New cage setup, open to suggestions!

[Kestrel]

Hello fellow bird nerds!
So I am actually waiting on a replacement part because the top of my Prevue Hendryx cage is not fitting correctly (you can see its wonky in the photos) but I thought I would go ahead and play around with "stuff" placement anyway. I'm still working on getting some natural branches and I have a rope perch I made that I have not put in there yet. My new cockatiel baby won't be coming home for a few more weeks yet so there is time to change stuff. But I was curious about what all you seasoned bird owners think about the setup so far? I plan to attach some foraging toys, a mineral block and a cuddle bone and as I mentioned of course the natural branch perches but otherwise I'm still in planning mode and open to suggestions!

Should I eliminate the big dowel perch completely? It came with the cage. I know dowels aren't great for their feet but it does span across the cage nicely.

Also I thought the platform swing was really cute and fun looking but now I'm slightly concerned about the chains on it, has anyone heard of/had problems with these? No particular brand. Got it off Amazon. Reviews were good.

Thanks in advance for your time and consideration! Bird love forever!!!

 

[Hawk12237]

I think it looks quite appropriate . If I may suggest, place a perch on outside of door and if you want, inside of door. When you open door the bird can come out and look around at his/her pace. All the while comfortably sitting on perch.
Other than that, looks like home to me!!

 

[Kestrel]

@Hawk12237 that's brilliant! I will definitely attach some to the outside and door, thank you!

 

[RedFoxBlackSox]

Looking good! You said you have a rope perch pending- mine definitely love their comfy perches! I think a wood corner shelf near the top of the cage would also get good use if birdie wants to rest their toes.

I might double check those toys- just because I think I recognize a few from amazon and remember seeing some reviews about safety issues (for bells and things) I got a couple things from amazon but am wary.

 

[Kestrel]

@RedFoxBlackSox thank you! I almost got a shelf, but I was concerned it would promote nesting behavior (I'm paranoid about egg laying). Do you have any trouble with that with your tiels?

I guess I can always remove a shelf later if it becomes an issue. Also the bird may in fact be male, and if so I can relax.

Yeah, I go back and forth on just returning the toys I got on Amazon because I keep hearing mixed stuff. Some people have voiced concerns about the dye but the others say it's fine. I can't find any info on what type of metal the chain/bells are made from so that's also bugging me. So annoying that it's made for birds and yet may not be safe! I love the bells! They seem well made, no rust or corrosion on them. I hate to return the bells, but maybe I should because yeah I don't know specifically what they are made of.

 

[RachelM]

Yes, I’ve seen several posts about entrapment issues regarding that ring and bell toy. What I would suggest if you can’t get ahold of natural branch perches, is modifying the dowel so it has an uneven surface. I did this with a box cutter (not the greatest idea lol) but a whittling knife would probably work better.

 

[RachelM]

I would also suggest buying a roosting perch and exchanging the keychain attaching things on the ladder (lack of better word) and replacing with bird safe c-links.

 

[Kestrel]

I would also suggest buying a roosting perch and exchanging the keychain attaching things on the ladder (lack of better word) and replacing with bird safe c-links.

Thank you! So just to make sure I'm understanding what you mean, a C-link would be like a carabiner?

I have some natural perches that I have cleaned and heat treated, they just need to be cut down and have the hardware put on them. But I have several so I can make them pretty much any length. So a roosting perch, is that a particular type of perch or would that just be a natural one at the top where you expect them to sleep?

Sorry if these are dumb questions! I did Google it but it was inconclusive and it's been 15 years since I owned a bird. I don't know the lingo LOL.

 

[RedFoxBlackSox]

I think this is what they mean by c link.

Sounds like you got the natural perches down! It might be a good idea to, aside from just different lengths, also have different widths and textures? I think they like standing on different sorts of things.



Although it looks way too big for them Lychee currently spends a lot of time on this nobby grapevine perch, for example!



I’m thinking of getting a second one of these because they clearly don’t both fit well on here, haha. This one is from amazon- they haven’t torn it up too much (a bit of chewing) but the main issue is I have to keep scrubbing it down because they don’t always watch the poop bombs :Y but I guess if they like it so much, it’s worth it.

 

[Kestrel]

@RedFoxBlackSox
Ah! Okay got cha. Thank you! Yes it seems I have several I need to switch out in my cage then. And I have decided to return several of the toys I bought including the bells. I'll be a bit more selective about what toys I buy in future. I see people talking about people who sell toys on this site, but I haven't found a page for that yet. Unless it's just the banner ads?
The shelf looks cool, I think I will go ahead and get one. And I'm so happy you mentioned the grape vine perch because I was just looking at one today I was considering getting. They are so neat looking and surprisingly soft to the touch. Anyway, thanks for the advice!
Also, your tiels are adorable!

 

[RachelM]

@Kestrel No worries, we were all new to birds at some point! It’s much better to be asking questions than to just assume you know things. That is what I meant by C-links. (Also known as pear links.) A roosting perch is the highest perch In The cage and where the bird usually prefers to sleep. you typically want it to be as comfortable for the bird to sleep on. I like using platform perches and thick rope perches.

 

[RachelM]

The vendors list can be found in the marketplace section of the forum.

 

[greys4u]

@Kestrel I would remove the dowel perch, its not good for their feet

 

[Kestrel]

Okay, thank you all for your insight! I have decided to return a few of the toys I bought, the bells, the swing platform and a couple others that I can't figure out what kind if metal is used. I'm ordering a platform corner perch made from pine for a roost and a rope perch to go on the outside the cage (I dont want wing nuts inside the cage so ordering a rope perch with protected, plastic attachments).

I have attached some photos of toys that claim to use all be bird safe materials. They look okay to me but I would like to put it to the experts. Do these look safe?

 

[Kestrel]

The vendors list can be found in the marketplace section of the forum.

Thank you! I will check them out.

 

[taxidermynerd]

I'm not sure about the last 2 but the 1st toy is from Super Bird Creations. They use bird-safe materials, and my bird loves many of their toys. Their site is superbirdtoystore.com.

 

[RachelM]

Those all look greta to me. My tiel loves Balsa wood, Sola, and Yucca the most. I love the lil monster toys.