Cage licking

[kiertje]

Hi

Chip is licking his cage alot, one of the reasons why I changed cages. This one has a special coating to prevent metal licking.

Anybody knows somethings to change this behaviour.

 

[Zara]

 

[Leih]

I have no ideas, but this will bump your thread again.

 

[Mizzely]

What do you mean a coating to prevent the licking? Do you mean it is powder coated to prevent metal poisoning from occurring?

Is there a specific area of the cage that he licks the cage at? If so, you could block access with a toy or similar. I had to do that with my Hahns who would rub the coating off her cage otherwise.

What other activities are available in the cage? Have you tried to introduce something to distract, such as foraging? How much out of cage time does he get? Sometimes behaviors like that can manifest due to boredom or stress, and then even when the trigger has been removed, they may continue doing it - making it a hard habit to break.

 

[Dona]

I don't have any experience with this. But everything @Mizzely said makes sense. I have these big seagrass mats that definitely could help to block a large area and offer some chewing alternatives. Mine happens to be on the outside of her cage, but Gigi likes them a lot and I can alternate things that hang.

 

[kiertje]

What do you mean a coating to prevent the licking? Do you mean it is powder coated to prevent metal poisoning from occurring?

Is there a specific area of the cage that he licks the cage at? If so, you could block access with a toy or similar. I had to do that with my Hahns who would rub the coating off her cage otherwise.

What other activities are available in the cage? Have you tried to introduce something to distract, such as foraging? How much out of cage time does he get? Sometimes behaviors like that can manifest due to boredom or stress, and then even when the trigger has been removed, they may continue doing it - making it a hard habit to break.

Yeah I meant the powder coating to prevent metal poisoning.

He really does is everywhere. He is from day 1 more scared than Nuka. It the beginning I only had Chip, after a week I got Nuka because he was so scared and stressed, I would come home and his beak would be bleeding or his chest. Chip has been a little off from the beginning.

When I am home the cage open for them to go in and out whenever they want. That's about 1/3 someday 2/3 of the day. They got this play gym stand with an cat water fountain to drink or shower.

My cage:


And bought this thing new:

 

[Zara]

Yeah I meant the powder coating to prevent metal poisoning.

The coating is Avilon coating. I thought it was to protect the quality of the cage. It is not to prevent metal poisoning because the cage is made from safe metal.
I have the same cage, my birds don´t lick it but they use their beaks to climb.

 

[kiertje]

The coating is Avilon coating. I thought it was to protect the quality of the cage. It is not to prevent metal poisoning because the cage is made from safe metal.
I have the same cage, my birds don´t lick it but they use their beaks to climb.

Ah okay :3 Could be, wouldn't be tje first time that dutch pet shops say the wrong thing

 

[Leih]

Looks like he has plenty to do in there. Do you rearrange his cage and rotate toys? I like to change textures for them, too, even their favorite things can become boring if I don't switch.

Funny, I have that cage, and so does @Zara and so does @Dona! They had it first though, and I thought it looked nice so I got one for my conure.

 

[Zara]

@kiertje I just noticed you line the cage with wood shavings, is there a reason? Do you not wake up with shavings in your bed?
It´s much less fuss to line with paper, it will keep your room much cleaner

 

[kiertje]

@kiertje I just noticed you line the cage with wood shavings, is there a reason? Do you not wake up with shavings in your bed?
It´s much less fuss to line with paper, it will keep your room much cleaner

Yeah my room gets messy I was using kitchen rolls before but was changing it out every 2 days and would start smelling. Tried using sand but some reason I'm allergic to it, would have trouble breathing.

So now I'm just using wood shavings and corbo mix.

 

[kiertje]

And they love to dig it in and find fallen pieces of these food sticks i give them sometimes, kind of cute to see

 

[Dona]

Looks like he has plenty to do in there. Do you rearrange his cage and rotate toys? I like to change textures for them, too, even their favorite things can become boring if I don't switch.

The cage does look loaded and fun. Gigi is sometimes shy (or not interested) with new stuff so I put her new things in front of or next to her favorites. Then she can't resist but to check them out while playing with her favorites.

Funny, I have that cage, and so does @Zara and so does @Dona! They had it first though, and I thought it looked nice so I got one for my conure.

I love this cage! I have it in cream and it's beautiful and so easy to keep clean. It reminds me of the quality of the old California Cages that I had and loved.

 

[kiertje]

Do you guys use UV light?

 

[Dona]

No, I don't. I've heard different opinions, so I'm not sure of the pros and cons. Gigi is in front of window in the afternoon and gets a lot of light. But the window is not open, so it's not like direct sunlight.

 

[Leih]

I have an Avian Sun lamp, but I don't use it as often as I maybe should.

 

[Leih]

I'm not sure what my opinion on them is, either.

 

[Mizzely]

I personally do not My reasons are in this post: Vitamin D3 for Our Birds