Clean and Disinfect Your Parrot’s Cage
The Importance of Cleaning and Disinfecting for Your Parrot:
An important part of your parrot’s optimal health, is to provide it with a clean and sanitized atmosphere.
Simply acts such as cleaning and sanitizing your bird’s environment daily adds to the overall health and well being of your parrot. This is as important as providing a well balanced diet and mental stimulation for your bird.
Disinfecting an object means: to rid it from the presence of disease causing organisms such as, bacteria, fungi, yeast and viruses. Unfortunately, these organisms are copious in a bird’s environment as well as our own.
It is well known that the first line of defense against diseases is a healthy immune system. A clean environment, proper nutrition and good health establish a healthy immune system. However, infections can still arise if your bird and/or humans are exposed to the disease causing organisms. Exposure can happen suddenly due to an overload of these organisms or slowly due to constant, low-grade contact to them.
You should clean and sanitize:
These items should be washed in warm water with a mild detergent then disinfected that is safe and effective for your bird. After disinfecting the object you should always rinse it thoroughly to insure there are not residues left over. You can find these disinfectants in pet stores. Make sure to follow the instructions on the bottle to ensure proper sanitation and safety.
Water bottles and bowls should be clean and sanitized daily and cages, accessories and perches should be done on a weekly basis.
Taking these simply steps or takes a few minutes of your time and will significantly increase the health of your parrot.
An important part of your parrot’s optimal health, is to provide it with a clean and sanitized atmosphere.
Simply acts such as cleaning and sanitizing your bird’s environment daily adds to the overall health and well being of your parrot. This is as important as providing a well balanced diet and mental stimulation for your bird.
Disinfecting an object means: to rid it from the presence of disease causing organisms such as, bacteria, fungi, yeast and viruses. Unfortunately, these organisms are copious in a bird’s environment as well as our own.
It is well known that the first line of defense against diseases is a healthy immune system. A clean environment, proper nutrition and good health establish a healthy immune system. However, infections can still arise if your bird and/or humans are exposed to the disease causing organisms. Exposure can happen suddenly due to an overload of these organisms or slowly due to constant, low-grade contact to them.
You should clean and sanitize:
- Food bowls
- Water bowls and/or water bottle
- Toys
- Cages
- Cage accessories
- Perches
These items should be washed in warm water with a mild detergent then disinfected that is safe and effective for your bird. After disinfecting the object you should always rinse it thoroughly to insure there are not residues left over. You can find these disinfectants in pet stores. Make sure to follow the instructions on the bottle to ensure proper sanitation and safety.
Water bottles and bowls should be clean and sanitized daily and cages, accessories and perches should be done on a weekly basis.
Taking these simply steps or takes a few minutes of your time and will significantly increase the health of your parrot.
A CLEAN BIRDCAGE
If you do not want to run the risk of your parrot developing health problems, you must properly clean your parrot’s cage weekly. You will also be required to do simple cleanings daily to make sure your bird and its cage are in top-notch condition.
Daily Cage Cleaning:
It is necessary to clean your parrot’s cage to some extent every day. At a bare minimum, you will need to remove and replace old food, change the water with fresh clean water and remove and reline the paper at the bottom of the cage. A good trick for replacing the paper is to layer it in the paper tray. Each day you can grab the top layer; removing the old and exposing a new, clean layer. This quick cleaning routine will be well worth the short time it takes to keep your parrot healthy and happy.
Weekly Cage Cleaning:
Once a week you will need to do more of a thoroughly cleaning of your bird’s cage. At this time, you will need to remove your parrot from its cage. It is imperative to do this once a week. If you take the time to clean your parrot’s cage weekly in this manner you will keep the cleaning time at a minimum of approximately 30 minutes or so. However, if you let your parrot’s cage become excessively dirty and untidy it will take you longer without a doubt.
The first step is to remove your parrot’s food and water dishes. Run them through the dishwasher to clean and sanitize them. Bacteria can harvest in dishes containing old food and water thus causing serious illness and possible infections in your parrot.
