Question about cage set up

[Dona]

Hello all! I am waiting for my baby female Lutino Linnie. She is being hand fed and will probably come home this week. I am so excited! I've read a lot of the posts and already learned a lot. So, I have set up her cage for the most part but have 2 questions for you expert owners. First I'm unclear on whether I should have some kind of perch that helps with wearing down nails. Concrete perhaps? I'm sure not sand. Second, my cage has the food dishes on the floor. Do you all think she will be able to get down there? Or should I get some hanging dishes? Maybe temporarily or maybe permanently? Otherwise I think the cage is well set up with 6 natural perches, some that curve down closer to the ground, a rope swing, a center boing, 3 toys. I would so appreciate some advice. Thanks!

 

[Katnap]

Hi Dona,
I've kept Linnies for many years and never had to use a rough perch (although I do know some linnie owners who use the ones with the smooth top and rough sides so their feet don't get irritated). Linnie nails do grow quickly and will curve into a circle over time so it is important to keep an eye on growth and trim as needed. I am not squeamish about clipping nails so it isn't a big concern for me. I know that not everyone is that way and sometimes it is inconvenient or costly to get to the vet or bird store that trims nails, in that situation you might consider the type of perch I mentioned above.

Linnies also are not really into flying inside their cage (even a flight cage), mine only fly when they have out of cage time. They much prefer to climb from place to place or use their perches as a highway. I ended up using natural and rope perches to make a highway from place to place in the cage. Be sure to check rope perches for loose strings regularly and if they fray replace them.

Sounds like your cage is shaping up nicely! I wouldn't put the food on the bottom of the cage.....it is much more likely to get dirty that way. Linnies have big WET poops that get everywhere! Higher hanging dishes will stay clean longer. If you are concerned about food scatter look into "tidy seed" dishes...I use these and it keeps the food mess to a minimum but you still have to clean it for poop regularly.

Good luck, and keep us posted. I'm very excited for your new baby!!
Kat

 

[Lady Jane]

Can you post a photo of this cage so we may help better. Linnies are best to have a nail trim. Their nails are a bit longer than most birds. If you are inexperienced with nail trims I would seek out an avian vet. Also ask the breeder to trim the nails before she comes to you. Then you will have at least a month not to worry about them.

 

[Dona]

Hi Kat!

Thanks so much for your reply! OK I will consider a perch with the rough sides only. I have owned birds but have never clipped nails. Maybe I need to learn since Linnies have fast growing nails. I did hear that Lutinos have clear nails so it's easier to not hit a vein. I didn't notice that on my baby but wasn't looking. But otherwise I have an avian vet that is 15 minutes away.

I think I have the cage set up well for her to get from perch to perch without flying. I will be checking ropes for loose strings. I'm hoping the perch placement will help with those loose poops that I keep hearing about. Eek. I think you are right and I will put the food and water dishes higher. I have a Vision cage and my floor food dishes came with a little awning over them but maybe that won't help enough.

Can't wait to bring my little girl home. Her name is Pipsqueak and we will be calling her Pip.

 

[Dona]

Hi Lady Jane! Here's a picture of my cage.

 

[Lady Jane]

I advise you not to get any kind of perches that are for nails. Even the ones with the rough edges on the side because the birds pick at them. Natural and rope perches are the best for a birds feet and getting around the cage. Linnies love to climb so ladders and climbing nets are great. Perhaps later on you can get a flight cage which gives a bird room to spread their wings. The food dishes being on the floor of the cage is better for the human because the mess remains inside the cage. Think about putting the paper over the grate instead of under.

Those plastic perches that come with the cage are awful for the birds foot too.

 

[Dona]

Ok I will take your advice LJ and not get the rough perch. Oh my gosh, I live in Timonium. 15 minutes from Reisterstown. Small world.

 

[Lady Jane]

Wow that is very close. It is a small world. I buy Goldenfeast foods and lots of veggies, grains and greens. You are close to Wegmans so it will be easy to find the fresh foods. They carry dandelion greens which are loaded with nutrients.

