Just for fun- How much do you clean your birds?

[Kiwibird]

Ever wonder if you clean your bird(s) excessively or maybe not enough? I know I wonder sometimes. Just for fun (no judgement) how often do you:

1. Change the liner/paper?

2. Wash the dishes?

3. Wash the toys/perches?

4. Clean the grate?

5. "Deep clean" the whole cage?

6. Vacuum the bird area?

7. Do you use paper/liner on the play stand, and if so, how often do you clean?

I'll go first:

1. Every other day

2. Daily. Sometimes twice, depending.

3. Toys as needed, perches spot-clean weekly, remove to wash/scrub monthly.

4. Once a week

5. About once a month

6. Daily

7. Yes, once or twice a week, depending (he doesn't typically eat on his gym)

 

[weco]

Ever wonder if you clean your bird(s) excessively or maybe not enough? No.....
1. Change the liner/paper?
Every other day.....
2. Wash the dishes?
Mine - every day.....theirs = every day.....

3. Wash the toys/perches?
When they're dirty.....
4. Clean the grate?
Every other day.....
5. "Deep clean" the whole cage?
Every two weeks with pressure washer.....
6. Vacuum the bird area?
Once a week with the rest of the house.....
7. Do you use paper/liner on the play stand, and if so, how often do you clean?

No, it wouldn't stay on or really catch anything or let the birds use the stand.....

Never thought about it.....

 

[riddick07]

Ever wonder if you clean your bird(s) excessively or maybe not enough? I know I wonder sometimes. Just for fun (no judgement) how often do you:

1. Change the liner/paper?

2. Wash the dishes?

3. Wash the toys/perches?

4. Clean the grate?

5. "Deep clean" the whole cage?

6. Vacuum the bird area?

7. Do you use paper/liner on the play stand, and if so, how often do you clean?

1. Once or twice a week depending on how often they were actually in the cage.
2. Water daily. Food once a week.
3. I throw out toys they poop on unless plastic. Perches I wipe/scrub if they have poop on them when I change paper.
4. Every time I change the paper.
5. Monthly
6. This is more whenever it gets bad...I hate vacuuming in summer I do it more often because of bugs. I also put newspaper all around the cages so thatcatches most of it
7. Play stand I clean every time I change cage paper. If they had been out a lot then maybe once more then I clean cage paper.

They spend so much time out of the cage that the cages aren't horribly dirty even if left a week. Upstairs stands get the worse and they get cleaned close to daily. Folgers cage gets cleaned a little more often because he spends so much time in it.

 

[Kiwibird]

I think this will be a very interesting thread the longer it gets!

Riddick- I totally get the "out of the cage more than in" thing too. Kiwi spends a lot of his time hanging out not in his cage or on his gym, that's why I only deep clean them once a month too. His portable perch gets cleaned daily. Thats the one that gets REALLY filthy for us, but I didn't include portable perches because I don't think most people use them. I can't say I regret this new one one bit! So easy to pick up the tray, dump outside and wash in the sink with the rest of the dishes. The old one was much grosser to clean. With all the birds you have, you must REALLY have your cleaning work cut out for you If they aren't making messes in their cages, then they're surely making one somewhere else...:54:

 

[Bundiibird]

1. Every second day

2. Morning and night and any other time during the day that it needs

3. Weekly and spot clean if I need too

4. Weekly

5. Weekly

6. Daily

7. Bundii does not have her playstand setup at th moment cause it does not fit in the rental house. She usually hangs out on the side of the lounge chair so that gets lined with paper and changed at night.

 

[Birdman666]

Sweep and vacuum twice a day, breakdown cleanings once per week. Wash the bowls every day. Clean grates every day. Change papers at least once per week, but that is an as needed thing.

It's a lot of friggin' work.

 

[RavensGryf]

1. Change the liner/paper?

2. Wash the dishes?

3. Wash the toys/perches?

4. Clean the grate?

5. "Deep clean" the whole cage?

6. Vacuum the bird area?

7. Do you use paper/liner on the play stand, and if so, how often do you clean?

Some things I clean obsessively, other things I can probably do better.

1) Robin doesn't have a grate, so at least once a day for him. Other cages with a grate, every few days.

