Shelves over water dishes

[finchandlovebird]

In my never-ending attempts to keep poop out of water dishes, I've been picking up items at thrift stores that I can use as shelves over the birds' water dishes. They all have Lixit waterers too, but like the dishes for drinking & bathing. Here are some photos to give you an idea:

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[debbie276]

Another very clever idea!

[dcompt]

I do much the same thing. I keep several sun decks in the cage (from Drs. Foster and Smith) covered with paper towels for treat dishes. I put anything going on the floor in a dish beneath one. It really helps.

[Nerien]

I do the same thing, here's my dish covers. I took those add-on perches, and wired half a plastic lid (because that's what fit just right) to it, giving both a cover and a perch:




Also, just took some stiff steel wire and used another lid to make food bowl covers:




the poop cleans off the hard plastic so easily.

[Diana]

Why don't you use a tube water dish?

[finchandlovebird]

Nerien I REALLY LIKE your idea with the plastic covers over the "add on" perches. I have a couple of those perches & may change over to your idea

Dianna: I use Lixit waters, but they like the dishes to bathe in.

[finchandlovebird]

dcompt Donna; do you have a picture or link to those sun decks

[dcompt]

Sure - I was at work and didn't take the time to find it when I made the post.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... catid=8367

I love these. I fold a couple of layers of paper towel over it and clip it on the sides with a couple of small binders clips. This makes a solid platform for tiny feet. They are really intended for larger birds so the wire spacing is very wide. I use them for treat dishes. I also use them to set nest boxes on, or as platforms with lots a greenery around and over them. My birds that insist on building a nest from scratch in the "woods" usually will use them for the base of their nest. The birds really seem to like them too, and are as likely to sit there as on their regular perches.

[Nerien]

The picture over the large double water dish is actually in my budgie flight, where I have 14 budgies. Would take a heckuva lot of drinking tubes to keep them all happy!

[Lisa]

I applaud you guys for your creative ideas, but don't they still just sit on the edge of the dish itself and poop in it? That's what mine do!

[Ginene]

I applaud you guys for your creative ideas, but don't they still just sit on the edge of the dish itself and poop in it? That's what mine do!

Lol!!! Mine do that in their bath water too! They also use their vacation feeders as a cozy sleeping spot and poop in the seed there too!!! Little piggies...

[dcompt]

Yes, they do, but at least it shields it from rain from above and that helps. Instead of saying "keeps it clean" we should be saying "keeps it cleaner."

I lecture mine all the time about pooping in the pool, but they pay no attention at all.

[Lisa]

I lecture mine all the time about pooping in the pool, but they pay no attention at all.

Lol, Donna, I always am lecturing mine about how there are starving birds in Ethiopia who would LOVE to have all this bird seed they toss on the floor. They don't even bat an eyelash ...

[ac12]

Won't help with my zebras. They stand on the edge of the food and water dishes and poop right into the food/water.

[Nerien]

Yes, but this way you can use the space overhead for a swing or a perch or a toy, and not be guaranteed of bombarding the water and food dishes with poop. Greatly increases the useable space in the cage.

I'm thinking of turning one of the lids over, so it's upside down and more like a shallow bowl or tray, and using it for a fresh vegetable tray. Keep it off the floor grate a little longer, since it's large, and easily lifted out for washing. The budgies will immediately go down to a paper plate of food, but the other birds are highly suspicious of such things still.