handfeeding syringes how to clean?

[carmena]

My problem is the rubber plunger inside the syringe keeps getting harder and harder to depress until I have to throw it out after about 4 days. I currently rinse with water then wipe the outside of the syringe with alcohol and suck up some water with a few drops of bleach and then rinse with water again.
I tried lubricating the plunger with a tiny bit of mineral oil but that makes it completely stuck.
Will vegetable oil work better? Is there something I can rub on the plunger thing inside the syringe to make it depress easier and smoother???

[Raleighwheels]

Just curious, what type of syringe do you have? I have read about people having problems with a this type of syringe http://www.petco.com/product/14666/PETC ... SiteSearch

[ikhom]

I tried several different types of oil and nothing helps. I had to change my syringe every 5 days. Lucky for me I have plenty of them, but it would be interesting to know what could help.

[Sally]

My syringes don't seem to do that. I have the kind they call with an O-ring, I think, and I wash them in soapy water. I used to put them in a 10% bleach solution, but started doing the hot soapy water and then air-dry.

[carmena]

These are 1 ml insulin syringes and have the larger rubber plunger "thing" (I really should know the name of that thing!)

I like the 1 ml size because it gives you good speed control, nice and slow. Can you buy the O ring type in 1 ml sizes?? I only ever saw the larger 5 ml sizes.

[Sally]

This is where I got my syringes, though my smallest is 3ml--I need to order some of the 1ml. As you said, carmena, it is easier to control how much handfeeding formula goes in at one time if the syringe is smaller.

http://www.avitec.com/1cc-Syringes-p/cc1.htm

[carmena]

Sally,
It figures they are out of stock!

and Raleighwheels,
they are a similar style but not exactly the same. I have had this happen with 3 different brands of 1 ml syringes.

I shouldn't complain, I know it is not a defect in the product as they are only designed for 1x use...but who the heck can afford that!!! Everything that I KNOW would work would kill the birds! So No, I won't be using Armor All.

[nixity]

I also wash mine in scalding hot soapy water, rinse in scalding water, and set out to dry.
Generally when I am hand feeding I have two syringes I'm using so that when I do a feeding, I always have one that is clean and dry.

I use and sell the o-ring syringes with removable "tips" that allow you to better control the amount of formula you are depressing into the baby.
http://www.gouldiansgalore.net/Photo_Al ... ps_jpg.jpg

I also have a hand feeding kit I sell which includes the syringes and tips along with the Orlux hand feeding formula ;) ;)

I believe these are 5ml which is a lot for a new born, but perfect if you are hand feeding a large clutch.
I went through about 2 full 5ml syringes hand feeding 5 gouldians at about 2 weeks of age.
I can't imagine having to use the small 1ml size for a full clutch - it'd take forever! lol

I do also use the smaller ones - I have a 3ml one if I'm feeding small babies, and I use the 1ml size with a crop needle for medicating when necessary.