How to safe on sand?

[Yuki Shiro]

Well, I made the cage myself; I am quite proud of it, the birds like it, but some things are super impractical.
One thing is: With a length of around 3 meters x 0.7 meters [~ 118x 27.5 Zoll]
I need around 3 kg sand.....

Well, obviously, one can put just 1kg....
Gosh.

Or else in one area something out of plastic, "easy" washable in the bathtub and the rest sand. Below the sand is newspaper.
Well, the bad news is they try to forage on the cage floor. This would be a good base for bacteria etc.

Or what should I do?

 

[WikiWaz]

I've never heard of anyone using sand for cage liners. Newspaper works very well.

 

[Tyrion]

I would just use news paper

 

[Yuki Shiro]

Okay! Awesome. But don't they need the grit in it (pieces of mussels, etc.), or is their sepia enough?

 

[fashionfobie]

Okay! Awesome. But don't they need the grit in it (pieces of mussels, etc.), or is their sepia enough?

I depends on the species. If your specific species requires grit provide in a sanitary dish. You don't want them eating where their poop is.

 

[Destiny]

What kind of bird do you have? Many species do not require insoluable grit.

 

[tka]

Canaries and finches etc need grit because they swallow seed whole. The grit in their gizzard helps to crush the seed hulls.

Parrots, including parrotlets, hull their seed therefore no need for grit. If they are on a pelleted diet, there is definitely no need for grit. Consuming grit and other inedible material can actually result in crop impaction.

I use unprinted newspaper/packing paper on cage floors. It's reasonably cheap, I can buy it in 10/15/20kg packs and I can change papers daily.

 

[Destiny]

Even for birds that benefit from grit, soluable grit is a safer option, since it is less likely to cause blockages and it has the added benefit of providing helpful minerals, like calcium.

Crushed oyster shell is an example of soluable grit.

Beach sand contains a mix of soluable and insoluable grit from sea shells. Other kinds of sand may be entirely composed of insoluable rock, depending on where it came from or how it was made.

 

[FeatheredM]

I use paper, it is quite easy to handle. I am a little curious on how your cage looks like

 

[Yuki Shiro]

What kind of bird do you have? Many species do not require insoluable grit.

Pacific parrotlets.

Canaries and finches etc need grit because they swallow seed whole. The grit in their gizzard helps to crush the seed hulls.

Parrots, including parrotlets, hull their seed therefore no need for grit. If they are on a pelleted diet, there is definitely no need for grit. Consuming grit and other inedible material can actually result in crop impaction.

I use unprinted newspaper/packing paper on cage floors. It's reasonably cheap, I can buy it in 10/15/20kg packs and I can change papers daily.

Good to know. Well, so far I see no need for unprinted paper with my birds. Till know, they shredded nothing.
BTW: Don't budgies need grit? (I count them as parrots)

Even for birds that benefit from grit, soluable grit is a safer option, since it is less likely to cause blockages and it has the added benefit of providing helpful minerals, like calcium.

Crushed oyster shell is an example of soluable grit.

Beach sand contains a mix of soluable and insoluable grit from sea shells. Other kinds of sand may be entirely composed of insoluable rock, depending on where it came from or how it was made.

Interesting. Might mix it with hot water to see what happens?

 

[FeatheredM]

Budgies do not need grit

 

[Yuki Shiro]

I use paper, it is quite easy to handle. I am a little curious on how your cage looks like

~3meter*0.7m*2m [118*28*79 inch]

 

[FeatheredM]

That is awesome, it's even wider than taller

 

[Vmax]

Awesome!