Best way to clean cages with wood bottoms?

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macksmom98

macksmom98

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When purchase our rabbits, we found someone making cute cages on fb and bought 2 from him. They wood with slatted wood bottom cages. What's the best way to disenfect them that's not too harmful to the buns? Can I use bleach? I won't be getting any like this again, because now I feel the wire bottoms are mode sanitary. But right now I have to work with what I've got......thanks!
 
The intestinal parasite coccidia is sensitive to ammonia and not bleach so that's what I would use

My protocol would be to scrub with wire brush, soap and hot water; apply a 10% ammonia solution and let sit for 20 minutes, lightly rinse and air dry in bright sun light (UV is also a good killer of pathogens)
 
I use sudsy ammonia and hot water with a stiff bristle brush. If you use a wire brush you'll wreck the wood's surface. I usually only have to scrub them about once a month. Wash, let stand 5-10 minutes, rinse then I use a fan to hurry up the drying process. I keep my hutches lines with wood savings and cover that with straw that gets changed every 3 or 4 days. Seems to do the trick for me and I raise Flemish Giants. The hutches are all 4 - 8' and it does make a bit of a mess on the floor when changing bedding in the hutches but with a cement floor the cleanup is easy. Just grab the push broom and snow shovel. :? Works good but the neighbors will look at you funny in the summer. :p

3 or 4 times a year the rinse cycle gets done with a pressure washer to make sure I get every little ground in poop you can't get with hand washing/scrubbing. There again you have to take care to not rip up the wood's surface with the high pressure wash.
 
So use bleach or ammonia? Which one? I think that all sounds great! I currently use a dawn dish solution and sundry. I like the idea of something a little stronger.
 
macksmom98":tsqrnk2p said:
So use bleach or ammonia? Which one? I think that all sounds great! I currently use a dawn dish solution and sundry. I like the idea of something a little stronger.
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I use sudsy ammonia. It's just ammonia with a little soap in it.
 
I have to agree with Homer & Dood , ammonia as it'll kill off cocci where bleach wont.
 
Just be sure your dish soap doesn't have chlorine products in it if you're mixing with ammonia. And do it in a well-ventilate place.
 
I am using dawn right now, because I know it's safe for animas. Sounds great, I'll start using ammonia.
 
Zinnia":2qz4l8lm said:
Just be sure your dish soap doesn't have chlorine products in it if you're mixing with ammonia. And do it in a well-ventilate place.
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Good point! :x I buy it already made. It cleans a little better than plain ammonia. :)
 
Fire! LOL :twisted: :p :lol: :lol: :lol:

I would say vinegar or ammonia. And make sure you get into the corners real good. :mrgreen:

Best of luck.
 
Haha! I have actually thought about sawing the bottoms off and stapling wire from Underneith, to replace at least the bottom wood with wire......
 
macksmom98":2cfu27b2 said:
Haha! I have actually thought about sawing the bottoms off and stapling wire from Underneith, to replace at least the bottom wood with wire......
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That sounds like a doable idea. I wouldn't just staple the wire maybe staple and then add a wood trim along the bottom of the walls. So a sandwich of sorts. That way the rabbits weight can't pull the staples out or a raccoon pulling the staples out. :x The wood hutches look a lot better than the all wire but their not practical. I even told my daughter if she wants a rabbit as a pet it's still going to have an all wire cage.

Best of luck,
Cathy
 
Yeah that sounds good:). And now I agree. I won't do wood again, and am looking to transition out of it completely....
 

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