How do you make a cage apron/skirt?

[thebirdwhisperer]

One of my cages is on a pedistal. It's an older cage that we've refurbished that came with a TAG we rescued. The metal apron was missing and, as you could imagine, we have quite the mess on the floor without it. All the skirts I see online are for small cages that don't have pedistals and I'm not sure I like them anyway. They all are elastic at the top. I'm looking to either buy or make an apron of sorts that extends a few inches away from the cage at the top of the apron, as Zazu enjoys sitting on top of his cage and makes messes on the floor that the skirts would miss. Has anyone made anything like this or can anyone tell me where to buy one? I need it BADLY!!!!! I appreciate any advice you can give!!!

[CatherineL]

I would rather see a photo of the cage but without seeing it, here is a suggestion, which I have just dreamed up.

1. Cut a piece of fabric which is long enough to go round your cage plus a bit e.g. If your cage were 36" x 24" you would need 136" of fabric for it to stick out 2" (I think, my math is not great). You might need to join several pieces to get it that long.
2. Make a hem along the top of the fabric wide enough for narrow dowel to be threaded through.
3. Sew velcro along both sides so that you can get the apron on and off easily.
4. Cut two pieces of dowel 40" long and another two pieces 28" long. These will be threaded through the hem long piece then short (repeat). This will enable your apron to go round the corners of your cage.
5. The width of the fabric will depend on how far under the cage you want the apron to go (and that will depend on how the pedestal legs are arranged).
6. Sew a narrow hem along the bottom of the fabric and thread elastic through it so that the apron will tuck in nicely when you have done up the velcro. You can stitch the ends of the elastic in place when you are sewing on the velcro.
7. Now you have to suspend the apron from the cage. I suggest you get two pieces of dowel 28" long with a hook on each end. Thread these through the cage bars inside the cage along the short sides. You will have to clamp these in position or they will move around. Hang the apron on the hooks.
8. Now all your bird has to do is decide he wants the apron as a perch. Then, when he faces the cage, he will poop on the floor anyway. lol

[thebirdwhisperer]

GREAT IDEA!!!! I'm going to try that! Just couldn't visualize it before, but now that makes a lot of sense...

As for the perching on it... you must know me, that would be my luck!!

Thanks for the input!!

[CatherineL]

I know birds. You fix one thing and they find another way to do it.
I am glad you like the idea. Do post a picture of whatever you do in the end. It would be very interesting.

[Lori~D]

Bird Cage Accessories: Universal Cage Seed Guards

[chinniechantel]

Originally Posted by Lori~D

Bird Cage Accessories: Universal Cage Seed Guards

Those are great! Does anyone know where you can buy custom ones, or bigger than what they have here?