Nature is a breeding ground for pathogens and bacteria that the human body can’t properly deal with. You may want to bring a bird’s nest into your house for a number of reasons but you always need to make sure that these nests are not going to harm you in some way. To avoid the negative effect of birds’ nests you need to sterilize the nest and this is how to do it.
To sterilize a birds nest you will first need to leave it out in the sun, this will get rid of any odours left on the nest. Once you’ve done this you’ll need to freeze the nest, thus killing any bugs in it. Lastly, to get rid of any bacteria, you need to spray it with a disinfectant like Lysol.
How to sterilize a bird’s nest
If you’ve stumbled on an abandoned bird nest and would like to use it as some form of indoor decor, then you should sterilize it first. A bird’s nest can contain germs, mites, fleas, and other bugs, so it is essential to sanitize it before taking it into your home. The question now is, how do make a bird’s nest squeaky clean without damaging it?
You can sterilize a bird’s nest by:
- Placing the nest in the sun – this will help eliminate any unsavoury odours
- Freezing the nest – this will help kill off any bugs in it
- Spraying the nest with Lysol or other disinfectants will help kill off any bacteria
Once you’ve done all this you can rest assured that the nest is all clean and sanitised and you can use it with no worries.
Do birds abandon their nest if you touch it?
Contrary to what most people believe, birds don’t have a great sense of smell. And so they won’t even know that you’ve touched their nest unless if they catch you red-handed. If a bird sees you getting close to its nest or touching it, there’s a high likelihood that it will abandon the structure.
Birds see humans as predators just the same way they see a cat, snake, or a raptor. So when a bird finds you touching its nest, it abandons the place for fear of its life. For this reason, experts advise that humans refrain from touching a bird’s nest when they see one.
Can you get sick from a bird’s nest?
Birds love to nest close to human structures as it guarantees them protection from wild animals. If you discover a nest on your property or in your home, it’s best not to touch it.
The reason for this is that a bird’s nest, whether occupied or not, can contain lots of bacteria, pathogens, parasites, mites, ticks, and other disease-spreading bugs. Thus touching the nest without gloves could make you fall sick.
Should I remove a bird’s nest?
No, you should not remove a birds nest. Birds can cause a whole lot of trouble for you when they nest in your home or on your property. One problem is that they could make you fall sick. Another is that they could cause severe damage to your property. The droppings of birds harbour harmful bacteria and can also corrode concrete and even metal.
Knowing all that, it would seem like a smart move to remove any bird’s nest you can find on your property. But unfortunately, in some countries like the U.S., such an activity is highly illegal.
If there are birds nesting close to you, the right thing to do would be to contact a wildlife exclusion company and tell them about the issue you are having with the bird nests.
Can you move a bird’s nest with eggs in it?
When you move a bird’s nest containing eggs, the chances of the mother bird abandoning both the nest and eggs are pretty high. Birds may not have an excellent sense of smell, but they sure know when someone or something changes their nest’s location. So it’s always best to leave a bird’s nest with eggs just the same way you found it.
Conclusion
In conclusion, if you want to sanitise a birds nest you will need to leave the nets out to dry, freeze it to get rid of any bugs in it then you’ll need to liberally spray a disinfectant spray on it to get rid of any germs or pathogens on the nest. Don’t worry if you accidentally touch a bird’s nest, the bird won’t abandon it as long as it doesn’t see you touching it. You cannot move it as this is illegal in most of the U.S. Don’t move the nest with eggs in it either.
If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other bird related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: how to relocate a birds nest with eggs, can you hatch eggs with a heating pad, why do birds puff up their feathers, can pigeons see at night,