Finch huts

[Jadesmom]

Is there an easy way to clean those little huts the finches sleep in? When John and Mary Meeper the zebra finches were sleeping seperately, they were not pooping in the huts. Now that they are snuggling up together at night, I am getting some pooping going on in there. I ended up wetting it down with poop-off and scrubbibg it inside and out with a toothbrush. (What my daugter doesn't know won't hurt her...taste good Hayley?  ;D  LOL) It was a job in itself to get that clean today. I have 2 and will change them out every couple days, but is there an easier way to get these clean?  They are so small, it was not easy! Any finch parronts out there have a better way?

[BuffaloParrot]

Wish I could help but have never even had a finch.  Still struggling with the cleaning of me savage Parrots and their messy ways :-\

[Jadesmom]

I kid you not, I power cleaned both Jade and Buddys cages yesterday in the same time it took me to clean the finches and that stupid hut this morning...but, everybody needs a safe and clean place to put their little feathered heads down.  :)

[sophiemae]

Do they have a nesting material that you can put in there to keep the poo off from the hut itself? Something that you could remove a few pieces of where the poo is stuck to it daily like hay and they could replace themselves as it's removed.

[Jadesmom]

I put cut up coffee filters in there, but they pooped a ring around the hut above it. Don't ask me how...
I have some cotton stuff, but the Mr's nails are long and I am afraid he will get tangled in it. I discussed it with chance when I picked up the Mrs. and we agreed , it is more of a danger stressing him at his age to cut them than a problem. He is able to perch and walk with no problems so I have decided to just let him be until its a comfort or safety thing for him. I put a small piece of sand paper perch cover in there, anbd they actually are a tad shorter than when I brought him home. I don't have any in there now as I don't want his widdle feetsies irritated. Poor old fart - when you see him next to her, his age really shows.

[sophiemae]

Maybe is you get the top of the hut a bit wet and let it soak for a few min when cleaning it? That might help to make it easier and a little water shouldn't damage the hut unless you were to soak it overnight or something like that.

Wouldn't be something if the old man still had it in him and you wake up to find wee little eggs in the hut someday! That would surely put a spring in his step  ;D Purely hypothetical of course  ;)

[Jadesmom]

I posted on SCBR that their behaviors have changed since they are sleeping together now. Chance says she thinks they are doing the nasty! She told me shake the eggs and they won't hatch. I worry what if it doesn't work, like an incomplete abortion,  I will end up with all these special needs finches!!! Good thing I've done pediatric homecare :D  ;D

[sophiemae]

Has she laid any egg yet? Poor special needs finches, that would be very sad indeed  :( I don't know if I could shake the eggs if that situation occured here, it would just play on my mind knowing I was the one who prevented life.

[Jadesmom]

I know.  :-\ I'm not worrying until I have to. I just orderd the finches a bigger cage last night (  A nice little flight cage.  30" x 18" x 18. The one their in is 18" x 14" x 14" , so this will be very nice for them either way. Today I kick some butt on my bird room.  AddEmoticons04239

[macawlover2]

What kind of hut are you using?
Back when I bred finches, I was once told to start shaking the eggs because they were breeding too much. I never had the heart to do so, because I always felt bad for the little things. So, I jsut stuck with having lots of babies. :P