Hey all,

 

I'm thinking of building a large® cage for some budgies I want to get (or possibly finches, not sure yet). I'm curious as to which building materials would be safe, though.

 

Would processed lumber, such as pine or maple, be alright? I don't see why they wouldn't. Would it be alright to stain the wood, or would that be dangerous for the birds? Finally, how is chicken wire for them? I imagine that, since it's (hopefully) safe for chickens, that other birds would be fine with it, too.

 

Thanks for all the tips,

Peter

Well I'm sure chicken wire is okay that is what my friend build hi aviary with, but with the maple and pine wait a sec...okay well pine is NOT good but maple is fine look here!

 

http://www.budgies.org/info/plants.html

Well I'm sure chicken wire is okay that is what my friend build hi aviary with, but with the maple and pine wait a sec...okay well pine is NOT good but maple is fine look here!

 

http://www.budgies.org/info/plants.html

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that says 'pine - needles twigs and sap' though imotive. if it is processed pine timber that doesnt have the bark or sap or needles then this may be okay? i dont know for sure, its just that that link doesnt make it clear.

Yes you may definetly be right but i wouldn't take any chances id go for maple!

Do not use treated lumber. I think regular chicken wire is too large to contain budgies or finches, they would get out. I wouldn't stain the wood either. If they chew it (and they will) they could poison themselves. Non-toxic paint is best if you have to do something with it.

 

I found this site, maybe it will help you get some information. If not, it also has some links (which I have not checked out, sorry) to other sites.

 

http://home.ca.inter.net/~dhansen/aviary.html

 

 

**topic moved**

Edited February 20, 200520 yr by Rainbow

Thanks everyone (and thanks for moving the thread, Rainbow...sorry, I didn't even SEE a cages forum!)

 

The chicken wire I've got is not regular chicken wire, it's squared mesh, each square being only 1/2" (definitely too small for a budgie or finch to sneak out of).

 

The lumber I got is pine, but there's not sap or anything resembling any bark left. Should be a pretty good cage, my dimensions are 4' tall by 2' wide either way. Considering my old cage was circular (12" in diameter) and only about 20" high, this should be quite an improvement. The process begins!

I think pine should be okay. If you get it from the lumber store (??? sorry, I don't know if you have Home Depot in Canada ) all the sap and gunk is gone. I think the dowel perches that come with cages are made of pine anyway, and my birds chew them up like there's no tomorrow.

 

I'll bet they will LOVE having all that extra room!

Good luck building i kknow its hard

Thanks!

 

Actually, it's spruce (my mistake). I got it from Rona, a lot like Home Depot (which we do have in Canada). I'm going to do a lot of the cutting tomorrow, once I get a mitre box to make sure I make straight cuts and such. I'll probably forego the stain, but I might make a linoleum flooring on the sliding base! It would be cool, wicked-easy to clean, and we've got some lying around the house. We'll see, though.

Sounds like a big project to me and I live in Canada too I like reno but it didn't have magnets...

 

So its spruce huh well thats better.. i think..ya i just checked and its fine

 

Well again good luck I wish I can build one of my own, but i obviously can't becasue the house is too small and the winters are extremely cold so i can't evn think of leaving it outside all winter like some australians do right adam?

I always have my aviary outside, winter, summer. Winters don?t get snow cold where I live.

Winters here well i kow its fall/summer there now in aus...grrr here it is now -17 C sad is't it...

Well, I finished all the preliminary cuts today, and bought some more hardware! Soon, the REAL construction begins...

 

Imotive, I'm not going to leave it outside; I live in Ottawa, so it's WAAAY too cold. It's going to be pretty big, but I'll find some way to put it somewhere inside. My mom's not very excited about having it around the house, but we'll figure something out. Where in Quebec are you from?

 

Thanks for the tips!

Cool its fun to build a cage..anyways I live in Montreal 2 hrs away from you...I visited Ottawa once its a lot like Montreal...One questions since you live thee I know the Family Winterlude games are there did you ever go there..I watch Tv to much...

One wall down so far, I'll probably finish one or two more this evening.

 

I'm not sure what the Family Winterlude games are, Imotive, but I've been to Winterlude numerous times. I didn't get out for this year's, which is too bad because it was perfect weather, but I'd been out pretty much every year before. I'll probably still go skating on the Canal sometime this year, as long as the weather stays this cold.

Cool its on this channel like everyday the Winterlude in Ottawa..ya...don't forget to post pics to see how the aviary is coming!

Back wall is now done! You asked for pictures, so here are a few...

All the lumber, fresh from Rona building centre...

Here it is, cut to size.

The front door/wall, the whole thing opens up (I don't know if I'll add a smaller door yet. We'll see).

And the back door, only two walls to go! And then the top, and the base, and the drawer, and, and, and...

 

That's it for now, but I'll continue to update as I can!

Wow that is soo cool one question why is there red on the wood who got cut? (Laughing out loud)!