Pet Store today

[Dodo]

So Ryan and I took a trip to a local pet store I'd never been too before this afternoon. On their site they advertise having an extensive selection of bird supplies as well as being known for their resident pair of Macaws and Umbrella Cockatoo. The selection was pretty good, and in a fit of optimistic spending I got a bagful of new birdie toys for both Frodo and the potential new-comer. I was absolutely awed by the Macaws- I can't remember the last time I've seen one face-to-face. Magnificent birds, and they seemed to be happy and well-kept- their cage looked like it might have fit our sofa and coffee table inside. There were a few other birds in the shop, including an enormous Umbrella 'Too (with a voice to match its size), a couple of conures, cockatiels, budgies, and a Quaker which melted my heart (he seemed so friendly and we clucked and whistled at each other for several minutes- next time we decide to add to the flock, perhaps?).
I've never purchased toys and perches from a shop with so many birds in cages (not behind glass); a lot of the toys are wooden/rope/paper combinations- does anyone have any advice on how to properly sterilize them before giving them to Frodo?

[michael]

.......I've never purchased toys and perches from a shop with so many birds in cages (not behind glass); a lot of the toys are wooden/rope/paper combinations- does anyone have any advice on how to properly sterilize them before giving them to Frodo?

Hi Dodo. ... Most pet shops who specialize in parrots are fairly adamant about their birds health and the safety of the products they sell. ..By the way you describe this particular shop, it sounds like they have very high standards. .. This in mind, I would not hesitate to ask what methods they employ to screen their birds from various diseases such as, PBFD (Psittacine beak and feather disease), Chlamydia (Psittacosis.."Parrot fever"), Polyoma virus, PDD (Proventricular dilation disease), Parasites (Giardia, coccidia, etc), or any other general health related issues. ... One good question: ..Should you decide to purchase a parrot from them, are they able to recommend a certified avain vet?

When I disinfect new toys, it basically depends on what type of materials their made of. .. Most hard non-absorbant products (including wood perches) can be disinfected by either soaking with a 10% bleach solution, or prefered GSE solution for several minutes, thoroughly rinsing with water, then allowing them to completely dry. ... DO NOT use bleach around your birds. .. For absorbant type items, I often use GSE (grapefruit seed extract), or white vinegar, then rinse out and dry. ... If ya got one, an automatic dishwasher is nice too. .. Just DON'T use any soap. ... Also, a hand held steam cleaner might be another useful investment.

For soiled toys already in use, I pre-wash with either regular dishwashing liquid, or toss them in the laundry using unscented soap with (NO softeners!), then sometimes disinfect using the above methods. .. Some items I may simply hand wash using "Poop-off", soapy water, or just plain water. ... I use alot of GSE in a spray bottle....About 40-50 drops per quart of water. .......Hopefully some others can share. ..........:)

[linda040899]

I think Michael hit just about every way possible to clean birdie toys prior to use. The only thing I use that's not been listed is Oxyfresh (not Oxyclean). It cleans/disinfects within roughly 2 minutes and does not require the thorough rinsing that 10% bleach would need. Oxyfresh is an oxygen based disinfectant and it's worked well for me for many years. I use Oxyfresh Cleaning Gele and I usually order it online from http://www.oxyfresh.com It's very concentrated so you don't need much to do the job. :) I'm currently using a 32 oz bottle and I bought it at least a year ago.....

[Z28Taxman]

That reminds me of the bird store that I used to go to for Ditto's stuff. they had a Blue and Gold Macaw who spent his days not in a cage. They had a huge play area setup with tree branches and more toys and food bowls than you could shake a wing at. The whole thing was surrounded by a 3 foot high wall to keep people back safely. He was the friendliest Macaw I've ever met. He'd always shout "Hi" as soon as I walked in the store and would even wave a wing when he did it. He wasn't for sale but the conure or amazon friends he usually had hanging out with him were :whistle: .

