My Hospital Cage Setup

[HeyItsRaymond]

I've lost 2 Finches in the past week and decided to get a hospital cage setup in case another gets sick. One was a hen I think might have been egg bound and the other was a male. No idea what happened. Came home one day and he was dead.

I use a tightly wound bistro type towel on the bottom and include some millet. They like perching on it and it provides a nice treat.

---

A large "Critter Carrier" with 2 low ceramic bowls for food and water. And a temperature/humidity gauge.

Also shown is a small heat mat that goes under half the critter carrier to provide heat.

---

A "Deep Dome Lamp Fixture" with a Full Spectrum Bulb that is on a timer.

[Sally]

Nice setup, critter carriers can work nicely as hospital cages. What wattage are you using with the full-spectrum bulb? I take it that it is just being used for lighting, not for heat, since you have the heat mat for that purpose.

[HeyItsRaymond]

What wattage are you using with the full-spectrum bulb

I have both a 13w and a 26w so I can see what works best.

I take it that it is just being used for lighting, not for heat, since you have the heat mat for that purpose.

Correct. I use it only for light. The mat heats one side of the cage so they can escape the heat if they want.

I also provide shade in the unheated side for them to escape the light also.

I plan on putting the food and water along with a cuttlebone on the unheated side to prevent it from getting to warm.

[HeyItsRaymond]

This is also going to be my isolation/quarantine cage for new arrivals. Keep them in it for a few days to watch them.

I also plan on getting a second Critter Cage (they're only $12) along 2 more food dishes ($1.80 each at Petsmart in the reptile section) so I can have a clean cage to transfer them to when I need to clean the first cage.