Next, remove and scrub any and all ladders, toys, and perches that may have been soiled. You will also want to remove contamination from the cage bars as well. Use a specialized cleaning agent for birdcages or use mild, soapy water for this process. Some people prefer to put their birdcage in the shower to clean and rinse. This is a great time saving tip and make clean up that much easier. With that being said, NEVER use harsh detergents or household chemicals when cleaning your parrot’s cage. Strong fumes and scents can be exceptionally harmful to your bird’s respiratory system even if you think you have rinsed the objects thoroughly. Once you have rinsed the cage, wipe down to dry.
Meanwhile, while your cage is drying, clean any covers you may have for the cage. You may want launder these if needed. Make sure all feces are removed. Also, sweep and vacuum under and around your parrot’s cage and area. Parrots are messy so you will want to take the time to clean around its cage as well. Wipe walls and floor with mild soapy water too.
Once the cage is clean and dry you can place the dishes, toys and perches back into the cage. Once everything is back in its place, return your parrot to its castle.
On a side note: It is recommended to make observations while cleaning your parrot’s cage. Inspect toys, cage bars, door and joints for any lose parts and/or chips. Also, check to see if your parrot’s droppings have change in anyway or excessive molting and blood as these may be the first signs of illness in your parrot.
Providing a healthy, clean and sanitized environment for your parrot will keep your bird’s health at an optimal level and its spirits at an all time high.
Daily Cage Cleaning:
It is necessary to clean your parrot’s cage to some extent every day. At a bare minimum, you will need to remove and replace old food, change the water with fresh clean water and remove and reline the paper at the bottom of the cage. A good trick for replacing the paper is to layer it in the paper tray. Each day you can grab the top layer; removing the old and exposing a new, clean layer. This quick cleaning routine will be well worth the short time it takes to keep your parrot healthy and happy.
Weekly Cage Cleaning:
Once a week you will need to do more of a thoroughly cleaning of your bird’s cage. At this time, you will need to remove your parrot from its cage. It is imperative to do this once a week. If you take the time to clean your parrot’s cage weekly in this manner you will keep the cleaning time at a minimum of approximately 30 minutes or so. However, if you let your parrot’s cage become excessively dirty and untidy it will take you longer without a doubt.
The first step is to remove your parrot’s food and water dishes. Run them through the dishwasher to clean and sanitize them. Bacteria can harvest in dishes containing old food and water thus causing serious illness and possible infections in your parrot.
Next, remove and scrub any and all ladders, toys, and perches that may have been soiled. You will also want to remove contamination from the cage bars as well. Use a specialized cleaning agent for birdcages or use mild, soapy water for this process. Some people prefer to put their birdcage in the shower to clean and rinse. This is a great time saving tip and make clean up that much easier. With that being said, NEVER use harsh detergents or household chemicals when cleaning your parrot’s cage. Strong fumes and scents can be exceptionally harmful to your bird’s respiratory system even if you think you have rinsed the objects thoroughly. Once you have rinsed the cage, wipe down to dry.
Meanwhile, while your cage is drying, clean any covers you may have for the cage. You may want launder these if needed. Make sure all feces are removed. Also, sweep and vacuum under and around your parrot’s cage and area. Parrots are messy so you will want to take the time to clean around its cage as well. Wipe walls and floor with mild soapy water too.
Once the cage is clean and dry you can place the dishes, toys and perches back into the cage. Once everything is back in its place, return your parrot to its castle.
On a side note: It is recommended to make observations while cleaning your parrot’s cage. Inspect toys, cage bars, door and joints for any lose parts and/or chips. Also, check to see if your parrot’s droppings have change in anyway or excessive molting and blood as these may be the first signs of illness in your parrot.
Providing a healthy, clean and sanitized environment for your parrot will keep your bird’s health at an optimal level and its spirits at an all time high.
