substrate for cages

[6finchfriends]

I have been lining all my cages with butcher paper but when I take it out and put new in, the finches get so frightened they fly all over and I'm afraid they will get hurt. Especially my largest flight cage. It's particularly difficult to get the long strips of butcher paper in and lay it back flat. I think it's the noise of the paper. It's particularly difficult to get the paper in and laying flat. I would like to know what other substrate material people use besides paper. How often you clean it out. What do you do at bath time, etc.
thanks!

[Ursula]

I use wood pellets for my parrotlet cage. It absorbs moisture well and smells good.

How often you change it will depend on the number of birds and size of the cage I guess...

[6finchfriends]

Do you use it for your finches as well? Like wood stove pellets?

[Ursula]

No, my finches are in an indoor walk-in aviary that has a thick layer aspen shavings on the bottom. The parrotlets are the only cage that I have. But I did use it for the budgies and finches when I had them in cages before building the aviary. I think it works well.

The bags I buy are marked as "kitty litter", but they are really just sawdust compressed into pellets.

Something like this, but this is not the brand that I use. Mine comes in bigger bags and I get it locally from a bird supply store.

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.j ... Id=2753574

[6finchfriends]

Thanks Ursula~ I have seen those in the pet store. I'll check it out.

[cindy]

I use paper towels with a layer of aspen on top.

[MLaRue]

Roll the paper before putting it in there and then once in the cage allow the roll to slowly open. They eventually get used to the paper. I also roll it up when taking it out and now they all just stand there looking at what I'm doing instead of flying around like crazy birds! ;)

[ranchnanny]

Just found this post Trish and what I use I get at Petsmart as well and it is pine pellets oder free and its cat litter the same pellets the store uses for their birds. It comes in 25lb. bags. Check it out. It works great.

[ac12]

Trish
Are you putting the paper in thru the cage door, or do you have a tray? Rolling and unrolling is all I can think of. I use trays so they only get spooked when I pull out the tray and slide in the clean paper lined tray.

[6finchfriends]

Thanks for all the ideas! I found the pine cat litter and I'm trying it out. So far so good! I'm still using paper as well.

[pupDr]

I use pine pellots in my doggie litterboxes. I get the horse bedding though, Equine Pine, at Tractor Supply. I pay five something for a 40 pound bag.