repainting cages?

[jriley]

Does anyone know if you need to repaint cages that have rust damage? I bought some used cages that had been kept outdoors and plan to use them outdoors myself, but they have some minor rust. I don't care what they look like, but was worried it might be harmful to the birds. If it is harmful, can I repaint them? What do I use to repaint with that would be safe? Any input would be appreciated. Other than the rust, I'm thrilled with them. They're huge! And they appear to be good quality, I haven't looked for name tags on them yet, but the locks are good quality rather than the cheapie kind I have on my cheapo cages.

Julie Riley

[Monica]

If the cages have rust on them you'd be best to try and get it off as good as you can. This may include having to get the cage sandblasted.

Paint - Birds can injest flakes of paint. Today, most cage manufacturers use safe paints and powder coating, but do ask questions when buying a cage. If you have a cage with chipping paint, you should get the paint flakes tested for toxicity. If it is toxic, then either strip and repaint the cage or replace it. Be sure to use paints which are both lead and zinc free. Many anti-rust paints contain zinc, so check with someone knowledgable. If you don't want to bother, then replace the cage.

Bird Safe Paints - Non-Toxic Paint, Nontoxic Paint
Haven't looked but Krylon H2O paint is said to be safe, as well as Rustoleum

Painting Cages - Bird-safe Paints

Paint / Cage Finishing: Fresh paint will kill your bird. If you have just finish painting your cage, make sure it is completely dry before placing your bird inside. Cages should be refinished as the paint or plating wears off.
Cage Safety

Cage Paint and Repainting

Question: I have some metal birdcages that I would like to repaint for my birds. How should I do this?

Martha Stewart: Birds, like many small pets, are extremely sensitive to toxic materials, and paint containing zinc or lead could prove deadly to them. Never keep a bird in an old cage that is in poor shape or is painted with an unknown product. Even if the cage's paint appears to be intact, it will deteriorate over time, creating a potentially dangerous environment.

Birds, particularly those of the psittacine family (parakeets, cockatiels and other parrots), use their beaks for climbing. As they do this, they can gradually damage the paint and cause it to flake off. When that happens, they are likely to chew on the flakes. Passerine birds (such as canaries and finches) may do less damage, but flaking paint can still fall into their food or water dishes.

An old cage with flaking paint can either be carefully repainted or replaced with a newer cage. Since a paint job can be tricky or costly to do well, you might choose to buy a new cage. When shopping, look for one that is either unpainted or painted with safe products.

If you do decide to paint the cage, make sure you first scrape off all the old paint from the bars using a wire brush. Then choose primer and paint that are nontoxic. According to Marc Morrone, host of the syndicated television show "Petkeeping with Marc Morrone," any paint that is considered safe for children will be free of both lead and zinc and so should also be safe for birds. Avoid any paint formulated to fight rust. Although this might sound like a good idea, these paints are made with zinc and can be very dangerous.

Apply the primer and paint following the manufacturer's instructions. Keep your bird far from the area (in a substitute cage) until the paint is thoroughly dry, so as not to expose him to fumes.

One other alternative to consider is taking the cage to a powder- coating facility. (Some auto-painting shops offer this service.) There, they can sandblast it and apply a durable powder coat. (Be sure to indicate that you want them to use a zinc- and lead-free paint.) Although this is more costly than repainting the cage yourself, the result will last many times longer than an ordinary paint job.

[Machelle]

GREAT information, Monica!!! I am lucky enough to have a hubby who is an auto painter. Merin's cage was an outstanding deal too and had rust and I had hubby paint it. He did all kinds of research and asked the paint rep that he works with and they found the perfect paint that is actually no more dangerous than powdercoating. If you want to take it to a body shop to paint, hubby used PPG paint, glossy black, single stage and no clear coat. I dont know about painting yourself, because to us this WAS painting ourselves. I do know that hubby had it sandblasted and that he will never paint a cage again because it was such a hassle. LOL! You have to paint from both the inside and outside of the cage to make sure you get all of the bars. Because of this you may choose to have someone else do it. I do know that if you choose to go to a bodyshop, that the single stage painting will probably be less expensive than powder coating because powder coating requires special equipment and not all shops do it. And like I said, if you use the paint I mentioned before, it is no more dangerous than powdercoating. You definitely have to make sure that it is completely dry before you put your bird in it. The best way to tell is if you can smell it. If you can smell it, its not completely dry. Good luck and let us know what you do.

[jriley]

Wow, great info! I sure appreciate hearing from those in the know. My hubby is a car salesman, so I will have him check into having it done at the body shop.

Julie Riley

[habs71]

Though more expensive, I'd opt for the powder-coating. JMHO

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