I've ordered some Bottle Brush!!

[basketbagley]

I spoke with Wayne today and ordered a hanging play gym. One that all 5 could use, taking turns of course!

http://www.waynesparrotstuff.com/

I may order a couple of more. I'd like to have 3 in all. 1 for Mai, 1 for the budgies and of course 1 for Tink and Calypso.

It would be my goal to do what Wayne does and have a cage free house. Not sure if I have room here to have a "play space" then move them to another space for "roosting" at night. Wayne also suggested sleeping cages, just very small as they are only for sleeping.

Does anyone here go cageless? and I mean not in a seperate "bird room" but in your living space?

I'd love to hear opinions. His page is fascinating and I've been reading it for a few days now!
__________________

[Katie and Stanley's Mom]

Congratulations on getting some of Wayne's wonderful stuff! I have a huge playgym from his stuff and both Katie and Stanley just LOVE it!!! It is their favorite thing in the world...I know your fids will love it!!!!

I have a good friend that goes cageless....sounds a little risque huh? She has a huge house and 9 BIG birds...4 Macaws, A Moloccan, Umbrella, 2 Greys and a Toucan. They have free range but hang out in their own areas. You would think her house would be destroyed but it is beautiful and a true show place! A craftman style beauty! Her husband is extremely handy and has built huge manzanita perches in big boxes that she puts cob in the bottom of. They seem to have chosen their "friends" and tend to stay away from those they don't like. To me her success stems from having enough space, and enough large play areas. These birds all share their spaces with a pair of barking doxies that seem to co-exsist beautifully. I LOVE being at her house!!!

Here, however I have dreams of converting one of our larger bedrooms into a free range bird room complete with sink and mini fridge. I have planned it over and over in my head and someday it will happen. I have 5 little dogs that would get way too friendly with my birds always out. They do spend most of the day on playstands or on stands wherever I am gonna be in the house...upstairs or down...but I like the idea of putting them in their cages when I am gonna not be home to watch them. It just "feels" safer to me. When all my kids have grown up and have moved out I may feel different but our house may be just a little too busy to have loose fids 24/7.

[Willow]

Lots of people do cage free! I am on a great yahoo group call cagefree parrots. My guys are cage free, they have their own room for when I'm not home, though.

[The Outlaw]

Cage free can work, but often doesn't. If you have all birds of similar size and temperament, then you can put them in rooms with toys and gyms and expect success. However, at any time, bird fights can break out. I've seen it first hand and I'm telling you, its pretty frightening. They really act like reptiles when they grow up and get hormonal. I would not even consider allowing small birds and large birds mingle. Even a bird as small as an african grey can crush the skull of a conure within seconds. I think that Lyn has a Nanday that experienced just that. We are responsible for them. They don't always make good decisions.

[Cowgirl Chris]

I could never go cageless. It would not work out for me. My B&G would kill all of my birds since he does not like them. I think that comes from his abused background before I got him. But hey cageless may work for others. I think that if someone is home with them 24/7 then it could work.

[basketbagley]

The idea behind it is that they are happy where they are and don't and won't leave their gym. Wayne has all sized birds and some are kept close to eachother.

I am not convinced yet how well this will or would work. I'm a worry wart so I don't know if I'd trust them all out without me being home.

However, I don't want them in a back room where they aren't apart of the family, so I'm trying to find options.

I certainly need everyones opinions and experiences!

[Tiki]

Tracy, I really think a dedicated bird room that is centrally located is the way to go. Your budgies, tiel and princess would be fine in a set up like this, but the ekkie needs her own accommodation, she is big enough to hurt the others.

[kathleen]

Where do they poop?

[basketbagley]

Originally Posted by kathleen

Where do they poop?

If on a hanging gym, you can get a hot water heater pan to put under it.

[cfulhage]

I can see myself in the future dedicating an entire room to Ollie, and letting her roam free in there, but I would never let her be out of her cage in the living room when I'm not there. So many things can happen...a wild bird hitting the outside window or a dog barking outside and scaring the bird off the gym/stand and onto the floor, where they could find electrical cords, poisonous plants, dogs/cats, or just roaming on the floor unknowingly and you come home and step on him or shut him in the door...

To many risks that I'm not willing to take.