I'm very excited to announce that our 2012 June Feathered Estates Highlight is Keri (Ribbit21)!! Keri has done an excellent job combining designs for a Birdroom/Handicap Setup.
1~ What kind of birds do you have and how many birds did you design your setup for?
I have 2 birds, a 1.5 yr old Quaker and a 15 yr old Senegal. The setup is designed for both of them.
The left side is Marshall the Senegal's side. The right side is more used by my Quaker, Jasper. There is also a comfy leather chair that I sit in and read while they play.
2~ Is your setup for a handicapped bird?
One of my birds has no toes, so I had to incorporate places for him to rest and make hanging swings easier for him to reach.
He often uses this basket is his favorite place to rest.
Some of the more slippery branches are wrapped with cotton rope. I also added many ladders so he can easily reach the different levels.
3~ Are there any budgeting tips you discovered while doing your setup?
I bought many things over a year and while on sale. I had been storing swings and boings in preparation for starting the new bird room. I didn't start working on it till I added my second bird.
4~ Is your setup changeable or stationary and do you add or make changes continually or do things stay primarily as is?
I switch things around every month or so. I rotate toys every week. It's also trial and error with what Jasper can use, so if he starts getting frustrated at falling too much, I will hang up his favorite Crystal's Bird Toys swing. His swing is normally in a different room. I try to encourage him to use his wings more and hopefully he will get more confidence as he gets older.
5~ Where did you find your materials if you made it yourself or where did you purchase the setup and do you have favorite places to purchase safe toys and/or supplies that you find reliable?
For the DIY materials and several of the boings, I purchased most of them at local bird fairs. The purchased items I bought through several of my favorite stores: My Safe Bird Store, Birdylicious, Blu's Bird Toys, and Birds Favorite Toys. Most of the toys I rotate come from Crystals Bird Toys, Parroteelia, Polly-Oopie Bird Toys, and Things for Wings.
6~ Do you have a favorite item that you bought for your setup?
My favorite is one of my newest purchases from Birdylicious. The blue Busy Beak Sr. Swing is one of Jasper's favorites. The swing forms a little platform so he can focus more on playing up there instead of balance.
7~ If you made any DIY toys what is your bird(s) favorite and were there any failures?
Marshall's favorite is the rope highway I made. It is about 7 feet long. I'm not so good at knots so I had to watch 10 different youtube videos before I could get those knots just right. I probably untied everything 20 times! I could never get the 3 sections to be even.
Jasper's favorite is the huge play stand built from willow branches. The branches are all from a backyard tree that needed trimming. The branches sat for a year before I had the space to put everything together. It's held together with cotton rope.
8~ Did you incorporate into your setup any foraging toys and how did your bird(s) take to them and was age or inactivity a factor?
Everyday I hide treats on the willow play stand. There are a few nooks to stuff favorite treats in. Jasper tries to find them right away, while Marshall takes his time. Marshall is older and must less active than Jasper, so he spends more time napping and looking out the window.
9~ What difficulties did you encounter, if any, and how did you remedy them?
Marshall can be fearful about new things, so it can take him a while to explore new areas. In the beginning he wasn't exploring enough, so I moved a chair in the room so I could sit with him. He is much more outgoing while I am sitting there with him and chatting with him.
I also wanted to encourage Marshall to move by himself from his cage to the play area. I added an extra perch outside his cage and used treats to show him how to get to everything.
10~ What do you like least about your set up (if anything)?
It is lacking in full spectrum lighting. I hope to add some in the future.
11~ What do you like most about your setup?
There is a big window in the room, so the birds spend hours looking out that window. They love it!
12~ Did your bird(s) take to the setup right away or did they approach it tentatively needing time to adjust and do you feel their age was a factor?
Marshall climbed up to the rope highway right away. However, It look him a few days before he would explore other areas. Jasper took to it right away. Age was probably less a factor than general personality.
13~ Any future renovations planned?
