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Environment
Cage and Toys
It recently occurred to me that since galvanized wire was really the only
practical cage material available that I need to build the cages in a way
that the birds spent less time on the wire - thus reducing the exposure to
the zinc. I have been building 6x6x21 foot cages for our breeders - chain link for larger birds and welded wire for U2's and Conures. Our main community cage is 8x16x24 with multiple food stations and an attached indoor 8x8 shed for winter cover. This cage usually holds 10 different species of birds (macaws, cockatoos, amazons and Conures) with about twenty birds total, some flighted some clipped.
I have added a new feature that others can easily follow and try out also.
I have added 1/2 PVC pipe "Birdwalks" around the sides of the cages at
medium height. This way the birds can walk around the cage - from end to end - without needing to climb on the wire as much. I use "T's" every five feet along the pipe and this runs over to the wire where a "90" and a short piece of pipe let me anchor to the wire. The pipe is about 7 inches from the wire.
The materials are inexpensive and easy to work with and so far the birds
are using them much more than I first expected. These "birdwalks" have also doubled the available perch space in the cages as well so there is less bickering over the perches as present.
Parrots: more than pets, friends for life.
Chris Biro