Pappy
Just Hatched
Joined: February 2005
Posts: 4
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Post by Pappy on Mar 2, 2005 20:11:46 GMT -7
I have noticed there are several of us new members here that have purchased our babies and are now pacing the floor waitng for news. LoL..
I have a question about cages. I want to build "Baby" nice large cage with lots of fun stuff to play with. I have found info on "safe wood". But nothing on wire. I thought 1/2 inch hardware cloth would be great for climbing. But, I am now worried about the term "galvanized"... Would that be dangerous to Greys???
What do you other "expecting birdie parents" have in mind for your babies???
Come on, Lets talk, Pappy.....
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Post by Jane on Mar 3, 2005 1:26:52 GMT -7
Galvanised wire can contain zinc which is toxic to parrots if they ingest it and zinc levels build up in the blood. New and cheap wire is more suspect and I have read that new wire should be washed in vinegar.
Jane
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Robin's Nest
Just Hatched
Sterling
Joined: February 2005
Posts: 8
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Post by Robin's Nest on Mar 3, 2005 7:18:33 GMT -7
My Husband has been researching making his own outdoor aviary. The wire suggested is called Shepherd's Wire and it's made by C.E. Shepherd Co.[http://www.ceshepherd.com/index.html] Here's the article where I read about it. Plus one of the local breeder/bird store owners uses it for all his cages. www.robirda.com/flock108.html#prodrevWe, personally are going to save the "building of a cage" for our outdoor, on the back deck, aviary for during the summer months. We've never built an indoor cage. Oh yeah, another bird loving friend of mine suggested using bird netting instead of wire. She says it's durable for indoor or outdoor, easy to clean and hangs easily. As far as toys, rope perches are easy to tie onto a cage, dowel rods of different sizes are easily made into perchese. We prefere to use screws and washers to attach perches. Kids ABC blocks make good toys, with a hole drilled through them and strung from the ceiling of the cage. You might want to look around on the internet or at your local bird store because there's a lot of people selling assemble-your-own-toy pieces out there now. My daughter likes to make bead toys for our African Grey---I'm thinking I've got some old costume jewelry I should let her use. Just a few thoughts. Hope this helps, Robin
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Post by Jane on Mar 3, 2005 7:43:22 GMT -7
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Preston
Super Talker
NEED HELP? WE WILL ANSWER AS FAST AS WE CAN (Note: Preston passed away in 2012. We hold his memories dearly, he was a great person and super moderator.)
Sisika and Pete
Joined: January 2005
Posts: 5,912
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Post by Preston on Mar 3, 2005 16:57:18 GMT -7
Hi Pappy, Before you get too carried away with the thought of a large cage is better. Consider these few things: 1.) Base area is better than ft³ because birds tend to stratify at the highest level possible; therefore anything below that point will be soiled with droppings. Pete seems real content in his 20” X 20” X 24” high, powder coated cage. He only spends the night sleeping, and the work hours inside; the rest of the time he is free to roam. 2.) A large cage (aviary) is a fun idea because the bird can fly from place to place, but cost prohibitive due to proper material needed for safety. Stainless Steel is the best, then you have the Powder Coated is a tad cheaper but still up there in price. The next is Baked Enamel but will need to be repaired at a body shop or the like with a paint booth; this is a back end expense that could cause you to buy a good cage later. Galvanized, Brass, or Plated cages contain heavy metals that are poison to us, let alone your parrot. Aluminum is another no-no. All that being said, may I suggest that you buy a good power coated cage with doors on top and in front, your bird will love it. Click on the link below to see the rest of our birds; few are in their cages while supervised.
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Dreamer
Just Hatched
Joined: March 2005
Posts: 8
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Post by Dreamer on Mar 3, 2005 19:58:40 GMT -7
Hi Pappy,
Have you considered building an outdoor avairy, now that the weather is getting better? You can buy something made by Texas Metals called stainless steel mesh (looks kinda like cyclone fenceing) and using a bird safe frame make a great avairy for a lot less than you can order one (the mess runs about $300 for 50'x8' and can be ordered from Lowes. Just a thought. I know my birds are much happier when they can be outside in the sunshine and watching all of the outdoor activities.
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Pappy
Just Hatched
Joined: February 2005
Posts: 4
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Post by Pappy on Mar 10, 2005 20:38:01 GMT -7
Thanks for all the good advice. I will stick with stainless steel products. Thanks Preston, big is not always better. I will go with a standard parrot cage. I have found some very nice cages on ebay.
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