Absorbent cage liners that GEL like diapers?

fhgwgads · Post by **fhgwgads** » Mon May 27, 2013 2:07 pm

So... my little boy has realized that due to a defect in the cage grate he was able to stick his head through the bars in one corner. This corner also happened to be the corner the water bowl was in (closed top). And he takes baths every other day if not daily so the water still splashes to the bottom. Apparently either out of curiosity or fun he started sticking his head down and picking the paper apart. I had seen it this morning for the first time and wondered what in the world he was doing but earlier I checked on them again and it was freshly wet and the top layer of paper was missing and I noticed the gel. I seriously hope he was not trying to eat it but there seemed to be a significant amount gone!! I was wondering if anyone else had a situation like this before? He always wants to check out the strangest things. I just hope he will be ok! He seems fine now, hasn't displayed any symptoms.

I immediately switched them out for paper towels because if I use the shredded bedding he will pick all the pieces out, and I tried to bend the few bars closer at that corner.

wellingtoncdm · Post by **wellingtoncdm** » Mon May 27, 2013 3:47 pm

It looks like he may consider that nesting material more than food. Hopefully he didn't ingest any.

Nerien · Post by **Nerien** » Mon May 27, 2013 4:01 pm

technically speaking, that gel stuff is not toxic. (I used to work making similar type stuff.) However, for a tiny bird, how much is too much, I wouldn't want to guess. My guinea pigs have eaten quite a bit of it (we used to put puppy pads under the newspaper under the woodchips), as they apparently liked the taste of the plastic & padding, and there was never an ill effect. Of course, they also have managed to snag plastic bags left too close to the cage and eaten quite a bit of them as well.

If you like having the absorbent pad under the water, could you put a piece of window screening, or something like that, on top of it, so water could go through but birdy couldn't get to it?

mayble · Post by **mayble** » Mon May 27, 2013 4:50 pm

Nerien wrote: If you like having the absorbent pad under the water, could you put a piece of window screening, or something like that, on top of it, so water could go through but birdy couldn't get to it?

That's a great idea Nerien

Nanajennie · Post by **Nanajennie** » Wed May 29, 2013 7:21 pm

If you like having the absorbent pad under the water, could you put a piece of window screening, or something like that, on top of it, so water could go through but birdy couldn't get to it?

you are a brilliant, must be your scientist brain at work LOL Nerien

fhgwgads · Post by **fhgwgads** » Wed May 29, 2013 7:24 pm

I think I am going to try and contact the company that made the cage, and then if that doesn't work I will try the store. As a last resort I will attempt to macguyver something. I could try to put a piece of screen but I wouldn't want it on the entire grate because then all the hulls and stuff would just get stuck on the screen and not fall through. I also would have to figure out how to get a piece of screen to stay in the one corner and figure out how to attach it to the grate itself without compromising the safety of the birds and the integrity of the method used and the screen itself. But we will see!

Nanajennie · Post by **Nanajennie** » Wed May 29, 2013 7:35 pm

How old is he? is it always the same corner of the cage he is picking at? What kind of cage do you have?

fhgwgads · Post by **fhgwgads** » Wed May 29, 2013 7:49 pm

I have no idea about the age, and yes it is the corner under the water bowl. I have a Prevue Hendryx Econo cage that is 22" h 16" w 16" d.

henrietta · Post by **henrietta** » Thu Jun 20, 2013 12:01 pm

Why not just move the water bowl and the gel pads to a new place in the cage, that way when he picks at that spot he will only be able to reach newspaper/paper towels/whatever you have down there?

fhgwgads · Post by **fhgwgads** » Thu Jun 20, 2013 5:38 pm

I actually flipped the grate around so the gap is on the opposite side of the water bowl. And sometimes I interchange between the liners and paper towels.

Nerien · Post by **Nerien** » Thu Jun 20, 2013 6:40 pm

I was actually thinking just put the piece of screening underneath the grate, laying on top of the gel pad, loose. Just make sure the edges are all folded under so there's no rough wires at the edges.

He wouldn't be able to pull it up through the grate, and it wouldn't prevent seeds & hulls & poop from dropping down below. The piece of screen might get messy, but since it would be loose, just pick it up, shake/bang/scrape it off outside or in the trash, then rinse it through to clean it up. Blot dry with a paper towel, then put it back where needed.

FINCHforum

Absorbent cage liners that GEL like diapers?

Absorbent cage liners that GEL like diapers?

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Re: Absorbent cage liners that GEL like diapers?

Re: Absorbent cage liners that GEL like diapers?

Re: Absorbent cage liners that GEL like diapers?

Re: Absorbent cage liners that GEL like diapers?

Re: Absorbent cage liners that GEL like diapers?

Re: Absorbent cage liners that GEL like diapers?

Re: Absorbent cage liners that GEL like diapers?

Re: Absorbent cage liners that GEL like diapers?

Re: Absorbent cage liners that GEL like diapers?