I have a big problem, well i think it's a problem. Here it is

 

okay a few posts ago i told you about Molly ripping up the newspaper in the bottom of her and Blue's cage. Well today I noticed both Molly and Blue ripping up the paper. Also during certain parts of the day Blue tries to get really friendly with her well I'm thinking this will be a problem. There's no nesting box or anything that they could consider using as a nest and Molly's not even 12 months old yet. Is this normal for male and female budgies, if not does anyone have suggestions cause I don't want Molly having babies shes only a baby herself. I herd also that female budgies can become stressed easily when I male tries to get too friendly and she doesn't like it. At the moment Molly's chirping and Blue's call to her from the computer room. They also spend a lot of time feeding eachother and preening each other. Any suggestions as to what to do in this situation???

Simple, get rid of the newspaper Put something completely different on the floor of the cage, I use sawdust sometimes if newspaper is a problem or I don't have enough.

Could I try something like shreaded newspaper, what other stuff could I use. My Grandad is a neat freak and when I had rats we used to line the bottom of there cage with saw dust and they got it everywere he used to get really angry about it.

Mine rip news paper to shreads too!! Its SOOOO messy, but they have a heap of fun doing it. Do you have a "seed catcher" thingy that goes around the bottom of the cage?? This should stop most of the paper falling out onto the floor

I did buy one but it ended up being too small.

Perhaps you could make your own... On one of my cages i have made a proper one which is fitted at the sides. On another cage I have just used elastic a sheet and some pegs - works a treat and there is no sewing

They LOVE ripping EVERYTHING to shreds here too. I have to be careful to not leave the tissue box around their playgym, or I might turn around and find ripped tissue all over the place!!!

 

That's the reason why I also stopped using newspaper at the bottom of the cages... My birds are biiiiig shredders. I use wood pellets now.

Simple, get rid of the newspaper

Totally agree with this advice. Make the bottom of the cage so less comfortable and so less nestlike. NO newspaper and no shredded newspaper which would be worse. Just use the cage grate if you have to.

I'd put the grate back on :hap:

 

It's in their nature to rip things apart - Re do their cage and mix things about just incase they found somewhere to breed ... Put in new branches NOT sticks, so they can shredd the bark of that too

Edited August 4, 200817 yr by Neat