I plan on adding a climbing net and an atom in the future. Also, there is room to expland if I get another bird.
1~ What kind of birds do you have and how many birds did you design your setup for?
I have 2 birds, a 1.5 yr old Quaker and a 15 yr old Senegal. The setup is designed for both of them.
The left side is Marshall the Senegal's side. The right side is more used by my Quaker, Jasper. There is also a comfy leather chair that I sit in and read while they play.
2~ Is your setup for a handicapped bird?
One of my birds has no toes, so I had to incorporate places for him to rest and make hanging swings easier for him to reach.
He often uses this basket is his favorite place to rest.
Some of the more slippery branches are wrapped with cotton rope. I also added many ladders so he can easily reach the different levels.
3~ Are there any budgeting tips you discovered while doing your setup?
I bought many things over a year and while on sale. I had been storing swings and boings in preparation for starting the new bird room. I didn't start working on it till I added my second bird.
4~ Is your setup changeable or stationary and do you add or make changes continually or do things stay primarily as is?
I switch things around every month or so. I rotate toys every week. It's also trial and error with what Jasper can use, so if he starts getting frustrated at falling too much, I will hang up his favorite Crystal's Bird Toys swing. His swing is normally in a different room. I try to encourage him to use his wings more and hopefully he will get more confidence as he gets older.
5~ Where did you find your materials if you made it yourself or where did you purchase the setup and do you have favorite places to purchase safe toys and/or supplies that you find reliable?
For the DIY materials and several of the boings, I purchased most of them at local bird fairs. The purchased items I bought through several of my favorite stores: My Safe Bird Store, Birdylicious, Blu's Bird Toys, and Birds Favorite Toys. Most of the toys I rotate come from Crystals Bird Toys, Parroteelia, Polly-Oopie Bird Toys, and Things for Wings.
6~ Do you have a favorite item that you bought for your setup?
My favorite is one of my newest purchases from Birdylicious. The blue Busy Beak Sr. Swing is one of Jasper's favorites. The swing forms a little platform so he can focus more on playing up there instead of balance.
7~ If you made any DIY toys what is your bird(s) favorite and were there any failures?
Marshall's favorite is the rope highway I made. It is about 7 feet long. I'm not so good at knots so I had to watch 10 different youtube videos before I could get those knots just right. I probably untied everything 20 times! I could never get the 3 sections to be even.
Jasper's favorite is the huge play stand built from willow branches. The branches are all from a backyard tree that needed trimming. The branches sat for a year before I had the space to put everything together. It's held together with cotton rope.
8~ Did you incorporate into your setup any foraging toys and how did your bird(s) take to them and was age or inactivity a factor?
Everyday I hide treats on the willow play stand. There are a few nooks to stuff favorite treats in. Jasper tries to find them right away, while Marshall takes his time. Marshall is older and must less active than Jasper, so he spends more time napping and looking out the window.
9~ What difficulties did you encounter, if any, and how did you remedy them?
Marshall can be fearful about new things, so it can take him a while to explore new areas. In the beginning he wasn't exploring enough, so I moved a chair in the room so I could sit with him. He is much more outgoing while I am sitting there with him and chatting with him.
I also wanted to encourage Marshall to move by himself from his cage to the play area. I added an extra perch outside his cage and used treats to show him how to get to everything.
10~ What do you like least about your set up (if anything)?
It is lacking in full spectrum lighting. I hope to add some in the future.
11~ What do you like most about your setup?
There is a big window in the room, so the birds spend hours looking out that window. They love it!
12~ Did your bird(s) take to the setup right away or did they approach it tentatively needing time to adjust and do you feel their age was a factor?
Marshall climbed up to the rope highway right away. However, It look him a few days before he would explore other areas. Jasper took to it right away. Age was probably less a factor than general personality.
13~ Any future renovations planned?
I plan on adding a climbing net and an atom in the future. Also, there is room to expland if I get another bird.
Great setup!
What a great set up!
)
Congratulations.. 
