I have bricks as the base of my aviary which get covered in poo and seed. i am a clean freak so twice a week i get on my knees with a paintscraper and dustpan and brush cleaning the floor. With the new aviary nearly finished i am thinking it is going to take me longer to clean the aviaries. Can you put anything like straw or sand on the base to cover the bricks so i do not have to scrap the poo off. What i am concerned about is if it get wet will bacteria breed and make the budgies sick. i do not hose it to clean it because i have quails and it would stress them if i caught them regularly just to clean the aviary.

Deb you can put clean sand in the base of your aviary, no worries, but maybe you need something around the sides to keep it from spilling out, I don't know what your aviary looks like at ground level. Something like this to absorb the wet dropping as they hit I think is a good idea & surely it will help you when cleaning. Like you say the most important thing is to keep it from getting wet. If rain blows in when you have rain this could be a problem as if it has sand it will take longer to dry out. I use a washed river sand in my aviaries, but I can't see that beach sand would be a problem. The birds will probably eat some of the sand especially when you first put it in, but despite what I have read about it not being good for them, I don't believe that, it has never caused my birds any problems. Any seed eating bird needs some type of grit in their gizzard, as this is their teeth, whether they shell the seed or not.

Edited August 28, 200816 yr by **Liv**

I use straw on the bottom of mine to no ill effects other then for some reason the budgies like to hang it over the perches.

I would go with the sand Deb. Straw can be prone to moulds and should not be used for birds.

I think i will go with the sand but i will have to get some tin to put around the sides to stop the sand from falling out.

I think i will go with the sand but i will have to get some tin to put around the sides to stop the sand from falling out.

Tin around the sides is also a rodent preventative.

I use sand!! It puts an end to the scraping

And i love all the little footprints they leave in it

Edited August 28, 200816 yr by **Liv**

I am using sand too :hap:

 

Deb what about a cheap Lino ??? You won't have to scrap you can mop :hap:

But then there is the poo thing again ... Hmmm Maybe Sand

I am using sand too :hap:

 

Deb what about a cheap Lino ??? You won't have to scrap you can mop :hap:

But then there is the poo thing again ... Hmmm Maybe Sand

Lino has as an active ingredient FORMALDEHYDE. It gives off noxious fumes when hot and when new.

Well, lucky Deb is going to use sand ...

* erases that off flooring idea :hap:

 

Thanks Kaz, I had no idea

Edited August 28, 200816 yr by KAZ
typo

Well, lucky Deb is going to use sand ...

* erases that off flooring idea :hap:

 

Thanks Kaz, I had no idea

Actually a lot of floor coverings in our homes have formaldehyde as an ingredient, including carpet. Artificial sweetener in diet cooldrinks also has an ingredient that when under heat becomes a formaldehyde cocktail and is responsible for many side effects and illnesses people are unaware of. As I am highly allergic to artificial sweetener I found out about this in research.

how will quails go on sand?

They will love it. Not a problem.

Can i ask a question then. I have a dirt floor avairy that I was going to concrete should I just not do that. Ensure it is rodent proof (well as much as a dirty floor can be) and then put sand down? or should I concerte and then put sand down?

Edited August 28, 200816 yr by KAZ
C-O-N-C-R-E-T-E

i used to have a dirt floor but i put bricks down for a floor because the mice were digging under the avairy and coming into the aviary. I would do concrete and then sand, it will be more mouseproof.

I would still concrete AV as bugs and nasties will still come though.

The dirt floor aviaries is why we have have rats dig in and kill birds. You can always decorate a concrete floor after with plantpots, woodchips and sand. But the concrete base is vital for rodent proofing

The best aviary set ups I've seen have concrete floors and brick wall, a couple of bricks high, around the perimeter. 100% rodent proof.

The best aviary set ups I've seen have concrete floors and brick wall, a couple of bricks high, around the perimeter. 100% rodent proof.

BUT rats and mice climb brick walls.....so the mesh you choose to use is also important.

The best aviary set ups I've seen have concrete floors and brick wall, a couple of bricks high, around the perimeter. 100% rodent proof.

BUT rats and mice climb brick walls.....so the mesh you choose to use is also important.

 

Very true! Actually the mouse proof wire mesh is cheaper at Bunnings than the regular aviary mesh. :hap:

A Concrete base is good in that as others have said it stops vermin, but also it’s good as it minimises the amount of moisture, as with dirt with sand over top it will allow moisture to filter up through it & keeping it as dry as possible is the way to minimise disease.

I think some guys at our club meeting were saying that some of the wire sold at B******s is very low quality so I would check out quality first before buying from anywhere, low price isn’t always a good indication of what you are getting.

I think some guys at our club meeting were saying that some of the wire sold at B******s is very low quality so I would check out quality first before buying from anywhere, low price isn’t always a good indication of what you are getting.

Yes, that wire is very thin guage

I got mine from stratco 6mm x 6mm - about $8 per meter. I bought it by the meter - not sure price for bulk

It's strong and tough - I am really happy with it

I went and priced the Mice and snake mesh at Bunnings and have looked at other places and it is the same brand

( has the blue paper on it ) But I haven't been able to find one that isn't thin .....

I am putting welded mesh on my avairy and bought it from ebay new and paid $5 per metre.