new cage for Kiwi - second hand

hello i find a bigger cage for my Kiwi IRN parrot

its really big and i would like to make it his home+jungle

but i dont know how to clean it safly for her



should i use normal cleaner from my home ?

its really dirty , also i think to paint it after i clean it very well is that safe ?

What is it made from, do you know?

Don't use chemical cleaners, if that's what you use in your home. When you say it's dirty, how is it dirty? Bird poop, or grime? If it's dusty/grimy, I'd start with some hot soapy water (use velvet soap or other pure soap). If it's bird poop, you'll need to soak it first.

hello studel its old cage and second hand , i think its made from aluminum or sheet

but looks like so dirty , i want to clean it very well and Sterilization

and i think to paint it black or pink or red is it safe ?

some pplz say lemon + Vinegar is good for clean and sterilization

more advice plz

jado said:

some pplz say lemon + Vinegar is good for clean and sterilization

Click to expand...

Lemon or vinegar or citric acid in solution. You can use a steam cleaner, hot soapy water or all of the above (not at the same time).

As for painting, you'd need to find bird-safe paint and you'd need to leave it to cure for a long time before being able to use it. Also, if he's a cage chewer, he'd likely pick it off. Personally, I wouldn't bother, unless you wanted to pay to have it powder coated (probably defeats the purpose of having got the cage secondhand).

normal soap i use for wash my hand ?

Pure soap, laundry soap. Over here it's called Sunlight or Velvet.

I wouldn't personally use soap at all. Soaps these days all have all kinds of "antibacterial" chemicals and scents and other things that are very likely to be toxic to your bird if you leave any residue on them. I would start with a hose, scrub brush and some elbow grease. The I would probably apply a paste of baking soda and vinegar to sanitize and polish, then hose off again. I'm not sure what part of the world you live in, but if possible before doing anything I would get a test kit for zinc. Many of those vintage cages were made of metal alloyed with zinc, which is toxic to parrots and can kill them. I know a few of our members have tested re-owned vintage cages for zinc before, so hopefully they can enlighten you as to where to find the material necessary

Kiwibird said:

Soaps these days all have

Click to expand...

except for pure soap, it's just old-fashioned soap made of oil and glycerin, whatever they make soap from. It hasn't got any other stuff in it, you can use it on your garden. I don't know whether you can get it overseas.

thanks for all ur advice , i'll wash it with hot water first very well , then i'll Rub it with
vinegar then i wash it again more well , then i rub with lemon , and i keep it out in sun to dry then i give it 24 hour .

I'd use a scrub brush and some scrubby pads made of plastic as well. It looks like it will need a scrubbing and those are the best tools to get that done. If you have any stuck on crud, try vinegar and baking soda. It will fizz up and make the junk easier to get off. Baking soda has a very slight grit to it that helps.

Jetwash if you have access to one

I found a quick, economical and safe cleaner for bird cages. It really breaks down
hard, dried bird droppings. I found it on about.com
Make Your Own Bird Cage Cleaner - Easy and Safe

Easy Homemade Bird Cage Cleaner
A Safe, Effective, and Economical Way to Keep Your Bird's Cage Healthy and Clean

Martin Poole/Digital Vision/Getty Images

No one likes to live in a dirty house, and your bird is no different. As a bird owner,
you are responsible for keeping your pet's cage neat and clean -- a must to ensure his health and comfort.
Birds can be messy creatures, and sometimes you need more than just a damp rag to
tackle stubborn stuck on food and droppings. Because birds are so sensitive to chemical fumes
and odors, caution must be taken to choose a cage cleaner that won't harm your pet.
Here is an easy recipe for a safe and effective cage cleaning solution that you can make at home.
A few minutes and a couple of household ingredients can go a long way in helping you keep your
bird's cage nice and clean -- as well as saving you a lot of time and elbow grease.

What You Will Need:
* 1 clean, empty spray bottle
* 3 cups hot water
* 3 tbsp Baking Soda
* 2 tbsp pure Lemon Juice

Lemon juice may not seem like an attractive ingredient to all bird owners, but is completely safe
for birds and contains natural enzymes that act as a disinfectant to kill bacteria and help break
down organic material. It can be purchased at just about any grocery store, or you can juice your
own lemons to make your cleaner extra fresh.

Tips for Mixing:
* Make sure that the water is hot. Hot water is better at dissolving powdered ingredients like
baking soda. You want to make sure that the ingredients are as evenly distributed throughout
the mixture as possible.
* Mix ingredients one at a time. Again, to make sure that the mixture is as homogenous as possible,
you should blend the ingredients into the hot water one after another.
* Be sure to use a clean spray bottle. Recycling an empty bottle that was once filled with a commercial
cleaner is never a good idea. Although you can wash the bottle out, many times remnants of the
chemical that once filled it will remain. The safest thing to do is to buy a brand new spray bottle.
These can usually be purchased for under a dollar and can be found at virtually any grocery or department store.
* Thoroughly rinse and dry cleaned surfaces. Although this cleaner is safe for birds, it's always best to rinse and
dry any cleaned surfaces for the comfort of your pet.
* Remember to discard any leftovers. Leaving cleaner sitting around with fruit juice in it is like growing a bacteria
garden. Always throw any leftover cleaner away, and mix a fresh batch each time you need to clean your bird's cage.

Used often, this homemade cage cleaner can be a handy tool for making your life as a bird owner just a bit easier.
In addition to being a cheap way of effectively cutting through dirt and grime, it provides a safe alternative to harsh
commercial cleaning agents. Protect your bird's health and your environment by trying this easy and economical cage cleaning solution.

cpclark, thanks for the helpful cage cleaning tips, but in the future please check the date of the original post, it's in the upper left hand corner. It doesn't say so in this thread but, Kiwi escaped, he's no longer with the OP, Jado. Please have a look at the following thread.

http://www.parrotforums.com/indian-ringnecks/52038-wierd-kiwi-irn-7.html

Hi Allee - Thanks for the heads up on Kiwi. It is very sad that Jado's Kiwi escaped. I was pointed to the thread by an email from Parrotforums.com. The date of the thread was only from February 3rd of 2015 so I didn't think it was so old that I couldn't add a good tip for cleaning bird cages.

Live & Learn....

probably your was a cage bird, if not even a hand tame takes a week of time to settle. Keep eye on his droppings, normal color is green mixed with white or dark green. They also like green pepers & fresh guava...
If he dont bite pick him & release outside cage & avoid putting his cage at place which is dark, out of sunlight or surrounded by weird looking electronics/ objects & household items..