The following is excerpted from an article written by Nikki Moustaki and appearing in the June 2008 issue of “Pet Product News International”.

TITLE: Feel Free to litter
Manufacturers have answered the call for bird liners and litters.

Paper Liners

There are two camps in the clean cage debate: the liner peo ple and the litter people. There are pros and cons to each.

"Paper is sanitary, poses no health risks and allows for easier monitoring of the droppings" says Greg Burkett, a board-certified avian veterinarian and owner of Diamond Avian Distributors and The Birdie Boutique in Durham, N.C.

"A big concern is that pet owners who use litter are less inclined to clean their cages as often as they need to. The litter looks like not much poop is in the cage, but bacteria and mold are growing there, so when birds flap their wings, it stirs this pathogenic-laden dust, which is then breathed and spread in the environment.

" Dr. Burkett also says that paper allows easy assessment of bird droppings, which is a vital part of monitoring a bird's health.

"If you can’t see what the droppings look like, then it’s impossible to make a statement of the bird's condition," he says.

Donna Clark of Clark's Contemporary Cages in Cape Coral, Fla., agrees that paper liners are helpful and sanitary.

"Cage liners reduce strewn pellets, chips or shavings," Clark says. "The greatest benefit to white liners is the ability to monitor droppings for changes. Any changes in composition, color, quantity and ratio of solid to liquid are easily discernible, which alerts caretakers to possible health problems.”