 

[Garet]

Ooh, I have two cages like those and I removed the grates. My lovebirds tend to land on them super hard and it really does not help with anything. It makes the cage harder to clean, as all the poop tends to stick to the bars and my birds have gotten their feet stuck. I've even caught my tiel pecking at her poop because she wanted to forage for seeds she dropped and couldn't get to anything but her poop. Plus, it's not very good on their feet.

 

[Lady Jane]

@Garet you are so right. Linnie toes could easily get caught up in the grate. I think you must lift up the whole cage to clean it if they are still made the same way.

@Dona is your breeder in the Lancaster area? There is a cluster of them just over the line in Pa. Linnies thrive when they are in pairs.

 

[Lady Jane]

Lineolated Parakeet Society – LPS

 

[Garet]

@Lady Jane It looks exactly like the model one of my girls is stuck with until I find her a bigger home. You have to undo the clasps on the front and the back, remove the food dishes and then you can dig your fingers through the bars to lift it up. It's a real hassle and it's really hard to clean. Poop gets caught right where the bars connect all the time. I tried to clean them off before I gave up and just got rid of my bases.

It's actually a lot easier to clean and maintain the cages without them. You also got to be careful when you put it back together, as you can break the plastic if you don't have the base attached just the right way. The plastic food doors are also easy for big chewers to crack, but I'm not sure if Linoleated keets would have an issue with that.

 

[Dona]

Thanks for all the feedback! I so appreciate it!

 

[Lady Jane]

To be perfectly honest I got so frustrated with the clasps popping off I threw the dang cage in a dumpster. They are expensive too. I am sorry for badmouthing you cage.
Maybe you will have better luck with it.

Anyway when do you get Linnie? You did a nice job setting up the cage. When I had one I got other food and water dishes and put them up higher.

 

[Dona]

No problem LJ. I hope I like the cage. It seems like 90% love the Vision cages and 10% hate them. I bought mine and received it with the clear plastic area cracked. They replaced it and told me to keep the other for parts. So I have 2 bases and grates that will work well for cleaning. I can just pop the frame into the clean base each day, then clean the other. I am tall and strong and lifting the cage from the base is easy for me. But I'm not sure how it would work if it was one of the taller versions. Mine is the L01, 30Wx15Dx22H. It seems to fit very well and slip right into place. But If I don't like the cage I will just buy another type. I will buy food dishes today to put higher up.

The breeder told me I would probably be bringing my linnie home his week. I will call today to see how she is doing. Thanks again!

 

[Lady Jane]

Just wanted you to see a flight cage that is not much more in cost than the small one you have. Birds need the largest cage you can afford. This one has a great price.

Amazon.com : Large Wrought Iron Flight Canary Parakeet Cockatiel Lovebird Finch Cage With Removable Stand #15 Black Bird Cage, 32-Inc : Parrot Cages : Pet Supplies

 

[Dona]

I think the cage I have is large enough for one Linnie that is out often. But if the Vision cage is the problem that you both believe it is, I will check out this flight cage. Thanks for the link!

 

[Davi]

I'm not trying to say this just to sell my own toys (I'm one of the vendors on Avian Avenue), but... From the photo of the cage set up you sent (which looks really nice, by the way!), I think you might want to include a couple more small toys for them. I've never owned linnies, but I've had several customers buy some of my toys for them. Maybe you can even make some toys yourself? Just my 2 cents but, overall, I'm glad you're doing so much research before hand and hope you enjoy all the excitement in getting new fids! :-D

 

[Dona]

Thanks P4C! I do already have an assortment of toys that I will rotate into the cage and onto the play gym. But I will check out your site!

 

[Garet]

That flight cage would be a much better option, though if you really want to use your vision cage, you could always buy the parts to at least expand it vertically. Unfortunately, I don't think you can expand it horizontally.