Cage Cleaning?

C A · Post by **C A** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 10:23 pm

Hi everyone, I'm a new finch owner and was wondering if anyone has any good methods for cleaning and sterilizing cages. And how often?

I'm currently using a 1 part bleach to 4 parts water mixture which I thoroughly wash off with soap and HOT water once a week. Is this overkill? Everything is going OK so far, I just want to make sure I'm not missing anything or harming my new little buddies!

Rue · Post by **Rue** » Sun Apr 22, 2007 10:26 pm

That sounds fine...just rinse well...

I mostly just use hot water...sometimes vinegar...and bleach only if I'm worried about something...

...how big is your cage?

C A · Post by **C A** » Sun Apr 22, 2007 10:54 pm

I have an 18x18x24 Clean Life cage.

Rue · Post by **Rue** » Sun Apr 22, 2007 11:02 pm

Okay! So not too large...easy to clean in the tub...

...you can likely bleach it less often...once a month should be plenty...

jonvill · Post by **jonvill** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 1:35 pm

I use grapefruit seed extract (4 drops to a pint of hot water) to clean my bird cages. Bleach is good too but it makes the cages rust really fast.

C A · Post by **C A** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 11:35 am

I was worried I was using bleach too often! I hadn't thought of rusting. Thank you for helping me save my cages!

Rue said- "I mostly use hot water...sometimes vinegar"

Am I supposed to dilute the vinegar , or just use it at full strength?

Rue · Post by **Rue** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 5:28 pm

I dilute...but I'm not too exact about it...I think I do roughly 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water...

cookiemom18 · Post by **cookiemom18** » Tue May 08, 2007 6:15 pm

Sorry, I must sound stupid. My finch would have a heart attack if I removed them I would think. I've only had them a little over a month.
We have so far only taken out the perches and dishes and all to clean them. Is this wrong? How do you catch them and where do you put them?

Thalia · Post by **Thalia** » Tue May 08, 2007 6:51 pm

whenever I've had to catch them I put the cage on the floor, turn off the lights and close the windows, put a towel over the cage to darken it, then catch them by hand. It's easier in the dark. If you're cleaning then take them and put them in a spare cage. I personally use a dry brush to loosen poop stuck to the grate and then remove the grate, tray and all the perches and dishes to clean. I find they don't poop on the outside bars so I don't worry about cleaning them too much. When I get my hookbill I'll have to start though, since they like chewing on the bars.

cookiemom18 · Post by **cookiemom18** » Wed May 09, 2007 6:30 am

Oh, good. I don't notice any poop on the bars or anything and we clean everthing else.

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Wed May 09, 2007 7:07 am

hi all
have you tried a hand held steam cleaner!

ken

Thalia · Post by **Thalia** » Wed May 09, 2007 10:02 am

lol Kenny, I would if I had one!! I love those things!

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Wed May 09, 2007 5:31 pm

hi thalia
dont you have car boot sales,or flea markets or garage sales as they call them in your country,it doesnt have to be new

ken

Rue · Post by **Rue** » Wed May 09, 2007 6:46 pm

I always thought birds...and finches esp. were so fragile...

...but after handling more finches...treating and medicating...

...they're much tougher than you think...

If I have to catch all of them...I do it in the dark as well...

Thalia · Post by **Thalia** » Wed May 09, 2007 9:46 pm

lol Kenny, always quick to reply! Actually we do have garage sales, unfortunately I've never had the money to go sifting through them since I've been a student for the past 5 years. Now that I have the money I work 12 hours on Saturday and on Sunday, the days when people have garage sales lol

car boot sales tee hee hee

I was thinking... why would people sell boots for cars?!?

FINCHforum

Cage Cleaning?

Cage Cleaning?

what do you do with the birds??

feeling a bit better