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Post by wonker on May 17, 2007 10:43:00 GMT
Right, now that you've sorted me with his feeding routing can you help me with the hygiene side of things:
As you know I have only had him for 5 days, I have changed the paper at the bottom of the cage twice and If I see some poo on any of his perches then I've been giving it a quick wipe over with a 'baby wipe' (I've got 2 little ones so I've got millions of wipes!). Once a week (prob Sat morning) I plan to remove the base of the cage, the water bottle and feeders and give them all a good scrub in hot soapy water...Is this OK? and what about the cage itself?
Also, when do I use the 'Bird cage disinfectant' spray I bought from 'Pets at Home'. I've read on some sites that I should spray the cage once a week but surely that involves taking Billy out of the cage but I've also read that you should handle the Canary as little as possible....see what I mean about getting confused?
Thanks in advance
Wonker
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Post by Admin on May 17, 2007 10:58:43 GMT
ok, i can answer the hygiene questions but im afraid ive never owned a canary so i cant answer about handling him your spot on with everything youve said so far i clean mine out once a week with a good scrub and yep washing up liquid is fine babywipes are a godsend arent they!! i have little'uns too so im always stocked up lol. the spray you have bought from pets at home can be used on the base once it is washed and dried, spray from a distance so it mists the bottom of the cage and then (again) wait for it to dry - it wont take long, thats it - cage disinfected the bar bit of the cage just needs a wipe down with a damp cloth every week, nothing more than that - other than a stubborn poop might need the baby wipe magic see, you know more than you think there is one good tip to remember - if its safe for a new born baby, then its safe for a bird
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Post by wonker on May 17, 2007 11:28:49 GMT
Thanks Sal...everyday is a learning day!
When you say "so it mists the bottom of the cage" do you mean after I have sorted the base, I can spray the cage? and if so, is it safe to do it when Billy is in there?
Ta
Wonker
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Post by Admin on May 17, 2007 11:34:47 GMT
sorry, i think i waffled too much and confused you lol thats what you get for working at the same time as posting you will only need to mist the cage base with the disinfectant spray, if you had the perches out then you could do them too but the actual metal barred "cage" bit wont need spraying. saying that, if billy ever did come out the cage then it wouldnt hurt if you did, but the disinfectant can be harmful if sprayed on the bird or not dry properly before the bird goes back in so if he cant be handled (as i said i cant advise on that bit) then i would leave the metal bit and just wipe it down
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Post by wonker on May 17, 2007 12:17:55 GMT
Excellent.
Now I'm onto air-sac mites and any other little nasties!
Is there any way of doing anything to prevent these things occuring or can you only treat it 'after the event'?
What other things do I need to look out for.
Thanks
Wonker
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Post by Admin on May 17, 2007 12:52:13 GMT
you could do a visit to your local pet shop and something to treat him for mites and worms as a "just in case" but really the rest of it is a case of "treat as happens" im afraid. Things to look out for.... refusal to eat or drink sitting on bottom of cage fluffed up for a period of time (a full morning etc - they will do this occassionally for half hour or so quite often, but thats normal) runny pooop, or discoloured unsettled compared to his normal self birds are clever little monkeys and will hide any illness as best as they can, so often its a case of - you know your bird and he just isnt acting as he normally would. if you are at all worried, it is always best to run him over to an avian vet (there are UK ones listed in the vet section) where he can be examined. other than that there isnt much else to know i dont think
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Post by wonker on May 17, 2007 13:10:27 GMT
Thanks for all the advice Sal, I am really glad I found this forum. I just thought there may be a spray or something available that I could use periodically to Prevent any of these Illnesses happening but never mind I'll just to wait until they happen then deal with it then!
Many thanks again
Wonker
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Post by Admin on May 17, 2007 13:14:39 GMT
you are very welcome im glad you found the forum too someone else that logs on and reads this might know of something that can be used as a preventative? but im a kak woman (carefully spelt!) so i dont really specialise in canaries everything ive told you is just general stuff in bird keeping
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Post by wonker on May 21, 2007 11:32:13 GMT
My first cage-cleaning experience was a success!
Base, all food dishes and drink bottle all cleaned and dissinfected. cage cleaned with damp cloth, food and grit changed ,treat stick replaced with Millet Spray(messy or what?).
Half hour tops - Happy days!
Again, thanks for the advice.
I didn't replace the Cuttlebone as it's only a week old, how long do these things last as the one I have is huge!
Cheers
Wonker
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Post by Berserka on May 22, 2007 0:25:48 GMT
Every bird is different, I have some birds who don't touch the cuttlebone at all, others will demolish it within a day. If you supply grit then you actually don't need cuttlebone.
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Post by wonker on May 22, 2007 10:58:01 GMT
I do have grit but he seems happier scratching his little beak against the Cuttlebone. I was just wondering (here comes another stupid question) if the cutlebone goes off or not, or shall I just leave it there until he's demolished it - bearing in mind that it is probably 3 times bigger than him and it will take him a millennium to get through it.
Cheers
Wonker
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Post by Berserka on May 22, 2007 12:33:36 GMT
Well I've never left cuttlebone in longer than a month - not because it might go off (it's dead fish so who knows?) but because the birds usually poop on it.
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Post by Admin on May 22, 2007 12:35:47 GMT
a wire brush once a week can get the poop off mine seem to use it as a portaloo aswell #rolleyes# lol
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Post by wonker on May 22, 2007 13:02:30 GMT
The way it's positioned in his cage, it would have to be one hell of a good shot to land one on there!
Perhaps I'll just leave it and change it if he get's bored with it.
Ta
Wonker
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