safe cage liners?

[je0409]

i’ve heard that magazines and other colored inked papers are bad to use as cage lines but my apartment rarely gets the newspaper and it’s expensive to keep buying liners from the pet store. we do however get a log of catalogs and mags in the mail and i was wondering if it’s okay to use those? the cage my conjure has has a tray at the bottom and then a wire grate over it so there’s no way she could ever come into contact with the liners. is the only safety concern her eating it or is there some other reason i shouldn’t use it?

 

[Peepers]

I've also been wondering if I can cover the cage bottom with newspaper and flyers since they don't leak ink anymore. (I put paper over the grate.)
Thanks for asking the question!

 

[Shezbug]

I’m not sure about magazines as some have no smell and some have a very strong chemical smell.
I buy unprinted newspaper and many here buy packing paper- it’s cheap enough and lasts a long time, it also has the added bonus of making it really easy to keep a good check on your birds poops.

 

[Shezbug]

I've also been wondering if I can cover the cage bottom with newspaper and flyers since they don't leak ink anymore. (I put paper over the grate.)
Thanks for asking the question!

Newspaper is fine to use. The ink on newspaper is non toxic.

 

[Peepers]

Newspaper is fine to use. The ink on newspaper is non toxic.

Ok, thanks! What about coloured flyers from stores? I get tons of those every week.

 

[Shezbug]

Ok, thanks! What about coloured flyers from stores? I get tons of those every week.

Yeah I’m not sure what they’re made with. If you can find out if they’re printed with non toxic ink then you should be fine. @Mizzely might know more about the flyers and magazines.
I live in the middle of nowhere, we don’t get many flyers and I don’t buy or read magazines so I’ve never bothered trying to find out.

 

[budgieluv3]

I always make sure my flyers sit for awhile to air out the smell before putting them in the cage.

 

[Mizzely]

You could always contact the company to make sure they are made with soy based inks The ones made with petroleum can also off gas and that may be a problem.

I am not sure where you live but I get unprinted newsprint from Uhaul. $10 for 200 sheets. Paper towels also work well

 

[Peepers]

You could always contact the company to make sure they are made with soy based inks The ones made with petroleum can also off gas and that may be a problem.

I am not sure where you live but I get unprinted newsprint from Uhaul. $10 for 200 sheets. Paper towels also work well

Paper towels are like gold here! Can't find them anywhere (it's the new toilet paper, lol).

 

[taxidermynerd]

I am not sure where you live but I get unprinted newsprint from Uhaul. $10 for 200 sheets. Paper towels also work well

I also do the packing paper. 1 sheet covers the whole cage floor, and since I bought the big box of papers, it comes out to be cheaper than paper towels and I have a much bigger supply.

 

[je0409]

thanks everyone for all the replies!!! i think ill just use the rest of what i already have (in terms of flyers) since there havent been any problems so far and she doesnt come in contact with them, and soon ill go out and buy some packing paper just to be on the safe side. thanks for the advice!!!

 

[Feather]

+


Haven't lined a single cage in about five years.

 

[painesgrey]

I use packing paper. I have a big cage (32" x 32") so the package of paper can be pretty unruly (o.m.g. the paper cuts I've received), but I wouldn't use anything else at this point. It's relatively cheap, allows better visuals on waste product, and (as we recently discovered) can be used as wrapping paper in a pinch.

I also use a

on the grates before each paper change.