Pictures We have an escape artist in the house...

[issajoy]

Hi everybirdie!

Well, we know Ollie loves to take apart things... she finally figured out how to take the breeder side door off her cage!
The lock holds tight (one of the new locks from King's Cages) but she's managed to unscrew the screw that keeps the door's hinge in place.

Suggestions for how to secure this? The plan right now is to just chain around the door and put a lock on it, but anything other ideas are appreciated.

And here's a picture of someone looking very proud of herself.




Here is a photo of where she got the screw from...

 

[sunnysmom]

Oh my. They're just so smart aren't they. I have a little escape artist myself.

 

[jennluna]

Lol. It’s a milestone they all hit, I think. Faust just figured it out a few days ago. I have a chain and padlock on there for now, until/if I can figure out something better.

 

[11bryces]

he is just too smart

 

[painesgrey]

Pippin does the same thing. Fortunately I was able to use a wrench and an electric screwdriver to tighten it to the point that his beak wasn't strong enough to undo it, but that probably won't be as effective against a big macaw beak. :I

 

[hrafn]

What a cheeky little girl!
Macaws are such little miscreants. I'm constantly having to figure out new ways to keep Taco in his cage. They're too smart for their own good sometimes!

(Ollie's SO beautiful )

 

[Icey]

LOL Frankie and Bebe sneak out too. Bebe will unlatch the food door from the outside on one side of the cage i don't use the feeding dishes in, so i don't notice its not shut.
3 times now they have snuck out so i double check them all now.

 

[aooratrix]

Harry does the same thing. I hang a big toy smack against it.

 

[issajoy]

Macaws are little trouble makers I just find it so funny that she's taking the door apart, not even just opening it... crashing it to the floor! We got a longer screw that goes all the way down to the next bar, hoping that will be enough... got some stainless steel chain and locks too just in case

@hrafn they're too much! Thank you, your birds are beautiful as well - love Taco's name

@Icey ah I can't believe they help each other escape! Prison break

@aooratrix a toy there is a good idea! Will (hopefully) keep her playing with something else other than the door... I'll move a toy there later!

Ollie can be a little stinker but that's what makes her who she is. Love her and wouldn't have it any other way she loves to deconstruct and always watches carefully when I put something back together... think she could be a builder or mechanic one day

 

[redindiaink]

What a cheeky monkey!

It might be enough of a deterrent to swap out the screw that's there with another type of screw head (Robertson or a bolt?) that makes it harder for them to get a purchase on it with that beak of theirs.

Rosie likes to slide the grate out of the way and gets trapped between it and the seed catcher.

 

[Shezbug]

Ollie is a treasure!
Burt has started obsessing over a food door (that I do not keep a bowl in) trying to work out how it opens. I have a huge toy hanging in the way in the hopes it will disturb his escape attempts and redirect him to chewing instead. So far I have been lucky, I guess eventually he will work it out.....then I will be straight on AA to find out how everyone else keeps their macaws inside the cage! Lol.

 

[Clueless]

Ollie is beautiful...

 

[OK Mike]

Blu figured out the exact same trick. I ended up putting thread sealant and a jam nut on all 5 doors.

 

[faislaq]

Our blue beast is free range today. He has been playing with the metal circles that hang over the doors from the outside lately, but has evidently discovered how to unlatch them from the inside now. This morning I as I was getting ready to leave, I locked Buzzard in his cage, put the 'too girls in their day cage and turn around just in time to see Buzzard crawling through the breeder door! I've read that people chain the doors closed, so I went into my stash leftover toy chains & grabbed a quick link -but none of the links would fit through the chain. I've already moved some of the bird toys to the new house, so I think the larger chains and smaller quick links must be there. I had to leave, so I put the dogs in the master suite to be safe & I hope he's happily chilling on his playstand and not chewing though our security deposit.

Harry does the same thing. I hang a big toy smack against it.

Good idea! I wondered if a toy would work, but I couldn't find my last big one from Sarah. I think it's at the new house, too, so I'll have to stop by on the way home to grab it and the other chains.

It might be enough of a deterrent to swap out the screw that's there with another type of screw head (Robertson or a bolt?) that makes it harder for them to get a purchase on it with that beak of theirs.
Rosie likes to slide the grate out of the way and gets trapped between it and the seed catcher.

If I don't have a chain that will work, I'll have to run to Home Depot to see if they have one of these screws or bolt you've mentioned or see if they have ss lock nuts like @OK Mike suggested. (And poor Rosie getting stuck under her grate! I feel terrible laughing, but I'm sure she's in no real danger and could easily get out if she thought about it.

 

[bubblelady]

 

[redindiaink]

If I don't have a chain that will work, I'll have to run to Home Depot to see if they have one of these screws or bolt you've mentioned or see if they have ss lock nuts like @OK Mike suggested. (And poor Rosie getting stuck under her grate! I feel terrible laughing, but I'm sure she's in no real danger and could easily get out if she thought about it.

If you can take it with you it'll make it easier to source a new one. If they don't, ask if they have a thread gauge then it's just a matter of ordering one from McMaster-Carr. You could also try a local welding or machine shop.

Rosie getting out is a big worry. She still tries, but I've wrenched the spring loaded tab down so the grate is almost impossible to move. Demon bird likes to run for my partners legs.

 

[EkkieLu]

What a guy! Keeps you on your toes for sure!

 

[Lodah]

I would suggest a straight jacket... but thats not going to last either!

 

[faislaq]

Feeling a bit proud of myself this morning. I had a very late customer last night, so I didn't get to drive out to the new place after work, and the only spare chain I had at the apartment that a quick link will fit through was too short to wrap around the door... so I wrapped it around the disc so it can't move. Voila! Door stays shut.

So there . Nanny- nanny-boo-boo, Buzzard! :nanana:

 

[zoo mom]

Feeling a bit proud of myself this morning. I had a very late customer last night, so I didn't get to drive out to the new place after work, and the only spare chain I had at the apartment that a quick link will fit through was too short to wrap around the door... so I wrapped it around the disc so it can't move. Voila! Door stays shut.
View attachment 300843
So there . Nanny- nanny-boo-boo, Buzzard! :nanana:

But can he reach the quick link. Russell Boogertoo hasn't mastered escape but he has mastered unscrewing quick links.