bacteria. Aviclean is a detergent which gets the poop, etc. off in the first place.

I use Virkon S as a disinfectant - and also for soaking seeds ala the Mike Fidler method. No idea which might be more effective - but had to buy a whole lot of Virkon S to sprout seed so it disinfects cages and surfaces, too.

[Nanajennie]

LOL Ok... well, I still love the forum! So maybe I should try both!

Do you take your birds out when using the Virkon S? I like that you could keep the birds in the aviary and cages with the Pet Focus...

Is it as effective?

Sorry to hijack your thread Mands LOL

[Martie]

Virkon S is supposed to be really safe, too - I believe on farms they even put it in the water. However - I do take the birds out. It's all me - probably not necessary, but it makes me feel better.

[Nanajennie]

Thanks! I will research both disinfectant products, but I am going to get the AviClean for sure...