FINCHforum

What do you prefer for the bottom of your aviary and why? I have been using newspaper in my small one, but am considering trying something different.

I use wood shavings. I find it pretty good. ts very absorbant. The only downside I guess is having to buy it as apposed to using newspaper or paper towel on the bottom.
I have used newspaper but I find its alot messier and when they jump up from the bottom to a perch they flap their wings and get seeds and feathers all over the place. Thats the only reason I switched to shavings. (mines a small indoor aviary btw).
Not sure what people use for outdoor flights.

I use the brown paper used to ship parcels with...It comes in a roll and I put it above the grates to eliminate that extra cleaning!

Depending if I am breeding...I use Cozy Comfort so I can go a day or so longer than usual in changing out the bottom...so I do not disturb sitting parents. Most of the time I use white paper towels...Target brand!

A word of caution...I used corn cob or or bed-o'cob. If this product gets we or wet food sits to long on it it will mold quickly. I had this happen when raising parrotlets, the cob got wet, by morning it was moldy. It was just put in clean the morning before. If you chose to use this scoop out wet and soiled spots and remove dropped veggies and food that is moist.

I know people that use crush walnuts...avaiable at some pet stores.

I was using pine orderless cat litter that Petsmart uses in their cages. I found that it helped keep seed from bouncing out on to the floor BUT when it got wet it would break down. When changing the large trays in the flight cage it got pretty heavy so I have gone to using newspaper however I don't like the smell when it gets wet and the look.

I may go back to pellets just use a thinner layer.

I use pre-cut sheets of plain newsprint kraft/packing paper and put it on top of the grate. Easy clean up. Roll it up and toss it out and put down more as needed. I get 500 sheets of it for $15 from Office Depot. It has to be ordered online, but if it's a $50 order the shipping is free. Myself and my daughter also use this for packing orders that we ship out. So we ordered 3 packs of the paper (one for her business, one for mine, one for the birds) and $5+ more of something on the order to make $50. We found it to be cheaper this way than buying by the roll.

http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/3 ... -Paper-18/

I use aluminum foil on the bottom of the tray, when it gets dirty I just folded over and toss it away, very easy.

Thank you for all of the interesting ideas so far!

I use newspaper - it's free and easy to change out.

I use the antimicrobial liner underneath. This is changed only if soiled. On top of that I have the "cage catcher" liner paper which gets changed at the end of each day. Over that I put smaller liner papers at the drop zones - these get changed mid-day.

I have actually started using these bathmats, so far I just love them.
Switch them out, rinse an dry. I have even cut them to size for my cages.

I bought a huge roll of white uncoated butcher paper off eBay, and DH built me a horizontal holder for it. I quilt, so I have a large cutting mat for my fabric as well as a rotary cutter. I just pull off however much paper I need, use the grid lines on the cutting mat to measure it, and cut it to size. I bought the roll 6-8 months ago, and have at least 20 cages in use. You can barely tell that I've made a dent in it.

Rolls of brown paper are available too (and were a bit cheaper last time I checked), but I like the white because it brightens up the cage and also makes it easier to check the birds' droppings.

I think the question is also, are you talking about cages or aviaries... In my parrotlet cage I use compressed wood pellets. They absorb very well. In the walk-in aviary i use wood shavings. Mostly in behalf of the quail, otherwise I would probably have done it with a floor that can be washed down.

Edit: If you have an outdoor aviary, there would again be a different solution I guess...

I have flight cages and in them I use wax paper with newspaper pellet litter. I sprinkle baking soda to help with the odour. But I have grates on the bottoms of my cages, so my birds can't touch the litter. I like using wax paper because it doesn't absorb the poo or urine, and saves me from having to scrub the plastic pans on the bottoms of my cages. The newspaper pellets absorb any liquid from their waste or from them taking bath, and therefore also help with odour.

L in Ontario wrote:I use newspaper - it's free and easy to change out.

Me too - same reasons!