Toby's cage problem

[Nikki]

Toby started having major problems on Friday which I'm going to attribute to overbonding and his cage. I read alot before I ordered his cage and ordered the largest one I could afford (though I didn't know about the HQ flight cage because I didn't find this site until after I got Toby.

I came home from work Friday and Toby was sitting in the middle of my bed. None of the cage doors were open, and I had no idea how he would get out. He had been in the cage securely for almost a week. So, I put him back in and pretended to read a book to see where he was getting out. He went to the grate that separates him from the poop tray and gracefully dived between the grate bars into the tray and to the stand and fluttered up to me and perched on the book I was reading. :eek:

I put a piece of poster board between the grate and the poop tray to see if that would stop him at least temporarily. He hasn't gotten out again, but it's led to a bigger problem. He gets on the bottom of the cage and bangs his head against the bars and tears at the poster board with his beak.

This morning, all the feathers have fallen out around his beak from his ceaseless banging against the bottom. I feel like I'm reinforcing the behavior by rescuing him promptly when I'm awake and hear him banging or tearing at the poster board.

I'm replacing the grate with tight-weave chicken wire when I get home today, but I'm thinking it might be better just to buy a new cage altogether. What is the proper bar spacing for a parrotlet? I read that a 1/2'' was good, but either I have a parrotlet-let or it's too big since he can dive out so easily. I'm worried about a leg getting caught in the mesh wire, but I'm not sure what else to do at this point because even if I order another cage, he could have a serious injury before it gets here.

Any advice on how to keep him in the cage would be MOST appreciated. I'm just bringing him with me to work in a budgie cage until I get it sorted out.

[chapala]

Apparently HQ still has the cage many of us have and really like for these guys. You have a clever bird there who figured out how to get out of his present cage, and now is frustrated since you've taken that away from him. Yes 1/2" spacing is the right size for a P'let. Sounds like your present cage has a gap at the bottom where he can wiggle out. Little stinker!

Too bad he's banging his head. I do think it's a mistake to rescue him when he's making the beak hitting noise - that is reinforcing the behavior and teaching him how to get you to come quickly. He will continue to do it even after you begin ignoring him, and it will take awhile for the behavior to stop. When he's not doing it, be sure to go to the cage, let him out, give him attention.

How about placing a glass baking dish or similar types of things all along the bottom edge of the cage, covered by paper so that he can't get to the grate - I assume it's just at the edge where he's doing that? If you can place a barrier of some kind there, that might help. Maybe others have some ideas too.

He does need to stay in his cage to be safe when you're not around, so if you can't get this cage to work and can afford the HQ cage, that might be the best solution.
Reta

[catfish]

I'm not sure what you could use, but I would NOT use chicken wire. It is galvanized which means it is covered in zinc. Since he is chewing and banging his head I would be worried about zinc poisoning.

I would continue to use the poster board until something could be figured out....

can you post a pic of the cage, I am having trouble figuring out what it looks like

[Nikki]

I'm probably gonna have to order the HQ cage but dunno that he'll stop even with that. He's banging his head into the grate on this budgie cage while he's sitting on my desk.. obviously he knows he can't get out I've just reinforced his terrible behavior by rescuing him. Here's a picture of his cage.
http://www.geocities.com/domi_79/aloha7.jpg

Hilo HarborTM Playtop
24" x 16" x 53" (stand included!)
From: www.birdcages4less.com (http://www.birdcages4less.com)
I don't have the item number, but that's the information and the site that I got it from.

Okay, so now on the galvanized wire... I'll just buy a few more poster boards so I can change them like paper. I guess I'm just gonna have to invest in the HQ cage, I really can't afford another $100+ cage within a week of the first one, but I don't want him to hurt himself anymore than he has. And reversing his behavior is probably gonna take forever, but I guess I'll chalk it up to the new parrotlet owner meets overly clever new parrotlet learning curve.

How is the spacing between the grate and the bars on the HQ cage? Is he gonna be able to do the same thing?

[ArtS]

First, 1/2 inch spacing is the maximum spacing you should use. Smaller is fine. If you want to put a wire mesh in the bottom, use stainless steel mesh - it is more expensive but much safer for your bird.

To fix your cage, try putting something under the tracks the support the poop tray. This will raise the poop tray and reduce the size of the gap while keeping only reliable/robust cage materials accessible to the bird.

Alternately, put the wire bars that are spposed to keep Toby out of the poop tray under the tray so that the tray is raised (this may or may not work, depending on the design of each). As Toby is getting into the poop tray already, there is no downside (just change his paper regularly!).

Also, please post the brand and model of the cage so that others can avoid your issues.

Regards,

Art S.

[Nikki]

The poop tray doesn't actually fit the cage (it's about 1/2 to 1 inch to small in various directions which I think is causing most of the problems) so I think swapping places with the grate and the tray really would just give him more room to either escape or get trapped. But I will try it and see what happens.

