PVC gym.. need help

[kp_in_scott]

I actually found some vet wrap at the Dollar store. It's a good thing too, because my birds pick it off just about as fast as I put it on. I tried wrapping with twine/jute. You stick the end of the jute inside the connector then wind the jute around until you get to the end and tuck it in the next connector. LOL Took me FOR EVER! Cause I wanted it to look nice. With in 15 min of being on the stand my Angel had chewed through the jute in the middle and it unwound. The vet wrap is MUCH easier. Good luck.

[jessica313]

ahh thanks for the advice.. i will check the dollar stores tomorrow.. there are about 5 of them in a 2 mile radius of me lol one of them is bound to have it!
i was consitering wrapping jute as an alternative but i am going to take your advice and go with the vet wrap if shadow is only going to chew it off as soon as he gets to it!

JULI~ (i just noticed ur name was in your signature)
i am going to admit to you, i LOVED your design so much, i am kinda copying it for shadows gym.. .. i hope you dont mind me doing this... i know u must have really worked hard to come up with the design, and i come along and just copy you.. but i just loved it sooo much i couldnt resist..
i was going to ask you if Yatzi was able to reach the other perches from the BOING (if thats what you call the twirly-comfy-perch-like toy u have in there?) and then an idea popped into my head as i was typing this..
i am going to make rope ladders made out of round wooden dowels and cotton rope(or sisal) and maybe some beads.. to hang across where the boing is..
maybe u wanna throw one of those in yours too? if he cannot get from place to place easily. just a thought. its the least i can do--contribute an idea to you.. after all, i TOTALLY ripped off your design
i was also wondering how much vet wrap you needed to cover all the pieces you did.
lastly, i wanna say that i do apoligize for taking your design and turning it into something of my own, please dont hate me for it

[Mothi]

I have no objections to you or anyone else using my design. I find it rather flattering even if you use it as a way to evolve your own design to suit you.

I used maybe 8 vet wrap packages. I did cover a lot of area and since I didn't want the white to show through by layering it thin and stretching it to make it go further. Yazhi has no problems manuevering to any part that is wrapped. From his boing, he has no problems getting to the side perches, and sometimes he is lazy and just stretches out to get a grip instead of doing the birdy hop. Remember too that birds can flutter to places they want to get even when clipped. He is starting to unwrap some of the vet wrap, but to Yazhi that seems to be fun anyways. You might be able to tuck the wrap in the connectors I suppose? The wrap is obviously not a permanent thing so your milage may vary. To cut down on the amount of wrap you need you could always use sticks and such. Another problem too is with time it might unwind on it's own.

I was planning on making a ladder that goes to the ground because he sometimes flutters off... The only way for him to get back is to sit on my foot while I am at my computer and wait for me to request he ups on my finger so he can get back to his fun. Sometimes if I take too long, he will climb up my pant leg (if he can get a good grip) and climb up to my shoulder to wait...lol

The underside of his night cage is still incomplete, but I plan to put some more fun things so he can get to those perches there. I kinda have a rope ladder (braided jute... that count? haha) near the bottom of his tower. He doesn't use it though...lol He used to use it when I had it else where and there was no boing.

[jessica313]

ohhh good. i am SO glad u have no objection to me using your design!

once i find somewhere to buy vet wrap (ill get it online if i have to but id rather find somewhere today or tomorrow) i plan to get a lot of it..

i have no problems with replacing it frequently, since what everyone says, i am expecting this.

another thing i really loved about your design was how it connected to thenight cage.. i am going to do something similar...
im going to make a little flat area like you made to put the night cage.. only i am going to lay a piece of plexyglass over it for a little "run around and eat treats area"
i am then going to attach a ladder from where his door opens from his cage to sit on the plexiglass..
that way he can go in and out of his cage as freely as he wants...

i am very excited to continue working on this! i was making good time last night putting it together(gettin real excited about it) but then naturally i ran out of pvc pipe and needed more connectors...
going to go back to home depot this afternoon and search the dollar stores and maybe building#19 for some vetwrap...

would friction tape be ok if i cant find vetwrap?? its basically the same thing but its not made for animals.. so i wasnt sure..

if i can get it all together tonight ill post some work in progress pics!

thanks so much everyone for all the help!
i have a feeling im going to be VERY satisfied with the end results

[Mothi]

It is as much fun to put together and build as it will be for Shadow to play on.

I am not sure what friction tape is so no clue there. I used vet wrap because I have read others using it so it is safe.

And definately get some pictures up. I would love to see how it is coming along.

[jessica313]

so as most of you probably read in my other post.. i bought some friction tape. its very similar to vetwrap but not made for animals so i am hesitant to use it...i wont use it unless i know its safe, so anyone has advice on this, please see my other post here..

http://birdboard.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31025

anyways.. i have began to wrap some of the perches in sisal and jute, because i am anxious to cover up that ugly borring pvc pipe with something a little more pretty... its not quite as bad as i thought it was going to be, and i am prepared for shadow to chew through it.. although for some reason i dont think he will.
in the other post someone mentioned sports grip? is this safe to use? if so im going to pick some up tonight..

its still a work in progress

here are the pics.. from a few different angles..






sorry for the bad quality.. i took them with my phone

[cfulhage]

Very nice! What is the side with the plexiglass for?

[jessica313]

aww thanks! i am having SO MUCH fun making it too!

here is my plan for the side with the plexiglass.. although i may end up shortening it a bit.. (not sure yet)
i am going to keep the gym next to his cage.. i am going to put a ladder going down from where his cage door opens onto the plexiglass. here he can have an area to run around on it if he wants, play with foot toys, and eat messy treats that usually fall on the floor. this way, he can also go back and forth from his cage to his gym freely as he want to.

[Mothi]

Definately is looking good. I do love your ladders.

[jessica313]

thanks.. i think shadow is going to love them too .. hehe. tomorrow hes going to get to see it for the first time. i hope he likes it!! ill let everyone know how it goes.. and of course post some more pics