Cage media

[Ange1seyes]

I was wondering what you all use in the bottom of your cages for media? I will have just a single canary. I was thinking of using paper with maybe pine pellets on top? What are your thoughts?

 

[Mizzely]

I just use newspaper/newsprint. It makes it much easier to monitor poops, which are an early health problem detection tool.

 

[Parront]

I use newspapers, brown wrappers that come in shipping, desk calendars etc.

 

[Ange1seyes]

I had heard to not use anything with print or color on it because of the ink

 

[Parront]

I had heard to not use anything with print or color on it because of the ink

I agree about newspaper ink "bleeding", but I use the newspapers in the tray, and then there is the pull out that sperates my birds from the tray.

 

[Mizzely]

Most newspaper ink is soy based these days, so is considered non toxic.

You can also get blank newsprint. Example:

Packing Paper for Moving - 24inch x 30inch Sheets

U-Haul packing paper is an acid free and ink free newsprint paper ideal for protecting fragile items while moving or storing.

www.uhaul.com

 

[Jayced!!]

With a single canary I doubt that you'll have an issue no matter what you choose to line the cage with!

Generally people will use newspaper as it's easily accessible, cheap, nontoxic, and absorbent. I prefer butcher's paper with my large cages or the back of large (discount rack) desk calendar paper sheets for my smaller cages. Many people will also use paper towels for small cages. Blank sheets are easier to monitor dropping quality on!

Personally I'd stay away from bedding like corn cob, pine pellets or otherwise unless you have a larger bird with really wet droppings! For me personally it's EXTREMELY helpful for those birds, though seems to be more trouble than its worth otherwise! This is mostly due to the upkeep, difficulty to fully remove food items, and trapping dust that comes with that bedding.

hope this helps!

 

[Finchbreed]

As an avairy person, 3 out of the 4 are natural sand floors.
The concrete floor is the problematic one - trying to keep it dry.
Sand is easy to remove and replace the top layer and provides natural grit for digestion.

 

[Zilga]

I'm also a big fan of butcher paper because the rolls are easy to deal with and it doesn't transmit moisture. For one canary, newsprint would be more than fine, and I'd also skip pellets for the reasons other mentioned.

 

[patchyjoon]

I've tried newspapers and butcher paper but found myself liking paper towels the most. I always have them on hand, and they're white so it's easy to tell the color of poops and monitor them.

 

[Lee Penman]

I use magazines

 

[Sparkles99]

I use moving paper; it’s blank newspaper!

 

[Linwood]

I bought some painters/construction paper in rolls at Lowes. I cut the roll to the right length (to match the wide width) with a band saw, then I just cut individual sheets to length.

It's heavy and absorbent, and even if loaded with detritus you can fold/roll it up to take out and dispose. Because it is heavy and lays flat, I think it makes it less interesting to tear up (for the top playstand where it's reachable, the under-cage part is not of course).