"Snuggle" Tents - Risk, Sanitation, Nesting

[DCbeachboy]

Well, after many months of waiting til they're done molting, I'll finally be picking up my Gouldians pair in a little over a week. I'm stoked. I'm excited. And I admit to being just a tad apprehensive over my upcoming new parenting responsibilities. But I'm fully set-up, other than a few last-minute preparations.

With cooler weather approaching soon, I thought I should consider one of those "snuggle tents" to help them stay warm at night. I'm looking at the small 5"x4"x5" tent here:

http://www.avianenrichment.com/store/pc ... 4p1620.htm

I have 3 questions:

1) RISK: I vaguely remember reading somewhere months ago about a bird's foot being caught overnight in one of his toys (rope maybe?), and the bird bled to death. I can't find that post now, it must have been on one of the vet forums I browsed for a while. Would the fleece fabric of this tent pose a similar risk -- is the tent one of those cage items to be avoided?

2) SANITATION: Aside from that risk, I'm also wondering about sanitation. Not by accident, every other item in the cage is fairly easily sanitized. This tent, though providing warmth for the birds, would violate my "If you can't easily disinfect it, it doesn't belong in the cage" rule I've adopted. Has anyone on the Forum used one of these tents, and if so, how often -- and how -- do you sanitize them?

3) NESTING: My final concern with providing this tent is that it may encourage nesting behavior -- which I absolutely want to avoid. At least at this point. If and when I ever get to the point of wanting to let them nest, it won't be for a long while -- at least a year or so, til I have more space. I'm hoping the tent is too small to for them to even think of using it as a nest....am I wrong?

Any thoughts? I realize I risk being labeled an "over-protective" parent, but I'd rather ask now than find out the hard way.

[L in Ontario]

I think these are mostly meant for small parrots. I bought 4 for my medium/larger parrots and they won't touch them. I don't think finches will either but one never knows. I think it would be unsanitary after a while as I don't know how washable they are. And yes there is the question of safety too... I don't think Gouldians would nest in one as it's not enclosed on three sides (two ends are open) but Gouldians don't typically roost in anything - they just perch.

[B CAMP]

I agree with Liz i think it would be throwing your money away for finchs, i have a nandy conure that sleeps in one all the time she loves it .

[ac12]

If they are inside, I would not bother with that.
My gouldians just sleep on the perches.
The only gouldians with anything to go into are breeding birds, which have the nest box.
Just keep any drafts off the cage, still air, and they should be fine. The only time I have significant air movement is when there is a heat wave, like right now, then I have a fan moving air around the room.

[lovemyfinch]

In my little experience these little tents are used for lovebirds, and they will sleep in them. I don't think that gouldians will sleep in there, but, zebras on the other hand.....I don't know if anyone recalls but when I first joined my zebras were building a nest in one and had even laid an egg. Not the best idea I ever had

[DCbeachboy]

Thanks for the advice -- good points. Yes, I realize Gouldians typically sleep only on perches (or in nestboxes), but I just thought the tent might give them some extra warmth during the winter. But I'm dropping the idea as an ill-conceived one.

Yet I did notice a similar half-tent, which is actually just a wood perch covered above with a tent-like fleece canopy. The open bottom would eliminate the sanitation and nesting concerns I had, and also greatly lessen the risk of the birds snagging their toes on the fleece -- since it's only on the sides, not the bottom. Of course, with such an open design, maybe it would be of little use in providing warmth -- my only reason for considering such a thing in the first place.

http://www.avianenrichment.com/store/pc ... 88p138.htm

[L in Ontario]

I've seen those too (among other types) and again I just don't think Gouldians (or most other finches) would go for those types of items (Quebec birds excepted).

By all means you can try it and let us know how it works for your birds.

[B CAMP]

I don't think that would be good even the website don't list Finch's for it.They make all kinds of stuff thats mostly for us not for the birds they just want our money

Have you checked out the finch info center good read about gouldians

http://www.finchinfo.com/birds/finches/ ... _finch.php