Apparently, the cage he has now is listed with 5/8'' bar spacing, though I know for sure, that when I bought the cage, which was the "June Special" that it was listed with 1/2'' bars because I looked everywhere for a cage that would be rectangular with 1/2'' bars because that's what I read as the optimum type of cage for parrotlets.

Also, he's not getting out at an edge... he's just diving straight through the grate bars. Now that the poster board is in there, he's banging into the edges because they have an illusion of having enough space for him to slip through.

[catfish]

My birds can't escape through any part of the HQ cage. I'm at work and I'm trying to figure out what you could do...

Have you tried to all the customer service from where you bought it? I would start there and see if it can replaced or if you can return it and get a better cage.. it's worth a shot. Take pics of the cage, show where he is getting out, e-mail them, and pray...

[ArtS]

Nikki,

Why don't you contact the store you bought it from, explain the problem and see if they can help you out with an exchange.

Regards,

Art S.

Oops, I just noticed that Catfish just gave the same advice...

[Nikki]

I tried that, but they said that they can't take back a used cage b/c of cross contamination issues. They were really helpful when the cage came to me damaged in shipping and had a replacement poop tray within 3 days. They said that because my cage was delivered as shown and not damaged, that I'm not entitled to an exchange or refund. Oh well.

I'm placing the order now for the HQ Cage from HQ birdcages.com. And, crossing my fingers that little Toby Houdini will settle down before he gets a concussion. Hopefully it won't be more than a week to get the other cage here and put together.

Thanks for the suggestions and next time I know where to go for the right answers before I buy a cage...lol

Luckily, my stepmom has a cockatiel who is in a relatively small cage, so I'm gonna clean up Toby's current cage and let her bird have it so it will have more room to move around.

[Pado]

Wow - what a hassle Nikki :( ... sorry to hear your have to get a new cage AGAIN.

But you made the right decision in getting another - if the cage is in actuality 5/8" he could get his head caught in the bars since he is so insistent on escaping :eek:

Glad you are able to use the cage for your step Moms Cockatiel it would have been a awful if you were just stuck with it. At least he'll have a bigger cage now also :)

[chapala]

You will be happy with the HQ, and your stepmom's 'Tiel will like more room in this current cage you have. So, hope it works out for the best, but sorry you had to buy two cages to get one good one for your P'let!
Reta

[unpoquito]

I love the HQ Flight Cage! The bar spacing is perfect and there is no way my parrotlet could ever fit through the bars. I ordered mine from birdscomfort.com and it came within 2 days.

[Nikki]

I'm sure if there is a way for the HQ cage to be escaped from, Toby Houdini will find a way. He found 3 more places last night to get out of his current cage despite the poster board. I have the whole thing blocked around the bottom with wadded up paper so he can chew all he wants but not get anywhere. Waiting patiently for the new cage so I can stop having to bring him to work with me...lol

The looks from my patients are priceless though :p

[unpoquito]

You might have to plastic tie the breeder doors. I could see your little Houdini figuring out how to open them since there isn't a real lock. lol I bet your patients love your little guy. He could become a therapy bird!

[Nikki]

Thanks for the warning on the breeder doors. If he escapes from this new cage, I can see myself breaking down in frustration...lol

And he's quite the little therapy bird, one of my patient's with Alzheimer's was smiling at him and that's the first time I've seen this guy smile in almost 2 years. It warms your heart to see something like that.

[jodeg]

I have the HQ cage with 2 doors in front and those 2 little breeder doors on the sides. I also thought Kiwi could wiggle them open, so tied them shut with little plastic cable ties, 2 on each door (I think that's what they're called -- they "zip lock). She chewed on the ties for the first couple of days, but now ignores them.

Also, on the HQ cage, the stand is separate from the cage, I guess so the cage can be placed on furniture instead of the stand. We used BIG plastic cable ties and tied the cage to the base, two cable ties in front and two in back. Just to be on the safe side. The cage is heavy, but wanted to make sure it stays on the stand when I'm moving it around. :eek:

[Sally]

Glad you are getting a larger flight cage! They need that room.

[Nikki]

YAY!! The flight cage got here today and I'm about to go put it together. I am soooo thrilled with the prospect that I'll be able to sleep through the night without hearing Toby banging his head against the poster board trying to get out...lol

I'll let ya'll know how he likes it :)

[Kumiko]

Its funny that the bird's name is Toby Houdini.

HopeFully he won't put a "Houdini" with the new cage. :p

[Nikki]

He banged his head into the bottom of the cage and chewed on the zippy ties on the breeder doors for about 45 minutes... then he gave up and explored everywhere and ate a bit.

Now, he's sitting all cozy on his favorite magnolia perch practicing his words... well sounds at this point, but they will be words someday :)

THANKS for all the advice on caging and helping me get through this crisis! I am sooo looking forward to a full night's sleep.

You guys are great!

[jodeg]

HOORAY! Glad his new cage arrived! Please post on how it works out!

[Sally]

Hope you can get a picture pretty soon!http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v492/Sally11/Atomplay344.jpg

[chapala]

Glad it seems to be working out! It's a great cage for our P'lets, and I don't think he'll manage to get out of this one.
Reta