I have heard of many things being used to cover the bottom of cages, Sand/Grit Sheets, Loose Sand, Newspaper, Kitchen Paper, ect ect.

 

I would like to know your opinions on which is best and why

 

Thankyou!

i always use kitchen paper because it fits into the bottom of my cage perfectly and its easy to remove and throw away. I have never fussed about what goes in the bottom of the cage because my budgie was never in his cage anyway.

I have always used newspaper. It is easy to see the droppings and any changes that may have occurred, and it helps that I am recycling. My birds have a grate at the bottom of the cage though, so they don't have access to the droppings.

i use a handful of grit, only under instruction of the pet shop (someone tell me if i'm not supposed to) and she also told me to take that wire grate out cause its supposed to hurt there feet?? is that wrong? my birdy's love scratching around on the bottom in the grit although i don't think they actually eat it. i sometimes put newspaper in the cage, because they like to chew it up ..not the coloured type. tell me if i am doing anything wrong :mellow:

Having a grate at the bottom of the cage keeps your birds out of their own poop, should they decide to venture down to the bottom. Mine is made out of the same stuff as the cage is, so to me it would be just like climbing around on the cage. I don't see how it would hurt their feet. They so rarely go down to the very bottom anyway, they wouldn't spend enough time on the grate to hurt them. Cafrine, Is your's made of the same stuff as the cage is? Budgies do not need grit, so I would get rid of it if I were you. It causes more problems than anything, I can find you some links if you'd like to read about it. Plain newspaper is fine for them to shred - sometimes if I don't fold it just right, my birds can pull it up through the grate and they will shred it.

yah i agree w/ rainbow about the grate. i use regualr printer paper (from the dollar store ) cos its really easy to see all the poop

thanks for that i will get rid of the grit, and put my grate back on, it is made of the same stuff as the cage so thats handy. If its working for your 11 birds rainbow it will definately be okay for my 4. Its amazing what pet shops tell you! thanks for bringing this topic up rose....

i stopped using my grate for a while cos it got really dirty and was hard to clean, but i used to use corn cob bedding, and they would go down there to get seed hulls and sometimes eat the bedding, so i put it back on. paper towels work well too (and they're cheap!)

I've had sand int he bottom one time and my birds loved to have a dig about in it, it didn't hurt them from what I could see and one even made a game for herself with the stones I but in for interest.

 

I've also used newspaper and found that it wasn't a problem at all but them my birded didn't want to rip it like others.

 

Now I have a grate over the bottom, it was the best cage I could find for them even if it didn't let me talk it off I I wanted too, but the pan underneath is white so I don't add anything now, it is easy to see the dropping and it's not that mch hearder to clean thant he others, just a bit of water and a scraper for the extra tough bit and it all clean again.

 

The only thing people are worried about with the grates on the bottom is a foot falling though the holes and the bird getting stuck and scaring themselfs cuasing more damage. Let me tell you know I've just had three babies learn to walk and balance on that and not one of them hurt themselfs or miss the metal and slip a foot in a hole, so I can't see what folks are worried about.

Thankyou for all of your replies...I think I will try newspaper and see how it goes

 

I have always used newspaper.  It is easy to see the droppings and any changes that may have occurred, and it helps that I am recycling.    My birds have a grate at the bottom of the cage though, so they don't have access to the droppings.

hay rainbow, my cage does not have a grate at the bottom would it still be wise to use newspaper or will the ink harm my bird?

thanks

ATD

i use a special sand paper type for budgies because when they are on the floor eating it helps keep their nails shorter, so far we have have jack for 8 months+ and we haven't had to cut his nails once.

Edited December 31, 200420 yr by jack&ben

no the ink in black and white pages wont harm birds, but im not sure about colours. i use printer paper or lined paper because it is cheap and easy to tell the difference.

the ink from newspaper can harm your birds over a length of time

think i will stick to sand paper then, safe option. thanks hath

ATD

I think it depends upon what type ink your newspaper uses. Over here they are made from a type of vegetable dye so the ink is not toxic. I still prefer to use only the sheets that are only printed, but our newspaper has added a lot more color so it is hard to find sheets that are plain. Plain paper towels would be safe too.

I use sand sheets but when it gets wet its really anoying to get it out.

I used to use sand sheets but newspaper is more convenient and seems to work just as well.

I started to use newspaper cos the sand paper finished.

(Laughing out loud) rainbow about the paper towels - mine seems to enjoy tearing them up (much like out hamster) so i dont use those anymore. even with the grate in the bottom, they would pick at the edges and stuff.

I use white kitchen towel paper, its cheap (so i can change it every other day), recyable and i can see any funny colour poo/wee.

 

Claire

xXx

SAND SHEETS - NOooooo!

 

Bumblefoot can set in with time.

 

Wire grates are good infection control agents because the birds are never walking around in their poop which falls through to a catch tray lined with paper. It also spreads theri feet which is good for them.

 

I think the concerns about newprint ink date back to the days of oil based ink - the type that blackened your fingertips - the oil did vapourise into the cage and harm birds.

 

Modern inks are less of a problem.

come and read some of our papers here your fingers are jet black by the time you finish

come and read some of our papers here your fingers are jet black by the time you finish

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

yeah im not sure if i trust the papers in the uk either, they do leave slight marks on your fingers, and the papers we buy have a lot of coloured inks in them too.

 

they smell funny aswell, so i am with sandpaper at the moment. think i will stick with it unless it begins to cause a problem....if it did then i would definitely get rid of it, but for now it is not an issue.

Just back from a visit to my friendly pet store and REALLY like the color of one of the 30 or so little uns running around the budgie tank. I have space in the cage but there are two chicks in the nest and this is NOT a time to introduce a new bird to the flock.....

 

BUT the point of this is that I noticed - again - what the pet store uses for the footing in the tank. Pelleted pulped used newspaper - sold for rabbit and mouse cage bedding. It was interesting to see how well it kept their little feet exercised as they scuttled about and the ink issue is long ago dealt with in the pulping. The finished product is a light grey colour. A big bit of twisted dried grape vine gives something to hop around on. The food is in a large flat bowl - as is the water.

 

The owner uses it because it is cheap, because the smaller droppings drop between the larger pulp so the birds are not walking around in it - and because of that it looks GOOD when people are looking at the birds. The tank always looks clean - no matter what the time of day.

 

I asked about pathogen build up and disease with the droppings down in the pulp. The owner is of the opinion that when the poop has built up to the point you can see it - it is too late and disease is a possibility. He rakes it daily to keep the larger paper to the top, gets rid of the wet spot around the water bowl and he dumps the lot every 4 days or so and replaces it with fresh.

 

The toys in the tank are for the customers benefit because the birds COMPLETELY ignore them. With 30 in the flock they are all too busy growing up and establishing their vocal skills and pecking order.

 

Of course with such a big flock they are not really interested in getting on your finger. Tonight I was patiently holding my finger in front of one who looked like he might be thinking of trying it for a perch. A little girl pointed out the sign that says "Do not touch the birds". I pointed out it was more like the bird was about to touch ME! As she looked confused - said bird hopped OVER my finger and made for the hen at the other end of the perch. Then they....well you know what!

 

Heck the bands on his forehead were still visible - Kids these days - start far too young....Mutter... mutter.....

Edited February 12, 200520 yr by graemesmith