macaw fencing

[maxp]

I am building a free flight area for my scarlet macaw. it will be 8' x 8' x 24'. What should i use for the fending material and what should i have on the ground.

[Monica]

For the fencing, or sides/top, you should use wire mesh, or the type of wire used on large dog kennels... For the ground, depending on where you live might effect what how clean the aviary will be, and a concrete bottom usually works well. If you have mice, moles, anything that crawls underground that makes holes, then you'll want a concrete bottom, and it helps some with the bugs.

Some aviaries are right over the grass and/or dirt, though it also depends on the climate and how soft or hard the ground is, as well as how well you'd like to clean it out.

I'm just suggesting to use a concrete bottom, though other people here who have built aviaries may be able to better help you here as I have yet to build an aviary here...

[Joel]

BRAVO MaxP!!!!!!!! ....Happy to hear that you are doing that for your MaCaw, such a nice size. Hopefully the 24' is the length and not the height.

If possible I would definitely make the enclosure weather proof especially the floor. I would use silica sand on the ground with wire underneath that. I would not want the sand to get wet at all though. If you can't kept the ground completely dry then I suggest having a double wire bottom with at least the inside bottom layer a few inches off the ground. I would use a sheet metal roof with over-hang and maybe polycarbonate sides or aviary wire sides partially covered with polycarbonate or plexi-glass or even real shatter-proof glass. I would not use any wood if possible as wood harbors mites, ants, fungus, etc. etc........Good luck and a pic would be nice once completed. :)