Cleaning

[Zahrii]

This isn't anything serious, just a curiosity of mine and a few questions. How often do you guys do a minor cage cleaning? (Sweeping surfaces, replenishing food/hay/water, wiping up any urine, cleaning litter pans if needed.) Once a day, twice a day, or something different? How often do you deep clean? (Cleaning water bottles/food bowls, scrubbing litter pans, wiping down surfaces with 50/50 vinegar and water mix or something else.) Also, how often should I clean wooden shelves and how do I do it? Is it okay to reuse dust for dust baths?

 

[Amethyst]

I do minor cleaning daily, mostly just sweep and cleaning up any soiled hay or food. Food, water, and hay as needed, my husband normally checks on them in the morning before work, and I feed them at night before I got to bed. Water bottles get a quick scrub with the brush every time the water is changed/refilled. Food bowls I only bother to clean if there is a reason, like they peed in it. Litter pan get scrubbed about once a week during cage changes. Wood shelves get wiped during cage changes too and can be wiped down with the vinegar mix and then wiped off with water (spray on a cloth and wipe, don't soak the shelf unless you are removing it from the cage to dry). If the shelf is pee stained and doesn't come clean with just wiping it you can try sanding down the stain. You can reuse the dust several times so long as they haven't peed in it, poops can be just scooped out. I use the bath until it starts getting grainy clumps, how often really depends on the time of year and humidity.

I only use the 50/50 vinegar water mix, it's safe even if you don't manage to clean it all up.

 

[cboyer]

Sweep and replenish food every night. Major clean once a week (use to be twice a week but I got lazy).