Cleaning Hummingbird Feeder
Hummingbird feeders cleaning can be a lot easier if you
know what to do
By Michael Baughman
It is important for the health of your Hummingbirds
that you know the proper way of cleaning a hummingbird feeder and know when
to change the nectar .
Mold and bacteria growth in the nectar, as well as fermentation caused by
yeasts can be harmful to your Hummingbirds. To prevent this harmful
contamination it will be necessary to change the nectar often and to
properly perform the task of cleaning hummingbird feeders each time you
change the nectar. If the nectar is kept fresh, simply washing the feeder
out with hot water should be enough.
If the outside temperature stays below 70 degrees, changing your nectar
once a week will be enough. Once the temp. climbs above 70 degrees you can
use the chart below as a guide to how often you will need to change your
nectar to keep it fresh and mold free.
High temperatures............Change nectar after
71-75.................................6 days
76-80.................................5 days
81-84.................................4 days
85-88.................................3 days
89-92.................................2 days
93+....................................change daily
Cleaning
hummingbird feeders
If the nectar becomes milky or has black spots
growing in it, this is a sure sign that the nectar is contaminated and will have
to be changed more often. Also, once the nectar has become contaminated in this
fashion, you will have to use a mild bleach solution to sterilize the feeder.
You can add 1 /4 cup of bleach to 1 gallon of water
and soak your feeder for an hour or so. Use a bottle brush for cleaning a
hummingbird feeder and rinse thoroughly with running water to remove all traces
of the bleach so as to not harm the Hummingbirds.
Cleaning a Humming bird feeder once a month with
this bleach solution will help maintain the cleanliness of your feeder, for a
clean hummingbird feeder will attract hummingbirds and keep them coming back for
more.
How often to change the Humming bird nectar will
be determined by the outside temperature. The hotter the temperature the more
often it will have to be changed. As a general guide, if the temperatures are
cooler you can get by changing the Humming bird nectar once a week. If the temperatures are
in the 70s change every 5 or 6 days, if in the 80s change every 3 or 4 days, if
in the 90's change every 1 or 2 days.
Cleaning hummingbird feeder is a lot easier if you
start with the right feeder.
A hummingbird feeder that is easy to take apart and
gives easy access to the inside of the feeder will make hummingbird feeders
cleaning so much easier!
My favorite hummingbird feeder that is easy to take
apart and clean, is the
Humzinger Ultra
Aspects 12oz Humzinger Ultra With Nectar Guard
It's only
$28.18 and
has several features that makes it well worth the price.
The
HumZinger has
patented Nectar guard tips which are flexible membranes attached to the feed
ports that prohibit entry from flying insects, but allow Hummingbirds to feed as
usual. The Humzinger also has a built in ant moat that will stop crawling
insects from getting to the nectar. It also has raised flower ports that divert
rain.
This mid-size nectar feeder has a 12 oz. capacity and
can be hung or post mounted with hardware provided. It has four feeding ports
for hummingbirds and is made of unbreakable polycarbonate. Easy to clean.
For ease of cleaning a hummingbird feeder and for protection from bees,
wasps and ants, this feeder can't be beat.
remember: a clean hummingbird feeder is
a must!
I hope you enjoyed this article on cleaning hummingbird feeder
and I hope you have learned the best way of how to clean a hummingbird feeder.
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