Rabbit cage disinfection methods
The disinfection of rabbit cages in the rabbitry helps to avoid the appearance and spread of bacteria and viruses that cause death of animals on rabbit farms.
How to disinfect rabbit cells
About the need for disinfection
Most viral microorganisms are characterized by stable activity and are able to survive under various conditions, be it high or low temperatures. Often, some infectious microorganisms are not exposed to chemical compounds and cannot be treated with specialized disinfectants. All this serves as a fertile ground for the development and spread of diseases of various etiologies, in the fight against which only disinfecting measures, and of a certain orientation, help.
Microorganisms harmful to the body of an animal can transmit infectious diseases through household equipment, technical tools and cages that contain rabbits. Experienced rabbit breeders, in order to avoid animal diseases, disinfect rabbits at home at least once every six months.
Rabbit cages, rabbitry premises where they are kept and household equipment are subject to compulsory disinfection in cases when:
- young animals are transplanted into common cages for adult animals,
- rabbits are planned to be cared for,
- quarantined after a period of rabbit illness.
At the initial stage, the disinfection procedure includes a number of preparatory and cleaning measures:
- rabbit cages are thoroughly cleaned of accumulated droppings,
- all the dirt accumulated in the room where the rabbits are kept is swept out,
- rabbit bedding is cleaned of debris.
For these preparatory measures before carrying out the basic disinfection procedures, brushes and brooms, small shovels and scrapers, buckets and other containers are suitable.
For disinfection measures, chemicals and tanks for spraying them will be needed.
Chemical treatment
Disinfection of cells in rabbits is often carried out using specialized chemicals, among which the most popular is a 10% solution of bleach. You can make it yourself at home, but you can purchase a ready-made disinfectant sold at veterinary pharmacies.
A solution of bleach is applied with a wide paint brush to the surface of all parts of the cage and the walls of the room. Ash liquor, regular iodine, or manganese sold in specialized pharmacies can be used instead of bleach.
At the end of the disinfecting measures, the room where the animals live is properly thoroughly ventilated, and the rabbit cages are washed several times with running water.
A number of rabbit breeders prefer a 40% formaldehyde solution in aerosol form as a means for disinfecting cells in rabbits.With the help of formaldehyde, excellent disinfecting results are achieved with indoor humidity levels of at least 60%, heating the solution itself to a temperature of at least 15 ° C.
In case of excessively dry air, clean water is sprayed into the room treated with formaldehyde, creating additional humidification.
Formaldehyde solution is sprayed onto the surface of the cages and walls of the rabbit house where the rabbits are kept using a spray bottle. This is done in such a way that 10 ml of formaldehyde falls on a cubic meter.
Cell firing
Firing cages with an open fire is one of the most common methods of disinfecting rabbit cages in experienced breeders, which can be disinfected at home. Exposure to high temperatures has a detrimental effect on the viability of microorganisms. All bacteria, viral infections and parasitic larvae die under the stream of fire.
Most often, the disinfection treatment of rabbit cells using fire firing is carried out when they consist of wooden structures.
It is not recommended to disinfect glass and ceramics using fire firing.
This type of disinfection uses a blowtorch or gas torch. Before proceeding directly to the process of firing with fire, the details of the cage are thoroughly cleaned and wiped. The duration of disinfection is no more than a few minutes and ends when the tree acquires a slightly brown hue.
When processing cells using firing, one should not forget about fire safety measures by removing all flammable objects from the visibility zone.
Post-quarantine treatment
Disinfection of rabbit cages and premises after quarantine, when cases of illness of individuals have been noted, is mandatory. Another reason for such processing is the massive death of rabbits. The funds used for this are selected for each infectious disease.
Salmonella
After recorded cases of salmonellosis, it is necessary to disinfect the rabbit house using one of the following means:
- hot sodium with a concentration of 2.5%;
- formaldehyde solution with a concentration of 2%;
- slaked lime with a concentration of 20%;
- chloramine with a concentration of 3%.
Chemicals are calculated per liter for each cubic meter of solid surface. Disinfection treatment is carried out at intervals of 5 days until the infection is completely destroyed.
Against staphylococci
For treatment against staphylococcal infection, the following agents are used to choose from:
- formaldehyde with a concentration of 4%;
- chloramine with a concentration of 2%;
- dump with a concentration of 8%.
For each cubic meter of cell area, 20 ml of a concentrated product will be needed. For aerosol processing with a formaldehyde solution, a concentration of 25% is taken. The treated surfaces are kept for at least 3 hours and then washed with water.
Against pasteurellosis
In the fight against pasteurellosis, one of the following is usually used:
- slaked lime with a concentration of 20%;
- formaldehyde solution with a concentration of 0.5%;
- chlorine solution with a concentration of 2%;
- hot xylonaft with a concentration of 2%.
Against listeriosis
Against listeria infection, you can choose hot soda ash with a concentration of 16% or formaldehyde solution with a concentration of 20% as a treatment.
These chemical preparations are used at intervals of 10 days until the signs of an infectious disease are completely destroyed. Everyone chooses the right solution for himself, based on personal preferences and capabilities.
In the case of negative samples for the presence of bacteria after an infectious disease, the removal of quarantine restrictions from a rabbit farm finally, rabbit houses and household equipment and tools are processed with the same preparations,as during the initial processing. All rooms and surfaces are washed with hot water, to which concentrated soda ash in 1.5-2% or iodine with a concentration of 5% is added. Rabbits are started after the cages are completely dry.