Here we go again!

[nhblond]

Help.... please someone stop me! Looking like this week I will be getting a pair of juvenile red headed parrot finches from a local breeder, then a pair of BC Cordon Blues and a pair of Black bellied Firefinches from Singing Wings......

And.... I am looking into a conure

I have definitely lost my mind and I am completely out of control.....

[lovemyfinch]

And just what do you need help with

[nhblond]

YOU ARE NOT HELPING

[lovemyfinch]

YOU ARE NOT HELPING

That's why I joined finches annominous.

[nhblond]

Oh, I see!

By the way, can you recommend an easy way to clean the grate on cages where they don't come out??? I took all the grates out of the other cages, but I have two or three that are permanently fixed (pain in the neck). I don't want to upset the birdies, but I have got to clean those cage grates!

[B CAMP]

You don't have a problem,your handling it well

[lovemyfinch]

Oh, I see!

By the way, can you recommend an easy way to clean the grate on cages where they don't come out??? I took all the grates out of the other cages, but I have two or three that are permanently fixed (pain in the neck). I don't want to upset the birdies, but I have got to clean those cage grates!

Thanks to the finch forum, I don't have that problem. All crates were removed from my cages, and the aviary has a linoleum type floor.

[nixity]

Oh, I see!

By the way, can you recommend an easy way to clean the grate on cages where they don't come out??? I took all the grates out of the other cages, but I have two or three that are permanently fixed (pain in the neck). I don't want to upset the birdies, but I have got to clean those cage grates!

I wipe mine down daily or every other day depending on what the birds in the cage are doing (incubating birds do not poop nearly as much!) with washcloths sprayed with diluted white vinegar and water. I bought a cheap pack of washcloths from Target.

At first your birds will probably think you're trying to kill them, but they do get used to you if you get yourself into a routine..

[L in Ontario]

I cover all my cage grates (they are not removable or they would be history too) with newspaper and change it out every week. It's not perfect, but it works for me and my fids.

[nhblond]

Thanks for the help!

Just got done changing all the cage papers & of course they all freak out.

Kind of like the idea of covering the grates that don't come out with paper & think I will do it tomorrow.

I can't wait until we get the 3rd floor bird room and aviary built!!! Far less cages since a lot of them will go into the aviary which will have the linoleum on the bottom

[nixity]

The main reason I don't cover the grates is I don't like them having access to the poop itself :\

[L in Ontario]

The main reason I don't cover the grates is I don't like them having access to the poop itself :\

You're right Tiffany but there's pros and cons to everything. I don't like the chances of any of my fids getting their legs/feet caught in the grates.

[dfcauley]

The main reason I don't cover the grates is I don't like them having access to the poop itself :\

I only keep mine in a cage if I am having to seperate some...etc...
but I have never seen them picking at the pooop to eat and they mostly stay up on their perches.

I also LOVE having the newspaper on the bottom.

[nixity]

The main reason I don't cover the grates is I don't like them having access to the poop itself :\

I only keep mine in a cage if I am having to seperate some...etc...
but I have never seen them picking at the pooop to eat and they mostly stay up on their perches.

I also LOVE having the newspaper on the bottom.

I use towels in both the 6' flights and the 8' aviary and in the aviary for sure I unfortunately see them down in the poo all the time, especially since the millet tends to scatter, and they go foraging around for it.. even if that means the millet is scattered into poo

[nixity]

The main reason I don't cover the grates is I don't like them having access to the poop itself :\

You're right Tiffany but there's pros and cons to everything. I don't like the chances of any of my fids getting their legs/feet caught in the grates.

I'm lucky in that I've never had that happen

The one accident I had involving the bird getting caught in cage itself, I'm not sure if it was even preventable, which was unfortunate, because it could happen again! But thankfully I've only had one death due to the cages..