I have had large parrots and conures and long ago quit using grates they are hard to clean the birds do not like walking on them and they are unnecessary... just keep the bottom of the cages clean. The fact is that allot of good expensive food hits the bottom and without the grate it also allows the parrot to go down and eat the good food... No Grates
Foraging on the ground is a useful behavior so I recommend providing opportunities, but I don’t like that opportunity to be the bottom of the cage because of the bird then going through all their fecals. It’s not seen as a best practice because of the risk of disease transmission. Of course, find a set up that works for you and your individual animals.
There are a lot of great things to having a bird, but I’ve never had anyone tell me they love the cleaning. Anything that helps or saves even a little time is useful in my book :)
I am one of those people who puts the paper over the grate. I change the paper every 2 days. My main problem is keeping the feathers and food from flying out of the cage. Thanks for your video and I will try your suggestions. I have seen on other videos that vinegar and water is a natural antibacterial for cleaning.
actual paper newspapers are a thing of the past with online digital. many newspapers, ours included, are being discontinued. clean the grate "regularly". how often is regular? I try once per week with a thorough clean every other week.
“Regularly” is going to depend on the number and species of birds in the cage. More birds/bigger birds create more mess and will need more frequent cleaning.
For paper we have a roll of butcher paper and a ribbon tied to the roll with a knot at the end to measure with. We pull out exactly the length we need until we reach the knot and tear it off the roll like that. The cage is big enough that it takes three pieces. To avoid fruitflies using the poop and dropped food to breed in, it has to be changed twice a week. Egg to adult is about a week if the temps are ideal. Right now the butcher paper we have is camo-print because it was on sale. I came here to try to see if there were any tips on how to get at the dust at the top and bottom of the bars where the bars meet the bars that have a square-shaped cross-section. On a cage exactly like that one but bigger, so it would have the same issue I'm describing. By the way this cage is the easiest-to-clean-cage I ever had to clean. There are no parts whatsoever that are hard to reach.
If you are trying to minimize the wasted food, I would start by getting a baseline weight for your birds and then slowly decrease the amount offered per feeding until waste diminishes. Getting regular weights during this time will help to ensure that the birds aren’t losing body mass. Also pay attention to attitude, a swing in attitude could indicate too little food. Also, just remember that even the cleanest birds still make messes. Unfortunately, there are so many factors to consider (what type of food, activity level of bird, age of bird, etc) that it is pretty much impossible to just suggest one amount. Following the steps above will help you get the right amount for your birds :) Hope that helps!
So many people need a video like this. Thanks Jack!
Cleaning a cage is coming soon, but a lot of people don’t realize that there are things you can do in between cleanings to keep the cage cleaner :)
Thank you so much,
I have had large parrots and conures and long ago quit using grates they are hard to clean the birds do not like walking on them and they are unnecessary... just keep the bottom of the cages clean. The fact is that allot of good expensive food hits the bottom and without the grate it also allows the parrot to go down and eat the good food... No Grates
Foraging on the ground is a useful behavior so I recommend providing opportunities, but I don’t like that opportunity to be the bottom of the cage because of the bird then going through all their fecals. It’s not seen as a best practice because of the risk of disease transmission.
Of course, find a set up that works for you and your individual animals.
thank you for your common sense solutions
There are a lot of great things to having a bird, but I’ve never had anyone tell me they love the cleaning. Anything that helps or saves even a little time is useful in my book :)
I am one of those people who puts the paper over the grate. I change the paper every 2 days. My main problem is keeping the feathers and food from flying out of the cage. Thanks for your video and I will try your suggestions. I have seen on other videos that vinegar and water is a natural antibacterial for cleaning.
Thank you, very helpful 👍😉
Glad the video was useful!
actual paper newspapers are a thing of the past with online digital. many newspapers, ours included, are being discontinued. clean the grate "regularly". how often is regular? I try once per week with a thorough clean every other week.
“Regularly” is going to depend on the number and species of birds in the cage. More birds/bigger birds create more mess and will need more frequent cleaning.
THANKU I HAVE A FLIGHT CAGE 10 PARAKEETS With houses toys like bird. Paradise i will b using the perch branches. Instead of the long dowels
Glad this video helped!
For paper we have a roll of butcher paper and a ribbon tied to the roll with a knot at the end to measure with. We pull out exactly the length we need until we reach the knot and tear it off the roll like that. The cage is big enough that it takes three pieces. To avoid fruitflies using the poop and dropped food to breed in, it has to be changed twice a week. Egg to adult is about a week if the temps are ideal. Right now the butcher paper we have is camo-print because it was on sale. I came here to try to see if there were any tips on how to get at the dust at the top and bottom of the bars where the bars meet the bars that have a square-shaped cross-section. On a cage exactly like that one but bigger, so it would have the same issue I'm describing. By the way this cage is the easiest-to-clean-cage I ever had to clean. There are no parts whatsoever that are hard to reach.
We're you buy it
How much food should I give two cockatiels feeding twice a day plus veges when I get off work in the evening?
If you are trying to minimize the wasted food, I would start by getting a baseline weight for your birds and then slowly decrease the amount offered per feeding until waste diminishes. Getting regular weights during this time will help to ensure that the birds aren’t losing body mass. Also pay attention to attitude, a swing in attitude could indicate too little food. Also, just remember that even the cleanest birds still make messes.
Unfortunately, there are so many factors to consider (what type of food, activity level of bird, age of bird, etc) that it is pretty much impossible to just suggest one amount. Following the steps above will help you get the right amount for your birds :)
Hope that helps!
Is fairy safe soap for birds? Especially for budgies?
I'd imagine something like Ecover would be a better option, but the soap should be rinsed off anyway.
What kind of cage is that?
That is A & E's 32x23 dome top.