Opinions on this pre-made aviary?

[Nostromo]

Hi folks,

I posted this on the Toys & Cages but didn't get much response, so I thought I'd try here

We moved with our two blue heads from the southeast US to a coastal CA mountain range. In our previous home, I'd built an aviary for them by modifying a chicken run. They LOVED it. I'd like to have an aviary for them here, too, but I feel like anything I built myself would not be sturdy enough to withstand the local predator population - including rats, raccoons, mountain lions, birds of prey, coyotes and grey foxes.

I've been looking at this aviary: https://www.wingzstore.com/aviaries-cages/aviaries-flights/birdloft-aviary-42-x-72-x-72.html

Any opinions on whether this, with a wire grid bottom added as an option as well as internal safety door, placed on flagstones, would be safe enough?

Thanks!

 

[MommyBird]

I like it! Especially if you get the 1/2 inch mesh.
I'm not sure what an "internal safety door" is? I have what is called a vestibule whch adds a second door to my aviary, and have found it to be vital.
You may also find, if you garden, that it is a good place to stash your potted tomato plants to protect from wild bird pecks, chipmunks, squirrels, raccoons etc. when the tomatoes are just about when you want to pick them. Has kept me from saying many a cussword here.

 

[conurehrdr]

I LIKE! I would love to get something like that for my apartment, for indoors, but I'd have to really save up, LOL.

 

[Dartman]

I'd love it but no budget for that sort of goodness here. If you can afford it that looks like a great quick option to have your birds safely hanging out outside. Do double check all the mandatory options, like they charge 175 extra if you don't have a forklift laying around handy to move it off their truck.

 

[Nostromo]

Thank you guys!!

Yes this is a longer term item that we'll be saving up for, but I'm super excited for once we can order it. I messaged them to ask if it is possible to disassemble and reassemble since I'd want to be able to bring it if we moved.

The internal safety door is indeed a vestibule to provide a double door entrance to avoid escapes!

 

[Dartman]

I really want to add some kind of safety door vestibule to my front door. We lost Lurch to not having anything like it when sister got home and figured he was sleeping so tried to sneak in with the groceries. He woke up and flew in to see what was up and right out the open door

 

[TheBirds]

Oh man, I love that! We don't get such variety up in Canada -- they'd never ship here (or it would be a logistical and financial nightmare). We built ours earlier this year for about $400USD .. it has two separate spaces and an airlock. I think it deserves its own post and I don't want to hijack yours, lol. But will post it over in Cages & Enrichment.

What would be the purpose of the wire grid, though? None of my birds have dared venture to the floor of their aviary (yet, anyway). I have flagstone in mine along with mulch (untreated pine) which is conducive to growing plants in there too (all verified parrot-safe)

 

[patchyjoon]

Oh man, I love that! We don't get such variety up in Canada -- they'd never ship here (or it would be a logistical and financial nightmare). We built ours earlier this year for about $400USD .. it has two separate spaces and an airlock. I think it deserves its own post and I don't want to hijack yours, lol. But will post it over in Cages & Enrichment.

What would be the purpose of the wire grid, though? None of my birds have dared venture to the floor of their aviary (yet, anyway). I have flagstone in mine along with mulch (untreated pine) which is conducive to growing plants in there too (all verified parrot-safe)

Some diseases live in the ground and some types of bugs carry deadly diseases to our lil guys. Idk how big of a risk that is, just something I read about when we were thinking about building an aviary for Patchy.

 

[patchyjoon]

I LOVE this aviary!!

 

[AussieBird]

What would be the purpose of the wire grid, though? None of my birds have dared venture to the floor of their aviary (yet, anyway). I have flagstone in mine along with mulch (untreated pine) which is conducive to growing plants in there too (all verified parrot-safe)

It's main purpose would be to keep things out. Mice, rats, anything that will dig, etc. Even with a mesh floor I've had a snake get into my aviary. The smallest gaps can and will be found by something...
Unless you are supervising your birds every moment they're in the aviary, a mesh base is a basic requirement to me.