I live in 1 of 8 townhouses along a purpose built common driveway. There is stuff all room in the back "courtyard", so my birds are at the front of the garage looking out onto the driveway with the garage door open during the day for sun. This hasn't been a problem for the last 6 months, with the majority of our neighbours stopping to say hello to the birds on their way past. All is well.

 

This morning I am upstairs and my partner says to me "That's a pretty sounding bird" to which I replied "that's a budgie", but it's not mine because the garage isn't open yet, and while you can hear them from upstairs, there is a distinct muffled sound because they're enclosed, but this bird is loud and clear. So we look out the window thinking maybe someone has lost a budgie, and to my horror I see a white budgie walking across the driveway in front of my house. Well I instantly know its mine (I have 3 white ones) and its at my place... so I rush downstairs and outside, it jumps into the bushes rather than flying away. Upon closer inspection it is my new bird, White Eye, with the violet rump patch. After a minute or so of coaxing him I'm able to put my hand on him and pick him up (I have been thinking he was handled a lot as a chick, and I think this proves me right, as his wings are not clipped and he didn't fly away from me, though he did a little runner).

 

So now I think, okay, how the heck did you get out of a closed garage, so I go open the garage and find to my horror that the feed door peg has been removed and clamped 2 rails across (no, a budgie can't do that!) and the cage door is stuck open high (a gap of about 10cm). I don't think a single budgie could do that on its own, it would have escaped long before getting the door that high.

 

So that leaves only one option, someone, the day before, has come past and let him out. Being young and half tame, he thankfully hasn't gone far and has hung around. Now, we have some new neighbours of an... "in your face" religion who came knocking yesterday. I'm not laying blame, but my experience with these types has rarely been good.

 

Thankfully, I have my bird back, but now I'm paranoid that someone is going to try again.

Arrrg!! that is so madding! people can be so mean

 

I lock my aviaries, always have always will.

 

You are so lucky to get him back

Oh that's horrible!!!

I would invest in some padlocks for your cage. It is what I have done for my outdoor cage.

 

Ooh that just makes me angry.

Thanks Liv, I feel very lucky, though it was a sickening feeling to see your budgie walking on the driveway from upstairs. I know it wasn't the kids this time (like it was with Cookie the Explorer), the cage is up too high for them to reach, so it was definitely an adult.

 

It'd be nice to lock the cages, but my big cage has 12 doors, not to mention all the doors on the other 3 cages...

You could wire all the doors except the ones you use shut and pad lock the remaining ones

Yea that's what I do. All doors are wired except the doors I need to use, which are padlocked.

It's something to consider definitely. I just my house was almost finished rather than just being started (for more reasons than one!).

 

It makes me angry too, makes me want to put video surveilance there and when I find who's doing it, well... we wont go there just yet!

 

It's not just that they were mean to me, but they were mean to the bird as well. Their narrowmindedness could have killed him, cutting him off from shelter, food, water and protection from predators. They are guilty of animal cruelty if you ask me.

Edited November 27, 200816 yr by ShadowGhost

:tut_tut: Some people!!! I'm so glad you got him back and none of the others got out!

 

I use cable ties on my doors. I have a black cage and you can't even see the ties... Also... if you get the padlocks with the combination... you don't have to remember to take the key with you, just remember the numer.

I use padlocks an my avairys as our neabiours jump the fence and don't care about the animals at all so i have to pad lock the doors and when i thought they had stopped coming over someone got into it and locked the lock fully up in the inside lucky none excaped.

 

lucky you got your back i hate it when people do that it's so mean

Its great to have plans to lock down the doors of the cage....but if someone can just remove the cage and take it away it blows the locks theory to smithereens Also consider a more secure way of attaching the cage to whereever it is.

 

On another note, birds outside in cages need watching. It sounds like yours are too far out of your sight to watch them. Is there a better place they can be where you can supervise ?

You poor thing. I don't have to worry about my neighbors as the budgies are well out of reach to them, but when my son was five he thought that the budgies would like a fly around the back yard. My husband, who likes budgies but can't catch them rang me at work and I had to fly home to catch them!!!! I remember my boss looking a little shocked as I cried out on my way out the door - "loose budgies!!!!!! no time to explain" Fortunately both were returned safe and well.

Its great to have plans to lock down the doors of the cage....but if someone can just remove the cage and take it away it blows the locks theory to smithereens Also consider a more secure way of attaching the cage to whereever it is.

 

On another note, birds outside in cages need watching. It sounds like yours are too far out of your sight to watch them. Is there a better place they can be where you can supervise ?

 

 

They're right outside the front door, which is right on our living area, and our front door is usually open (its QLD after all!). We were lax because its never happened to us. I suspect it happened on dusk when it got a bit darker either just before I got home from work or just after I went back out to the shop for 10 mins. We do have a close door policy when neither of us are home though, but now we will also be closing it whenever we're not in a position to monitor it. They wont be taking off with a cage when the door is shut!!

 

We have a balcony on top of the garage that isn't accessible from the front, so if I could find a way to protect them from wind and rain I'd probably put them up there instead.

You just cant trust anyone these days

That is so crazy. Sorry to hear about that. Luckily none of your other birds were let out... Some people have no respect.