Cleaning Cage

[The Little Truth Teller]

Originally Posted by sailorkelly

You could always buy a little cage and bribe them in there with a treat. You use bread ties to attach the cages together an put them in the other cage while you clean it.

I have never done this before, but I thought it might work.

Yes, that sounds like the best solution. I am extremely nervous at the thought of ever having to handle the canary!

My canary seems like such a happy bird, though. I discovered he loves broccoli crowns, and the egg mix I purchased from the pet store. I have also given him fresh peach, and freshly cooked (and cooled!) carrots, but he did not seem interested. He would probably be willing to go into a smaller cage, though, if tempted by broccoli or the egg mixture.

[MGS]

You can find numerous cages as described and pictured in this post at Bird Supply of New Hampshire. The cages are not hard to find on line, but most pet stores don't carry them -

Bird Supplement Bird Vitamin Supplement Bird Supplement Medicine Bird Supplements Bird Vitamin Supplements

also, Abba Products carry a big supply of the breeder cages.

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[The Little Truth Teller]

Originally Posted by MGS

You can find numerous cages as described and pictured in this post at Bird Supply of New Hampshire. The cages are not hard to find on line, but most pet stores don't carry them -

Bird Supplement Bird Vitamin Supplement Bird Supplement Medicine Bird Supplements Bird Vitamin Supplements

also, Abba Products carry a big supply of the breeder cages.

HOME

Thanks! I was thinking to myself that I do not recall seeing little cages at the pet store. I generally shop Petco and Petsmart, but there is a lot of stuff they do not seem to carry.

[christie99]

You will have to learn to handle your bird though. Trimming nails can easily be done at home, and it is better that you learn to catch and handle a bird before the nails need trimmed. My advice is to do so in a small closed room so you don't have to chase them all over the house when you let go on accident! I'll tell you, that isn't fun! My cage is large and can't go into the bathroom, so I chase birds quite often.

[The Little Truth Teller]

Originally Posted by christie99

You will have to learn to handle your bird though. Trimming nails can easily be done at home, and it is better that you learn to catch and handle a bird before the nails need trimmed. My advice is to do so in a small closed room so you don't have to chase them all over the house when you let go on accident! I'll tell you, that isn't fun! My cage is large and can't go into the bathroom, so I chase birds quite often.

Ha! You seriously over estimate my courage! <LOL> I will definitely have to have someone else do this. I am not good at clipping a dog's toe nails, but at least I am not afraid to touch the dog! My hands, although in proportion to the rest of my body, feel much too much clumsy to hold a little canary and clip its toe nails. I would probably faint before I could muster up the courage to even try!

[christie99]

You can take them into a vet for trimming. Some stores offer trimming, but they are not experts and I would not trust them. A vet can teach you how to handle your bird safely and how to trim the nails. It isn't as hard as it really looks. :)

[The Little Truth Teller]

Originally Posted by christie99

You can take them into a vet for trimming. Some stores offer trimming, but they are not experts and I would not trust them. A vet can teach you how to handle your bird safely and how to trim the nails. It isn't as hard as it really looks. :)

Thanks for that vote of courage. Perhaps I will eventually be brave enough to try, but I think I will look for an experienced person for the foreseeable future. I could not live with myself if I accidentally hurt the canary....

[christie99]

Understandable!! Think how stressful it is to take a 5-7 day old chick and place a closed band on it's leg! I shake the whole time I do it.