Critique my (temporary) carrier!

[Known Space]

So I'll be picking up a pionus halfway into August. A baby bronze-winged pionus. Fully weaned and fledged by then, of course. But still young. It'll be sexed soonish and I'll get to visit in July as well.

I intend to use this cheap carrier and install a foodbowl and perch in it for one-time use. I'm planning to get a decent, fairly roomy travel cage some time later. But I just wanted to get it a cheap carrier I can get away with using only once to get it from the breeder's place to my home. Also saves me the pains of the extra trouble I have to go through to get it accustomed to a carrier it has negative associations with.

Thing is, the door's grates are about 1" by 1" at their biggest. Which seems kinda big for a bronze-winged pionus. I thought about getting a little plate of acrylic, drilling some air holes in it, and cover up part of the door. Would this be necessary or is 1" by 1" ok for one-time use? I'll have my eyes on the cage the whole time, of course.



For what it's worth. Here is my cage as a work in progress. Gonna add a few more perches and some more toys (wanted some sort of foraging tower and a shreddign toy in there to begin with). I'll probably remove a bunch of stuff by the time the bird is here as to not flood it with all sorts of stimuli and just add them slowly once it's settled. Bar spacing is roughly 19/20 mm (about 3/4 to 4/5 of an inch). It's about 32 x 22 x 59 overall (excluding the playtop and the bottom). I would've prefered a somewhat deeper cage (maybe another inch or two), but overall, it's the largest cage I could find in my budget.

 

[camelotshadow]

What country? OOOhhhh a bronze wing.... Lucky!!!

There head size could vary so 1 inch might be big but if you watch still watching does not help much if they get there head caught they twist around & could get injured even though you watch & try to get them free as they panick...even twisting/hurting the neck...

I think it could work if you wrap that grate with something like burlap to keep it from putting the head through. Burlap would be able to go over the prongs & pull it out thru the front & secure it with a safety pin or something.

My hawkhead has that size cage internally & it works exterior is 32 x 23 1/2

Its just to deter sticking a head thru while you watch & there are air holes on side.

 

[Known Space]

The Netherlands! For a fairly low price from a very caring and trustworthy breeder. Lucky!

Yeah I figured the grate would be an issue. I thought about wrapping them too, but the acrylic should work too right? I wanted to cover the interior with it to keep it from gnawing on the bars. It might be able to chew apart the burlap but I am not sure. It won't be a tame bird, that is for sure.

Yeah when I saw the cage I questioned the depth, but overall it is a roomy cage that will allow it to climb a lot. I also work from home so it will spend most of its time out. It's good to hear it is still acceptable.

 

[camelotshadow]

I had a carrier like that but was worse as the space was 1 inch wide but maybe 1 1/4 in tall so I'm just going to craigslist it for a cat. No sense inviting injury as I have 3 other carriers.

Chewing on burlap gives you time to get home. Better the burlap then getting its head caught esp a wild bird is not going to cooperate with you trying to get its head out & could break its neck...
Its very dangerous even if you see it happen.

Dont see how yuo could put acrylic inside but you could place it up against it on the outside & strap it around the carrier to secure it til you get home. Can;t get its head in the bars with the acrylics pressed on it from the outside...no space...

 

[Porter]

I made a door cover, using several layers of cloth on the outside of the cage AND the inside so the little feathered mulcher (Maiboch) Couldn't chew through both sides.
It lasted a good two day trip!

 

[Known Space]

Thanks for the responses! But I decided to get this one instead and take the other one back. The old one's door is covered in paint too, which I don't trust. And while this one's made of plastic, the holes are smaller. And I'm planning to cover the door with a toy to distract it from the gate as much as possible. Though burlap may be a cheaper alternative. Thanks!