Disinfecting
Bird Health Care
Cleaning and disinfecting is one of the most important steps you can take in controlling infectious diseases. Below are some examples of disinfectants available on the market. Follow the directions on the label carefully for the best results.
- Thoroughly clean and scrub objects before applying disinfectants. Disinfectants cannot work on top of caked-on dirt and manure, so thoroughly wash surfaces before disinfecting.
- Apply disinfectants using brushes, sponges and spray units. Allow adequate contact time (follow manufacturer’s instructions.)
- Dispose of used disinfectant according to local regulations.
Examples of Disinfectants
- Hydrogen Peroxide - Hydrogen Peroxide solution is great for disinfecting water, a foliar spray, as well as chemical free cleaning and bleaching. More info & directions
- Roccal ®: Mix _ fluid oz of Roccal per gallon of water.
- Nolvasan® (chlorhexidine diacetate 2 percent): Mix 3 fluid oz of Nolvasan per gallon of water.
- Household bleach
- Purell® hand pump for hand disinfection
- GSE
Note:
- Some of the disinfectants listed above are TOXIC to pet birds. Do now use spray disinfectants around your birds. Wash any treated areas carefully before allowing access to your bird.
- Trade names mentioned here do not constitute an endorsement, guarantee, or warranty of these products. Beauty of Birds bears no responsibility resulting from the use of the described products. These procedures are not guaranteed to prevent highly contagious diseases from affecting your birds; however, they will reduce the risks.
The following information is for educational purposes and is not meant to treat or prescribe. Beauty of Birds is sharing what others have told us has worked for them as they pursue health for themselves, their pets and their plants..
- Water Disinfectant / Directions: Merck's Index indicates that hydrogen peroxide can be used as a water disinfectant. Always use 35% food grade hydrogen peroxide in a dilute solution. Never use it as a concentrate without diluting it first. To make a 3% solution, mix 1 ounce 35% food grade hydrogen peroxide with 11 ounces of water.
Drinking Water of Farm Animals:
It was in 1985 that the first dairy farmer began injecting hydrogen peroxide in the water system of his entire farm. The water on his farm was polluted and mastitis was a problem with his herd. After continual use since that time, this same farmer has noticed with satisfaction the healthy state of his cows. In April 1988, the butterfat content of his Holstein cows was up to 5.3%. Another farmer who weighs the milk from every cow at every milking, reported that his milk production increased from 6 to 8 pounds per cow per milking. Others have reported their bacteria count has gone down to less than 2,000 per cubic centimeter. Many other farmers are continuing this experimental process.
Directions: Use 8 ounces of 35% food grade hydrogen peroxide per 1000 gallons of water of 30 ppm. If you do not have an injector, start out by using 1 teaspoon of 35% hydrogen peroxide in the drinking cups at the stanchion. This same ratio is used for all farm animals: cows, pigs, poultry, sheep, goats, rabbits and birds, increasing the oxygen level to the blood and cells. When hydrogen peroxide has been used for cattle, an increase in milk production and an increase in butterfat content have been reported. Farmers have also reported less mastitis in their herds. Hog farmers have reported less mastitis in their herds. Hog farmers have reported their hogs using less feed in a shorter growing time (as much as 30 days less). Turkey and chicken growers reported increased weight per bird using less feed. A man in Wisconsin has told us that he has had the best reproduction rate of his buffalo by using hydrogen peroxide in their drinking water.
Peroxide application into the well water, or city water can best be accomplished by a metering device, which keeps the application more constant and thorough although manual application can be a second best. The rule of thumb is 8 to 10 oz. of 35% hydrogen peroxide to 1000 gallons water.
Further information on Hydrogen Peroxide
GSE is a thick liquid concentrate that can be purchased at health food stores and online. Research found GSE to be an effective natural antibiotic, anti-fungal, anti-protozoan, anti-viral and antiseptic disinfectant. The active ingredient of grapefruit seed extract is non-toxic and effectively eliminates strep, staph, salmonella, E. Coli, candida, herpes, influenza, parasites, fungi, and more. Laboratory tests found that GSE is 10 to 100 times more effective as disinfectant than chlorine, colloidal silver (Colloidal Silver Generator - Make Your Own), and iodine. The USDA tested GSE and found it effective against four animal viruses: Foot and Mouth Disease, African Swine fever, Swine Vesicular Disease, and Avian Influenza.
When the FDA tested grapefruit seed extract in 1990 with 200 patients who had internal parasitic infections, they found that it gave more symptomatic relief than any other treatment. Researchers at the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil found the substance to be 100% effective in skin disinfection when used as a pre-surgical preparation compared to a 72% effectiveness rate for alcohol. Breeders swear by its effectiveness against Giardia.
