It’s a known fact that birds are messy. This doesn’t mean that because you have a bird in your house that it should smell like it. With some easy steps that aren’t even very time consuming you can have your house smelling fresh and bird free!
Just like us birds needs to take baths. There are two simple solutions to having your bird take a bath. You can have a bird bath in the cage or out of the cage. Remember most birds can’t swim, keep that in mind when choosing which option is best for you. if your bird is a non-swimmer it is wise to not keep a bath in the cage but outside so you can monitor them. For birds that can swim make sure the water is deep enough so they can dunk their heads and necks. if you’re monitoring your birds baths make sure they have enough time to dry off before bed time as this could cause them to get dangerously cold.
Clean your birds food dishes and bottles each day. Also remove any wet bird food after each meal. To make it easier on you it’s a good idea to have more then one food dish so you can wash a bunch together to save time.
To help with cage maintenance lay down newspaper or birdcage liners along the bottom of the cage or at least under your birds favorite perch spot. Put down several layers so you can quickly dispose of the soiled layer. Even with newspaper and cage liners you will still need to clean the cage once a week or every two weeks depending on the size of your bird. When cleaning the cage take everything out and thoroughly clean everything including the sides. Use hot soapy water. Don’t forget to clean under the cage as well. Be aware when cleaning the cage that your birds waste releases ammonia into the air. Ammonia is not healthy for your lungs or your bird’s. When cleaning move your bird into another room to ensure they are not breathing in any of the ammonia. It’s also a good idea to open a window if there is a large amount of droppings.
Vacuum or sweep under the bird cage everyday to remove seeds, feathers and other debris. It’s not a bad idea to place a mat under the cage to make cleaning easier.
Last but not least place an AirCare 1 lb Tub near the cage. Replace approximately every 90 days. AirCare is safe and nontoxic so you don’t have to be concerned with your bird breathing in the air around it. AirCare is pet, people and planet friendly!