I want more

[Harley2013]

I guess that settles it then.

I could add to Harley's flight, but I would feel bad to intrude on him with roomates.

[Toddmin]

Ginene,

I haven't really thought about shipping the birds before, but I'd probably make an exception for you. I'd want to wait until spring though.

[Ginene]

Toddmin
Oooohhhh....Sounds promising

[Harley2013]

Okay! I think I got the hubby to agree to my setting up the BIG cage which we really have no room for, Lol! (I'm obsessed) but.....I think I will put I up in my bedroom. Only thing is, our room stays kinda on the darker side, not dark, but not bright either. One window. I would put the cage close to the window on top of my computer armoire. The BIG cage I'd say is about 24x 17x24. Thinking I will set it up as a small indoor avery- ish. Maybe some silk plants inside, vines and such, nest, natrual branches. But....the question is, which species? Wanting something with pleasant but soft song, something that doesn't mind being in a bedroom away from the household noise. And, should I get two female, or two males? I definetly don't want baby's, well, I wouldn't mind, but I think hubby would not be happy. Also, was thinking, would a red light bother them? I know some animals cannot see red, so nocturnal animals for instance one could use red to watch and see their animal active at night without disturbing them. I was just asking red, because I was wondering the same, although I know by natrual daylight they would sleep at dusk, but it would be cool to have a red light on the cage at night showing it off as a center piece of the bedroom.

[Harley2013]

Is there any websites somewhere with some images of large cage set ups as I am wanting to create to get some ideas?

[Harley2013]

Ugh! I put the cage up top the amorie to get an idea. Well, it's obviously now too big. Cannot put on top squarely.. Out ceiling in our room on one side is slanted and Corner of cage bumping into the slanted part of ceiling. Moving the computer amorie weighs a ton and a half. My other option is to try to use plyers and take some panels off this cage and attempt to cut cage down in height size by half. So it would then be 29x 17 x 13.5 exact measurements after halving it. Boo!!!! my intent was to have a small avery style for a finch pair.

[debbie276]

Here's an article about avian lighting to help you with those questions
http://confluence.mickaboo.org/download ... ummary.pdf

24 by 17 isn't all that large so try not to clutter it with too much that whichever birds you get can't get some good flying exercises. Two males would probably work depending on the species you pick

[Nerien]

Would you be able to swap that cage for a Petco flight cage? The one that is 30"x18"x18". It's a very good size for a pair of finches, the thirty inch length lets them fly, and the 18" width and height gives plenty of room for perches and leaves and a nest. And they're inexpensive for the size cage, usually on sale for about $38, and if you order enough other stuff to hit $49 (like seed or treats or perches, swing, etc), then it's free shipping. The petco cage is probably about the most frequently used cage in its size range by people here.

http://www.petco.com/product/114152/Pet ... SiteSearch

I see it is not on sale at the moment, so it's full price is $50, but I'll bet it goes back on sale within a couple of days. Petco keeps varying between things being "on sale", or offering you a "special" coupon for 30 percent off but then putting all the prices back up to full retail.

[Harley2013]

Debbie, as the cage is now the full size is 29x 17x 27. If I cut it down I would have to be careful of not over crowding, but if I leave it as is and can make the cage work in the place I have chosen, it should be fine I would think. Thank you for the link. It is a little too deep for me. There has to be an easier way of explaining lighting.

[debbie276]

The BIG cage I'd say is about 24x 17x24.

Sorry I was reading this post from you and it said 24, must have been a typo

Lighting issue is not easy to explain as there are many factors involved.
Here are a few more articles, maybe one is better then the other:
http://www.naturallighting.com/cart/sto ... sc_page=56
http://littlefeatheredbuddies.com/info/ ... hting.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200802161710 ... ndex2.html
http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww42ev.htm
http://wildliferehabber.com/rehab-data/ ... ting-birds

[Finnie]

Well, thats not exactly what i was looking for. What i was asking if the literature i had read was in fact true or myth for these specific species. But thank you for your wishes.

