Just wondered how many people use grates at the bottom of there cages with both of my cockatiel cages they have grates at the bottom, Ian was looking at a cage in a petstore that had no grate on the bottom and the lady was saying its not good for there feet, I guess its all a personally choice mine very rarely go on the bottom of the cage do any of yours? and do you use grates in your cages?
Grates
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Most cages I have DO come with grates.
I kept the grates in for the budgies, as i found they are more foraging birds, and liked to play with their poop and the newspaper... which I didn't like.
But for the tiels, i take out their grates for various reasons. 1) I found they are more clumsy, and would trip a lot while walking on grates 2) So if they have night frights, they land on softer solid floor rather than wires 3) when/if they do fall, or even for walking around on the bottom of the cage... if there was a grate i found my tiels tail feathers broke more, which sucked! lol 4) I found tiels were more clumsy and spilt more food, which would waste if they could't get to it (if there WAS a grate on). Where as without one, they can go down to get the millet the dropped, or their sun flower they dropped e.t.c.
So, i say no grates for tiels, and yes grates for budgies
Kirby
I kept the grates in for the budgies, as i found they are more foraging birds, and liked to play with their poop and the newspaper... which I didn't like.
But for the tiels, i take out their grates for various reasons. 1) I found they are more clumsy, and would trip a lot while walking on grates 2) So if they have night frights, they land on softer solid floor rather than wires 3) when/if they do fall, or even for walking around on the bottom of the cage... if there was a grate i found my tiels tail feathers broke more, which sucked! lol 4) I found tiels were more clumsy and spilt more food, which would waste if they could't get to it (if there WAS a grate on). Where as without one, they can go down to get the millet the dropped, or their sun flower they dropped e.t.c.
So, i say no grates for tiels, and yes grates for budgies
Kirby
thanks Kirby I guess my other question was would it be ok to NOT have a grate at the bottom and you answered that I was just worried about them walking around in there own droppings but I change the paper everyday so I guess that wouldn't be a problem if I got a cage without a grate
I was just worried about them walking around in there own droppings but I change the paper everyday so I guess that wouldn't be a problem if I got a cage without a grate Thats a great idea...I never even thought of that as a toy and its inexpensive I am going to get one and see how they like it, I will let you knowNope, no problem at all
I change mine once a week... and my guys never chew their poop, or play in it or anything
Kirby
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I use grates on both my cages. Always will. I agree they are clumsy. Heck mine use to land on each other. But mine spend more time out of there cage then in there cage. As of right now the tiel cage does not have a grate because i took down the black cage for the new cage and there is only one grate with the tiels double stacked cage. Once the new cage comes the grate will be used. I just prefur to have them in rather then lying around gathering dust.
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I wouldn't use them for a bird that has lots of night frights (of course, if you have a bird that does, you have to do something about that anyway, but that's kinda off-topic). Not just because they can get hurt if they fall on it, but because they can get stuck in it. Edy once got her wings stuck in the grate that was in her old cage and terrified me because she looked like she was dying, and it had to be scary and painful for her because she kept screaming and woke up my dad (who was also afraid she was dying), so once I got her unstuck... out that thing went. After I got her unstuck, she stayed out with me for a while and I gave her lots of cuddles until we both felt better. It surprised me that nothing was broken.
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I use grates. I don't want them walking in their poo . Even if I change the paper every day.
. Even if I change the paper every day.
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The weird thing was that in her old cage, Edy would walk around on the grate and pick at her poo, but she quit doing that after I took the grate out.
She doesn't seem to have problems with the grate in her new cage so far, though.
She doesn't seem to have problems with the grate in her new cage so far, though.
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I definitely think grates are a must unless you're going to change the paper VERY often. I have a grate in the tiel cage, and the second i take it out they're on the floor walking through their poop, shredding the messy paper and picking up and playing with their poop. If i leave the grate in they don't even go down there.
I must have strange tiels then...lol mine never go to the bottom and I do have a grate on, I took it off just to try it out and they still didn't go on the bottom. I guess for me it doesn't matter if its on or off , I do have to say though I don't agree with it being easier to clean the cage with the grate on I find its more of a mess and actually its more natural enviroment for a bird to not have a grate at the bottom I guess its all a matter of opinion.
A grate for me is a must. Baby loves to wonder around on the floor alot. She has some toys there and her veggie plate as well. It's weird that yours don't like being at the bottom ...lol..
For easy clean up get a hard bristle brush and just run it on the grate. It automatically unsticks any poop or dried food then just wipe it...
PS. I would stick with the grate..imagine that they step in wet poop...yuck..or even worse..eat veggies with poop on it...
For easy clean up get a hard bristle brush and just run it on the grate. It automatically unsticks any poop or dried food then just wipe it...
PS. I would stick with the grate..imagine that they step in wet poop...yuck..or even worse..eat veggies with poop on it...
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I don't even need the brush, just a damp cloth and it takes a few seconds to wipe any poop away. I do it whenever i change the paper so it doesn't get too dirty at all.
LOL.... thanks for the advice, actually no chance of eating poopy veggies I feed them that outside the cage for some reason Georgie likes to sit on top of her cage and eat them so I was able to rig a little plate to stay on top and thats where she eats them and I am serious about not walking on the bottom of the cage she has never done it she climbs everywhere she will climb right across the whole cage to get to the door and climb right out the side of it.
It's unhealthy to not have a grate in there cage.Birds are not creatures that stay in the air or trees all the time, they go on the ground and forage etc. Even in captivity in a cage they go on the bottom of there cage walk and chill out.
Would you enjoy living in a house that had no floor and you were always walking on dirt and grime? Well same sort of thing with birds and poo.
I just take it outside and hose it down on full blast. Takes like 2 minutes.I don't even need the brush, just a damp cloth and it takes a few seconds to wipe any poop away. I do it whenever i change the paper so it doesn't get too dirty at all.
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Edy only walked on the bottom with the grate in there, though, and I did have a reason for taking it out, which was that I didn't want her to get stuck in it again because she did once. She was on her back with her wings stuck in the bars of the grate and couldn't get out on her own. *sigh* I guess no matter what, the cage can't be completely safe...
Forgot to mention, that was when she was having night frights very frequently. A better cage cover helped with that and she rarely has night frights anymore, so I feel safer with the grate now.
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I like the grate actually. It keeps them away from the dropping and mine don't bother to go down there much.
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