terracotta earthware dishes

[kenny66]

i was give a bucnh of unglazed terracotta dishes (the type that put potted plants on to catch the water which i intend to use as water dishes for the finches to bath. Are these safe to use on finches.

[casehulsebosch]

Unglazed these dishes are not waterproof.

I don't know if painting them with a clear hardened varnish is an option?

Cheers, Case

[Danny]

A couple of coats of clear spray on pot sealant will do the job and lasts for years.

[kenny66]

i must be wrong about them being glazed as they hold water ok. i was more worried about bacteria build up. however i would bleach every couple of days or so. just wondered if anyone has used them with no problems

thanks

[arthur]

Yes . .

Not as easy to clean as white porcelain or glazed dishes (bought from the 'nickel & dime' stores of course), but a regular soak in a chlorine based cleaner and a good rinse after will quickly get rid of any algae that forms on the surfaces

Some say that because they are porous, they will harbour 'nasties' . . but so will any containers that are not cleaned regularly

I have had a mix of terra cotta and porcelain/ glazed dishes for many years and prefer the white porcelain . . but only because of the ease of cleaning



And . .

Anything you get for nothing is not expensive

[kenny66]

thanks heaps-i like them because they are so wide and shallow-perfect for bathing. i use the porcelain and stainless steel ones as well.

thanks guys for your advice