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Cage Cleaning and Maintenance
Regular and thorough cleaning is an absolute must with
any style of cage. Beyond the regular bedding-changes, you will need to
completely clean and disinfect the cage, water bottles and feeders regularly.
We use a disinfectant called Nolvasan (chlorhexidine
diacetate) a potent cleanser/disinfectant that is effective against over 60
bacteria, fungi, yeasts and viruses. Nolvasan can be purchased
by the quart or gallon from most farm supply stores. It comes concentrated
and a gallon lasts us about 6 months (we use it for our rabbit cages and
equipment too). It is not corrosive or strong-smelling like bleach, and it cleans and
disinfects all in one action. We use this to wipe down cages, soak feed
bowls and water bottles, and to clean 'igloo houses'.
 Many people just use diluted household bleach to disinfect with
- and that is fine, but you must thoroughly rinse it from all surfaces
(especially from wire - it will deteriorate wire and solder joints). Bleach
is only a disinfectant and will not disinfect anything covered in dirt- you must
first wash off all dirt from anything you plan to bleach or your efforts will be
wasted!
Bleach is a time-tested disinfectant, and is sometimes the only product that will kill
certain organisms. If you are disinfecting due to illness in your caviary,
bleach is the preferred chemical to use.
The fumes from bleach are obnoxious
- make sure the cage and equipment is thoroughly rinsed, dried and doesn't smell
like bleach, before putting the cavy back in!
DO NOT USE PINE SOL or any cleaning/disinfecting
agent made with pine oil/phenol! Using these products, even if you rinse
and dry thoroughly, can kill your guinea pig!
Also do not use "Clorox" wipes or other handy cleaning wipes - these products
must be rinsed off all surfaces your cavy will come in contact with!
Water bottles should be disassembled,
scrubbed clean and soaked in disinfectant every week, or you will quickly have a
slimy film growing inside the bottle! In addition to cleaning the
actual water bottle, pay attention to the inside of the sipper tube itself - this is a common
hiding ground for bacteria and slime - pet supply stores sell small bottle
brushes designed to fit inside sipper tubes. Once you are finished
cleaning the water bottle, test it out to make sure it is working and that your
cavy can actually get water from it.
Whatever you use to clean and disinfect your cavy
equipment with, be thorough and make sure you rinse well and dry completely
before exposing your cavy to it! Regular cleaning and disinfection will go
a long way towards keeping your cavies healthy and disease-free!
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Cavy Care & Info page
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