What to clean cage with?

[PaigeLouise1]

Hello,

I was wondering what is the best stuff to clean cages/perches with. I have heard of a water and vinegar mixed togehter (percentages?) and also mild bleach mix. Im bit nervous about either because I'd hate to harm the finches.

Any advice would be appreciated thanks

[GregH]

I can't tell you what's best but I can tell you what I use and thus far no problems. I use water only in the large aviaries and for small cages, like my quarantine area, I use detergent and water then a clean rinse. After it's dry I spray with a good poultry disinfectant Virkon S (http://www2.dupont.com/Products/en_TR/Virkon.html) is what many people use as it deadly on bacteria and viruses but not at all toxic to birds - some people use it in the drinking water. If mites, lice and other insects or acachnids are problem then you can also spray the area regularly with Coopex wettable insecticide (http://www.bayeres.com.au/es/products/p ... .asp?id=35). If you've got lots of perches (eg you've got breeding cabinets) then once a year it might be goot to bake them dry in the oven after washing - no chemicals and no bugs will survive.

[jusdeb]

I sandpaper the perches and use weak detergent mix then rinse rinse rinse and sun sun sun ...cheap and easy.