Cage Mess

[gypzywingz@yahoo.com]

I am sure this has been a topic before as everyone deals with the mess our birds bring us . I have 2 CAG's that I got last week. I have had birds before but before they were in our living area and we had carpet and I just put a mat under their cage and vaccumed all the time. Now in a new house the cage is in our living room, dining area and we have linoleum on the floor and everything they drop scatters across the floor, feathers blow everywhere when they usually stuck to the carpet. Does anyone have any suggestions that might help me contain the mess a litte bit better. I thought of putting a small throw rug down and just washing it all the time but I don't know.

Thanks for any suggestions.

[Franciscus]

Get a Boston Terrier, they eat everything!

Seriously, feathers continue to be a problem for the duration of a moult, the reat is usually quite self adhesive You could try a rug.

[gypzywingz@yahoo.com]

I have a chihuahua, he eats alot but for some reason he won't eat seed but he does eat the other stuff they throw.

[Skyebirdsmom]

Or cats, they clean up around cages real good!!! :)
Linda & Skye~

[Soda Pop]

Geez.... will some one please come explain this to my dog!!!!! Apparentally he dont know!! He does go get THE GOOD cooked stuff but everything else he just goes to see what it is. I also would like some tips, soda pop is a HUGE PIG!! LOL

[kathleen]

I love the honesty of this forum. I thought I was the only one dealing with messes because I'm a first time bird owner. I'm trying to feed my quaker parrot fresh vegetables but then I got fruit flies. Now, I have ants. I try to clean up around the cage every day but I he flings food all over the place. I swear the bird store sold me a pig. He's still on formula twice a day. I shared a salad with him with lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes. He wouldn't stop eating...but really seemed to be enjoying himself.

[Soda Pop]

I also am a first tiome bird mom, although I have had soda pop for a year now.... I still havent figured it out yet. LOL I swear, sometimes I will go over to where his house is sitting and I think I just cant bare to pick all that crap up agian!!!! I have a nine month old baby who Im terrified will choke on something the bird has tossed that I have not noticed. I have tried even feeding only inside of the cage, of course the door is always open..... that doesnt work either. He gets a big mouth ful and politley goes to the edge of the door, or on top and then SLINGS it!!!! He definatley does it on purpose!!!! Before I got this new cage with the grate if I didnt get the paper cleaned and changed the minute and I mean the very minute I uncovered him.... you guess it, he would do it his self!!! Ill admit, it WAS funny the first couple of times watching him work so hard to get that paper out {that had only been in there a few hours} He wants it changed before bed and upon getting up or Ive had it. I have thought about throwing all of his stuff on the floor and putting him down there to in hopes he will be buisey all day putting it inside his cage???????
Angel

[The Outlaw]

I have a suggestion to minimize the mess. Measure your cage. Get accurate measurements from the bottom of the actual cage (not including the grates and pans) and measure up about 10". If you have a glass shop handy (those that do windshields for cars are good) have them cut 4 piece of plexiglass to the measurements you've taken. Also, have them cut some square pieces to be used as washers slightly wider than the width of your cage bars. For example, if your cage measures 24" by 36", you'll need to have 2 pieces cut at 24" and 2 pieces cut at 36" and all will be 10" high. If your cage bars are spaced at 1", then have the squares cut at 2". You'll need at least 2 washers for each panel.

Go to the hardware store and pick up some stainless wingnuts and bolts. Make sure the bolts are long enough to pass through the washer, cage bars and outside plexiglass panels plus a litte more to start the wingnuts. You'll need a drill with the appropriate bit for the bolt size chosen.

Place the panels on the bottom of the cage, drill your holes through the panels and center of the plexi washers. Make sure to put the bolt head INSIDE the cage and the wingnuts on the outside. You have now created a seed guard. It will catch most of the debris in the cage bottom, but not all.

Since I hate the seed guards that come with cages (take up too much room and really hurt your legs) these work very well.

[Soda Pop]

Oh hech yes!! Im sick of putting those seed guards back togather everyday after soda takes them apart and drops them on the floor. Can you see my bird is a tad on the aurnery side!! LOL

[Monica]

Or, another thought.... You could take an empty aquarium, 10 gallon, or larger (depending on the size of the bird, and how many birds are being fed), place inside newspaper or safe bedding material on the bottom, over that place a stand-alone perch with food cups. Or if you would prefer, put the food in a container or on a plate and put inside. Add your bird, and the mess will be maintained inside this!

Or you could go slightly the more difficult route, though have it more customisable... check out this :
http://www.landofvos.com/diy/diy_projects.html#station