How often do you clean your parrot's cage?

[Michael]

Honestly now, how often do you clean your parrot's cage? How often do you change the newspaper (liner or whatever) at the bottom of the cage?

[miajag]

I usually change the newspaper every day, but I admit occasionally I'll forget and miss a day. I give the cage a thorough cleaning once every two weeks or so.

[MandyG]

Food & Water dishes - once or twice daily
Left over food on bottom of cage - daily to every other day
Newspaper in bottom of tray - once a week

I find it easier to spot clean dropped veggies/fruit than to actually change the paper and clean the tray daily.

[Michael]

I basically do just what Mandy said. I rinse out the water bottle and change water daily. I use soap on the water bottle every other day. I know I can easily do three days straight with the water bottle if I need to but when I am around and have time I change it daily anyway. Food bowls get cleaned after every meal and she is fed twice.

I spot clean the cage every day with water or poop-off spray. I change the newspaper 1-2 times per week on garbage days. I don't like that in the garbage too long cause it gets really smelly so I take it out on the days garbage is collected. Poop and food don't accumulate as much as they used to in the newspaper cause the bird spends a lot of time out of the cage and she usually saves the big ones for when she is out anyway. Food wise, since I've been giving her just enough to eat portions without any extra, she's been more careful about eating everything and less ends up at the bottom. So the newspaper doesn't need to get changed that often. Plus she has good separation from that with the grate which I make greater efforts to keep clean than the collection pan. I used to change the newspaper more frequently but have learned that once or twice a week is just as fine. Most of what ends up in there is pieces from her toys anyway.

I do an extensive cleaning of the cage about every month but small cleanings weekly.

[pchela]

Here's a little trick I learned at the pet store where we have to change 30+ cages twice a day.

At the beginning of the week I layer the newspaper on... about 7 or more sheets on top of each other. Then I tear the paper to fit the tray (unless you're lucky enough to have a tray that is perfect newspaper size already)... this way, everyday I can take off the top layer of soiled paper and only have to actually "change" the paper once a week or so. You can layer as much as you want. It makes things so much easier!

[windharper]

I do something similar with the several layers of newspaper. Tamber's cage fits a whole sheet of newspaper open and Teyla's cage fits our local newspaper open. So I layer 7 to 10 pages on the bottom and will turn the page in the morning. At the end of the pile, I take the whole thing out and replace it with new.

The only time I might do it more is with Teyla in the warmer weather as she loves getting showered by the spray bottle and will turn upside down with her wings open to catch the water. She loves it so much I will spend 1/2 of a spray bottle on her. This saturates the paper and boy, it can stink then! So immediate cage cleaning will follow.

[kimbo]

i change the newspaper on the play station bit of the cage everyday. but wipe the bottom bars every morning as chico tends to poop a lot at top of cage. the bottom newspaper most days but the odd day will forget as have to rush out. food bowls and water bowls every day . perches every other day.

[Natacha]

I change the newspaper every day.
I spot clean when I feel the need to; when it's obvious there is something to be cleaned up.

I normally give the cages a thorough wash weekly (with soap/vinegar water and a cloth), although lately it's been almost every two weeks. The cages weren't that dirty to begin with the daily basic cleaning.

[Michael]

I'm noticing that there is basically two groups of people. Those who clean cages daily and those who do weekly. I wonder what is the cause of this. Is it that eager newbies clean very regularly and seasoned veterans are less enthused about it. Is it that some people have just one bird which makes it easier to clean regularly while people with many can only manage once a week? Or do we have a difference of opinion about what it means to clean a cage? Perhaps some people meant that they wipe off some poop every day while others meant they give it a thorough cleaning once a week.

[SirHubi]

Well. I clean cage weekly, even though I am newbie to parrots. This is manly due to time. I'd rather spend more time with parrot instead of cleaning. Once a week I think is enough. However what about newspapers? What difference is between newspaper and wooden bedding? what are advantages and disadvantages of newspapers?