Bedding products for the bird cage to prevent moths from hatching in the bedding.

[Herr Vogel]

I'm looking for a "bottom of the cage" bedding for my Moluccan cockatoos. I'm having a problem with small black moths that apparently hatch from the sunflower mix that I am feeding my Moluccan's. The moths were all over the room but my exterminator resolved the problem by spraying a "bird safe" product that killed the moths. I then removed all of the spent seed mix. A lot of the spent seed had moth webbing clinging to the seed. I found the webbing in the Corn Cob Bedding that I typically use as well. Can anyone tell me what bedding I can safely use to keep the moths from hatching in the bedding?

Thank you.

 

[Wardy]

Do you need bedding ? I just use brown craft paper for my conures.

 

[Xoetix]

Bedding isn’t generally a good idea specifically because of things like moths, but also bacteria build up. And it smells pretty quickly, I find - even with daily changes. Plus it’s more expensive to use because of those daily changes and the amount needed.

I use paper - usually the packs of pre-cut packing paper, honestly. They fit the bottom of the cage perfectly and they’re inexpensive to replace

 

[Kiwi's Dad]

Bedding isn’t generally a good idea specifically because of things like moths, but also bacteria build up. And it smells pretty quickly, I find - even with daily changes. Plus it’s more expensive to use because of those daily changes and the amount needed.

I use paper - usually the packs of pre-cut packing paper, honestly. They fit the bottom of the cage perfectly and they’re inexpensive to replace

You also can’t see a change in poop if your bird is sick. You can even use newspaper!

 

[Winn]

Moth eggs are often already on the seeds when they come from the field (they hatch and grow while the seed is stored) so there is a chance you could get them again with a new bag of food. I've read that the moth eggs and larvae can be killed by freezing the seed for at least 48 hours or by baking it at 250°F for around 45 minutes. (Just make sure it's at room temperature before feeding it to your birds.)

I had a moth issue with wild bird seed a few years ago. I bake the wild bird seed now as soon as I bring it home. I also freeze or bake aspen shavings bedding I use with other pets to ensure it doesn't give them mites.

I use paper to line my birds' cages. I find it much easier to clean.

 

[flyzipper]

sunflower mix that I am feeding my Moluccan's

I'd suggest better husbandry to clean the dropped feed on a daily basis (important for not only your moth problem but also mold, bacteria, etc).

Plain paper on the base of the cage facilities this.

Also, sunflower seeds for cockatoos -- what else do they get in their diet?

 

[Shezbug]

You are best off using plain paper for the floor which really should be changed daily for the sake of all involved- birds do not need bedding and using bedding like materials can easily lead to many health issues as well as bug infestations.

Sunflower seed mix- I really hope this is only a part of your birds diet. You can freeze seeds for a few days to kill bugs, larvae and eggs that may be in it when you buy it.

Can you possibly share the name of the product your exterminator used? To my knowledge there are no bird safe insecticides that would be used by any bug/pest killing business so I am quite interested what they may have used that is apparently bird safe. The only product I am aware of that is safe for pest killing around birds is AIL and I can not see a pest control business using it as it is not strong enough or deadly enough for many pests.

 

[Sparkles99]

It kind of sounds like pantry moths. I know someone (without birds) who also had this problem come from other pet food. Freeze your food for a few days before feeding.