They had another smaller area like it next to the cash registers that usually had a small flock of cockatiels and occasionally an indian ringneck playing. I actually had one of the cockatiels hop on my shoulder and try to go home with me once. :rofl:

[Dodo]

Thanks for the advice! I have some white vinegar, but perhaps will go looking for this GSE. I'm always hesitant to use anything unnatural in the apartment because it's difficult to make sure that Frodo would not potentially be exposed to fumes (so I think bleach and other cleaners may be out). I'm a little concerned about the paper parts of the toys disintegrating though, if I soak them in anything...is there a maximum period of time that viruses could live on the surface? Could I perhaps put them in the freezer for a few days to eliminate parasites? The manzanita perches I got should be just fine, along with the rope toys, but there were these paper-ball covered globes which looked way too fun to pass up...

[Dodo]

Yeah, it was amazing seeing these Macaws- and they seemed quite friendly too! There was a blue & gold one and a scarlet one. They came right over to the side of the cage to investigate when we said 'hello'. The Cockatoo kept calling out 'Hello, Baby!' They were all in their cages though...no cockatiels attempting to hitch a ride home :rofl:

[thebubbleking]

The small petstore i go to has an african grey and when it hears the bell says real loud "thank you come again!" lol

[michael]

........ I'm a little concerned about the paper parts of the toys disintegrating though, if I soak them in anything...is there a maximum period of time that viruses could live on the surface? Could I perhaps put them in the freezer for a few days to eliminate parasites?.......

Unfortunately, I have no idea on how to keep certain paper parts from disintegrating once their soaked in water. .. And although some viruses/bacteria/and parasites are somewhat fragile, freezing on the other hand, is probably NOT the best alternative to help rid of them. ... Really, the best safeguard, is to prevent coming in contact with pathogens right from the start.

Given the high number of PBFD cases found in recent years, along with global concerns over the spread of avian flu (H5N1), screening for diseased birds (carriers) is the main key to preventing the introduction of disease. ... Moreso towards PBFD than H5N1 (at least when it comes to companion birds), its for this very reason that I have NO QUALMS about asking breeders/aviculturists/store owners about their methods of screening for "various illnesses". ..And they best have a quick informative honest answer too! .. All it takes is one "carrier" parrot with PBFD, and it could easily infect several others without any noticable symptoms in no time regardless of how well you disinfect their entire environment. ... Would you/me/or anyone else care to shop at a petstore who might unknowingly keep a parrot with PBFD? ....H*LL NO!

[Enko_chan]

I order my shred and paper toys from places that do not house animals of any kind on their premises, to combat the issue of cleansing! Since they are generally cheap and light, there isn't much issue with regards to shipping. I usually tack them onto my seed orders with no additional shipping cost at all!

[Dodo]

Perhaps I should call the pet store then, and clarify their screening process before giving the paper toys... everything else is fine to soak in vinegar or other disinfectant! Ordering toys sounds like a good plan...perhaps I'll look into it. It's just a matter of finding stuff that ships to Canada, as I've noticed some of the sites I've browsed only ship within the States, unfortunately.

[Enko_chan]

I know some of the sites I've ordered toys from are in Canada... its been a while since I've done a "just toys" order, but I can poke through the long list of parrot things stores I have in my bookmarks and see which ones are in Canada. Before I order toys I check to see if they keep birds on the premises... and I know there's one Canadian one in particular that was great, which ships straight from the warehouse.

Here is one of them we ordered from a long, long time ago. I believe somewhere on the website it says they ship from the warehouse or don't house birds on the premises OR I e-mailed and asked... but just in case this is not the same place I had in mind it won't hurt to double-check: http://www.birdyboredombusters.com/


Petcos in MA now test all their birds for the major avian diseases, but that doesn't account for what an unlucky or irresponsible customer might bring in after they test, or may have on their hands or clothes when they're handling the birds or the items so we always wash up what comes from there... and ourselves when we come home from buying pellets or dropping off toys for the for-sale guys.

[Bella's mom]

This is where I get most of Bella's toys from. The have stores in Missassauga and Calgary and the will also ship. There store is 100% bird free. You can check them out at www.parrotdiseperch.com. Hope this helps.

[bird-brain]

I usually make paper toys. It's quick and easy to do. and the birds go through thme so fast it's way cheaper. I have successfully steamed some paper toys without wrecking them. It just depends on the paper. Sounds like a great store though! Maybe they are like my store and after you spend zillions on toys they'll give you two free birds! LOL