2) SS water bowls - wiped out daily and filled with purified water. I find if I do this daily, it's always clean so I don't need to scrub. My birds don't put food or anything in their water, so it stays clear throughout the day. If by rare occasion I notice a poop in someone's water of course I'll clean the bowl and change water soon as I notice.

Veggie bowls - dumped daily then scrubbed with just hot water.

Dry food bowls - I probably should wash them more often :54: but if there is anything visible on the bowls I'll clean it right away. Usually there is nothing more than pellet dust on them.

3) if I see a toy with poop on it, I'll clean it off immediately when I see it. For rotating toys, I clean before storing them again, or dust off the best I can the ones that can't be washed.

4) I clean the grate and spot clean cage bars OBSESSIVELY. If I see ONE poop on anyone's grate (or anywhere), it gets removed immediately! This should redeem me for #5...

5) :54:........
I dust the cages and spot clean (see #4, I spot clean obsessively ). One of these days I keep telling myself I'll take a wet towel with my sanitizer and wipe down every square inch.

6) Every couple days. Sometimes few days, but I promise it's not visibly gross even then. I also find myself "finger vacuuming" all the time.
I have plastic runners all around the birds cages and area, so thankfully most of it does stay on the plastic where I can just spray and wipe up crumbs all the time with a sweep of a paper towel.

7) Play stand and playtop cage just bare. I'll spray and wipe any poops that appear immediately. This should also redeem me for where I slack, right? :52:

 

[Kiwibird]

@Julie- with 3 smaller birds (I hear they poop more frequently than big birds) you must have your work cut out cleaning up after every time they go lol! And you need no "redeeming" whatsoever. You take fantastic care of your flock and I have absolutely no doubt in my mid that their bird-room is sparkling clean:21:!

In fact, I doubt there is a single person on this forum who lets their birds live in any semblance of filth (and a couple stray seeds and a poop on the door does not equal "squalor":20. I do find it interesting to share this kind of stuff. It offers a unique insight into how different bird homes run and you can totally see how cleaning routines reflect the habits of many "flocks" we see so much on the forum. Though, I will say if someone essentially has a unique eco-system of "flora and fauna" going on in their birds cage, we can help instruct you on proper parrot care here!:54:

 

[Terry57]

Ever wonder if you clean your bird(s) excessively or maybe not enough? I know I wonder sometimes. Just for fun (no judgement) how often do you:

1. Change the liner/paper?
Every day for the small birds, every other day for the parrots

2. Wash the dishes?
Every morning, all the food and water dishes get washed in hot, soapy water, and every afternoon the water dishes are rinsed and refilled, unless they need to be fully washed again

3. Wash the toys/perches?
When they need it

4. Clean the grate?
Every Sunday

5. "Deep clean" the whole cage?
Every Sunday

6. Vacuum the bird area?
Every other day or so

7. Do you use paper/liner on the play stand, and if so, how often do you clean?
We use papers, and clean every other day

Great thread, April!

 

[RavensGryf]

@Julie- with 3 smaller birds (I hear they poop more frequently than big birds) you must have your work cut out cleaning up after every time they go lol!

4 birds, remember little Twigs the budgie He's the one dropping little tiny ones constantly lol! I'm always hoping he doesn't poop all over Raven's stuff.

Actually it's funny how Raven goes just about as often as Twigs :52:, and he's the size of the smallest Amazons like a White Fronted. The Poi's are smaller but really hold their poop long. Especially Griffin. He commonly holds it until it's almost Macaw size for some reason!

 

[Amanda_Bennett]

Ever wonder if you clean your bird(s) excessively or maybe not enough? I know I wonder sometimes. Just for fun (no judgement) how often do you:

1. Change the liner/paper?

2. Wash the dishes?

3. Wash the toys/perches?

4. Clean the grate?

5. "Deep clean" the whole cage?

6. Vacuum the bird area?

7. Do you use paper/liner on the play stand, and if so, how often do you clean?

1. every evening after dinner.
2. every morning before breakfast/or as needed if I notice they are dirty during the day.
3. whenever I notice they are dirty/at least once a week.
4. no grate in her cage.
5. every Sunday/and I wipe things down as needed daily.
6. at least once a day, since her cage is in my living room and is seen from my office sometimes I vacuum at lunchtime if she has been especially messy.
7. her "play stand' is my end table so I do line it with newspaper and then plastic place mats and clean it in the evenings after dinner when I change her cage paper.