I don't think there is a more effective yet environmentally-friendly disinfectant than GSE. I use it for:
- Three to four drops per gallon of water prevents the growth of algae in incubators, bird baths, water fountains, humidifiers, etc,
- I prevent sprouts from going moldy by adding GSE to the rinse water;
- GSE is great for cleaning up babies after feedings. It cleans their feathers and kills any bacteria and other disease pathogens. A few drops of GSE in a cup of warm water suffice;
- Cleaning and sterilizing Brooders & Intensive Care Units, incubators, and feeding utensils;
- One drop per eight-ounce water dish keeps your bird's drinking water free from pathogens;
- For disinfecting hard surfaces apply GSE full strength leaving it on for about 30 minutes and rinsing.
Nutribiotic - GSE Liquid Concentrate, 2 fl oz Adding a few drops of GSE will help keep your water clean. Please read about GSE . I started using GSE a few months ago on my moldy bird bath that I just couldn't keep clean. After using GSE for a week, the black mold that didn't come off with a wire brush, was gone. The water is safe and drinkable. Amazing stuff. |
Disinfecting in the Bird Nursery (VETARC)
The
bird nursery is perhaps the place where hygiene is most important.
Bacteria are common causes of disease in baby psittacines and in
other groups. This is partly because these birds lack the mature
defense systems of the adults and their homeostatic mechanisms are
easily disturbed leading to stress, infection and death.
The general bacterial flora of psittacine guts is essentially gram
positive. A variety of gram negative bacteria are particularly problematic
in causing disease, these include E.coli, Enterobacter, Klebsiella,
and Pseudomonas, a number of which will pass through birds but any
stress may lead to an overwhelming infection. Isolation, Identification
and treatment based on sensitivity patterns are essential for successful
avian medicine. The aviculturist can have a major role to play in
prevention of infection.
Artificially incubated chicks can acquire infection in the incubator.
Fecal contamination on one egg can be spread by means of the humidifying
apparatus soaking bacteria off the affected egg and onto others.
The first precaution is to wipe the eggs gently prior to placing
in the incubator, to remove gross contamination. In the washing
solution use a suitable disinfectant/cleanser. For this type of
use the disinfectant should have certain properties:
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it must be safe and non toxic |
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it must have good cleansing properties |
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it leaves a biocidal coating on the egg eg. Amprotect Egg Wash |
To prevent possible cross contamination from adult birds or other eggs, hands should be either gloved with 'sterile gloves' or treated with a suitable disinfectant. Here the disinfectant may have slightly different properties:
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it hould be non-irritant to the skin |
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it should be easy to use eg. Amprotect Hand rinse |
The
water in the humidifier is a great risk as this can be a major means
of infecting eggs with Pseudomonas. Regular changes of water help
reduce the risk as do the other measures mentioned but the potential
value of the eggs within the incubator warrant taking extra care.
A suitable disinfectant such as ARK-KLENS can be incorporated in the water.
Infertile eggs and those with non-viable embryos should be removed
as soon as possible, otherwise they will act as growth sites for
bacteria. 24 hours prior to hatching, the egg may be transferred
to a shallow tray in the hatcher which has been previously washed
in a disinfectant such as Ark-Klens, this means that the newly hatched
chick enters a clean world and that bits of egg shell with membranes etc
don't contaminate the main incubator.
Immediately after hatching, the 'umbilical' region of the chick
should be swabbed with a diluted tamed iodine preparation eg. Tamodine
to reduce the risks of subsequent infection.
The two major worries of parrot breeders at this stage are Psittacine
Beak and Feather Disease (PBFD) caused by a circovirus and Psittacine
Polyomavirus/ Budgerigar Fledgling Disease (BFD) caused by a papovavirus.
These can both be egg transmitted and chicks usually hatch successfully
but may infect others in the same brooder. Both diseases may manifest
at Fledging, PBFD mainly with feather lesions and death, Polyomavirus
particular with major subcutaneous hemorrhages and deaths.
In the bird room, the cages inevitably become contaminated and harbor
infection, nestlings can become infected in nest boxes and so veterinary
help in detecting carrier birds may be very important. Some parent
birds may carry infections in the crop which are not found on fecal
sampling. The risks presented by carrier birds are very great if
practicing cross-fostering etc as some large breeders do, this can
be very risky unless top-notch hygiene is practiced and the stock
is known to be free of carriers. Warm bird rooms where birds are
fed fresh or cooked foods can build up infections very easily, so
disinfection by spray to wash down cages and walls is important.
Cooked mash can turn into a culture of Pseudomonas in well under
24 hours! So uneaten mash should be disposed of if not consumed
within 6 hours. It is important to remember that bacterial growth
can occur in bottled water, particularly that produced in the home
by filtration. Its safety of use, combined with its cleansing properties
make Ark-Klens a suitable disinfectant in intensive bird rooms.
Weekly or monthly use of Tamodine-E as a thorough disinfectant is
worthwhile.
Kitchen hygiene is very important, syringes used for feeding birds
should be soaked in disinfectant as should all other utensils including
bowls and even blenders or food processors. Ark-Klens is ideal for
this and should be rinsed off afterwards.
If you would like to add to or correct any of the above information, or would like to share with web visitors your own experiences, please e-mail the webmaster.
Photo contributions are welcome!