I'm not sure what literature you have read, but I would venture to say that it is a myth that if a species is smaller, it can live in a small cage.

Once your cage size starts getting below say about 24" wide, it becomes cramped for even the tiniest bird.

The cage in the photo at the beginning of this thread is (in my opinion) too small for any bird to live in. It would make an OK bedroom/sleeping cage for a bird that spent the day loose in the house.

You can see in the photo (which I assume is the stock photo from the catalog) that the perches are arranged in a way that prevents the bird from having anywhere at all to fly to. He can just sidle back and forth on the one perch, or hop to the wires. (If he is a wire climbing bird, which finches are not.) He can also hop down to the lower perch, but there is no room to fly. Even a small finch would only be able to fly a tiny distance.

That's why perches are better arranged going front to back, and being placed opposite to each other, so that the bird(s) can fly across the largest distance of the cage. (Which in that cage would still be no distance at all.)

Sorry to be so negative about that cage. I'm not intending to insult anyone who owns that type of cage. Just to point out that for birds, it isn't just a matter of how many square inches they have to live in, but rather a matter of how a flight path can be arranged for them. (Why they say wider is better than taller.)

Anyway, it sounds like the 29" cage you are working with now is a good solution to your problem. If it doesn't fit very well above your computer armoire, have you considered installing a shelf on an area of the wall that may have more space?

[lovezebs]

Hi Tammie. Your big cage, 29/17/27, sounds like a pretty good size. Is there anyway you could use it as is? When you start cutting these things it rarely works unless you have a welder handy to deal with the results. LoL.

Is there somewhere else in the house where it could go. Maybe hang up somewhere by a window. You mentioned the compuer armoire... Is that where your computer is? If it is, then you might have a challange of keeping seeds and other little odds and ends out of computer, key board and so on.

As for choice of birds... I would check the spacing between cage bars before making a decision. The little wax bills, are 'really' little and can fit through spaces between the bars if anthing wider than 1/2 inch. Personslly, I was hasitant about these tiny guys even though my cage has 1/2 in spacing . Enclosing a photo of my cage to give an idea of bar spacing and hopefully you can make it out.

[Harley2013]

Yes, the spacing is 1/2 inch. The lower portion of the cage has panels on that are connected by one of the panel support wires hooking onto the panel above. So, I would not really be cutting per say, just using a needle nose plyer to bend and unhook the lower portions. The upper portion would then be able to fit on the base as well with no wielding needed. " I think. " Lol! As for moving the cage, I am lucky to have the hubby going for this at all. We really don't have the room downstairs, and the only room upstairs is the master bedroom. The computer armoire, closes up. The mess of seeds and such would be minimal if any. Also, I do have a seed catcher on Harley's cage that seems to be working quite well, maybe another possiblity for the finches. I see you have zebras there. They are cute. They are quite chatty aren't they? Do they sing and "beep beep" all day or only at certain times of the day. I know they are one of the more hardier of finch species, and maybe that's what I need considering I'm a begginner in this finch world. Do you suggest 2 males or females, I am not looking for a breeding pair...... Yet.... Give me some time.... lol!

I also am still reading on lighting, the bedroom is kinda on the darker side, but not dark. So am still researching this as well. They would be next to the window in the bedroom. The window is on the north side of the house if that helps picturing the lighting I'm trying to describe.

This is the hooks I was thinking I can bend and reduce cage height. Any input? Don't want to make a mistake I can't fix.

[Ginene]

Harley2013
Zebras are noisy! Definitely not for your master bedroom. My finches are awake at 5am everyday, singing their little hearts out (& I dont even have zebras ). Gouldians have a very quiet and peaceful song...and 2 males will get along nicely.

[Harley2013]

Ginene,
You have owls....how are those as far as noise level for a bedroom?