 

[LeaKP]

Ok, I'll play...

1. Change the liner/paper? Every day.

2. Wash the dishes? Every day.

3. Wash the toys/perches? As needed.

4. Clean the grate? Every day.

5. "Deep clean" the whole cage? Cleaning cage every day and I clean it deeply weekly.

6. Vacuum the bird area? Every day.

7. Do you use paper/liner on the play stand, and if so, how often do you clean? Daily.

 

[Taw5106]

1. Change the liner/paper?

Twice a week.

2. Wash the dishes?

Daily but I rotate 6 stainless bowls.

3. Wash the toys/perches?

Weekly

4. Clean the grate?

Weekly

5. "Deep clean" the whole cage?

I've done it once in the six months I've had Buddy.

6. Vacuum the bird area?

Weekly to two times a week but not because of Buddy, but the dogs. I swear I throw a dog away after vacuuming and emptying the canister.

7. Do you use paper/liner on the play stand, and if so, how often do you clean?

Yes, I use a trash bag, kitchen size. If fits perfectly and I can ball it up and trash it. I do this for the playtop and the bottom of his cage.

 

[goalerjones]

I usually put Hahnzel on the delicate cycle each Sunday night. I only use allergen free Cheer and color-safe bleach. I never put her in the dryer though, too much sqwawking and her claws clicking against the sides. I just use a couple of clothes pins and clip her to her tree stand over night.

 

[Kiwibird]

I usually put Hahnzel on the delicate cycle each Sunday night. I only use allergen free Cheer and color-safe bleach. I never put her in the dryer though, too much sqwawking and her claws clicking against the sides. I just use a couple of clothes pins and clip her to her tree stand over night.

LOL. Do you use any softener during her molts?

 

[goalerjones]

I usually put Hahnzel on the delicate cycle each Sunday night. I only use allergen free Cheer and color-safe bleach. I never put her in the dryer though, too much sqwawking and her claws clicking against the sides. I just use a couple of clothes pins and clip her to her tree stand over night.

LOL. Do you use any softener during her molts?

Downy ball.

 

[Scott]

My regimen is quite similar to what has been posted, but I have an additional chore: Seven of my birds occupy a spare 14' x 20' bedroom with a tile floor. All are free-flight and three are never locked in a cage. While there are cages along 3 of the walls and a large central playpen, the floor requires protection in the form of painters-plastic lining the entire surface.
The base layer is changed about every 2 months, but a thinner plastic is applied over roughly 75% of the surface and changed weekly. The plastic is hung outside from a second-story balcony for at least 36 hours to "air out" and purge the odors.

 

[Birdman666]

I usually put Hahnzel on the delicate cycle each Sunday night. I only use allergen free Cheer and color-safe bleach. I never put her in the dryer though, too much sqwawking and her claws clicking against the sides. I just use a couple of clothes pins and clip her to her tree stand over night.

LOL. Do you use any softener during her molts?

Now that's some funny stuff...

Remember, you gotta wait for the "rinse cycle" before you put in the feather conditioner...

 

[RavensGryf]

April, you know you're only going to get responses from people who do a great job lol. That's of course not saying that if you don't respond you don't do a good job!

In fact, I was debating if I should respond myself or not LOL! I thought omg I'm not perfect should I even admit it?!

 

[alcmene]

1. Change the liner/paper?
Daily

2. Wash the dishes?
Daily

3. Wash the toys/perches?
Every time they're pooped on (this varies widely, from almost never to umpteen times/ day lol)

4. Clean the grate?
Daily

5. "Deep clean" the whole cage?
Weekly

6. Vacuum the bird area?
2-3x/day. Whenever i get close to pick up a bird and get crumbs and bits of junk stuck to my feet. I'm always barefoot, so stuff stuck to my feet is my biggest pet peeve!

7. Do you use paper/liner on the play stand, and if so, how often do you clean?
Yes liner (huge piece of linoleum under stands). I wipe up 5-6x/day. Whenever i walk by and notice poo on the floor.

Why, yes, i am kind of a compulsive OCD neat freak. Why do you ask? The tendency goes together really well with the house full of pets and children i have! Lol