Hi all

I currently put a sand that I get from the pet store in the bottom of the aviary. Its for snakes, tort's. etc. It is unfortunately very pricey. Can I put kids play sand in it? I figure if its safe for kids, it should be okay for budgies??? I can get about a 50lb. bag for about $5 at home depot, the other stuff is about $30 for 20lbs! So it only gets changed about every 4 months. If I could use the play sand, I would be able to change it out every month!

Any sugestions on this???

please

my dad keeps torts Buzz and gets sand from the beach

do you live near the coast? if so go and collect sand - don't get caught

its perfect - natural and cheap.

Edited September 12, 200519 yr by budgeover

I am a bit to far from the beach, and with traffic, forget it! But if he uses beach sand then regular old play sand for the kids sandboxes should be fine then. Way cool, I can pick up a bag on the way home and clean the aviary out.

This is the first time, they will probably go nuts when I turn on the shop vac (aka hoover) but 2 minutes it will be clean!

Thanks budge

it should be okay buzz! i was only trying to think of other options for you crush some cuttle fish and shells to make it nicer for them

it should be okay buzz! i was only trying to think of other options for you  crush some cuttle fish and shells to make it nicer for them

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

(Laughing out loud), boy i'd never get them up off the floor! I'd have to move the budgie cam again. good idea though, there sure love it!

I use regular sand in my aviary.

I have a suspended aviary. No floor to worry about.

okay, I changed it yesterday. It took 3 50lb bags :hap:

They were comical when I turned on the vacuum. They flew everywhere and when they realized i was not going to suck them up, they just perched as high as they could. When I was all done, they were so chicken to land on it. But when they did, it was just so cute to see all their little feet prints! Hmmm, poop shows up a lot more on play sand compaired to the old brown stuff I was using

I just found out that if birds get sand in the wrinkles in there feet it could cause a desise

the name of which i do not remember.

stimpy has a good point - play sand is finer and more moist than regular sand or bird sand. if they are walking in it a lot i would change it back.

oh great, day late, dollar short

where were you guys yesterday?

sorry! i missed it! i dont always look through the aviary forum. it wont do them any immediate damage, just over time it could become impacted on their little feet.

okay, next time i change it i will just get regular sand. i guess i will find that on the same isle??!! at home depot

If they bathe a lot, surely that would remove the sand? Just a thought

I don't know that you need to change back. Spray the sand so it is wet and then stomp on it so it's all pressed down. Just keep it moist for a while and it will pack together.

wont that make it worse bea? wet sand getting stuck in the cracks in their feet would cause an even bigger problem? have you eer been down to the beach and gone in the sea, come out again and couldnt get all the wet sand off your feet? surely it would be the same principle.

 

dry loose rough sand particles getting into their feet would just fall out, or may not get into the feet at all because the paticles are larger.

Edited September 14, 200519 yr by pixie25

Guys before you go crazy with worry, just remember that the budgie orginally came from the arid parts of Australia. In these areas we have a lot of Bull Dust.(no kidding) It is very fine dust like talcom powder. If the budgies can survive out there they can survive with fine sand.

ive used play sand for the last few years and had no problams

well there ya go!

 

its always good to be cautious though, thanks for letting us know!

Thanks daz & hath

 

I am glad to hear you have used it hath, no I have no worries

Hey! We are nearly finished building our new aviary and were thinking about keeping quails. But we read that budgies and dirt floors don't mix. Unfortunately quails need a dirt floor. We were wondering if it was true that we can't have a dirt floor for budgies. Does any one else have dirt floors for budgies?

 

If the floor and the budgies can't go together, we were thinking of either putting in coarse gravel or pinebark on top, is there anything wrong with this?

 

Any help would be really appreciated!

Thanks,

L&L

wont that make it worse bea? wet sand getting stuck in the cracks in their feet would cause an even bigger problem? have you eer been down to the beach and gone in the sea, come out again and couldnt get all the wet sand off your feet? surely it would be the same principle.

 

dry loose rough sand particles getting into their feet would just fall out, or may not get into the feet at all because the paticles are larger.

 

I don't see where it would be a problem. Budgies groom their feet when they preen, so any sand will be removed by the bird anyway.

there is a grit that i buy for my finches. It's Riga natural grit, made from i don't know what but it smell of licorice, it's grayish, there is all kinds of charcoal, or oyster shells, etc in it. It's awesome. My birds love it, i mean REALLY love it. They peck it as soon as i put it..., they won't even let me finish to put it...

L&L I dont see why Sand would be a problem with budgies as I use that but you have got to be careful what sand you use it must be Non-Toxic

okay cool. thanks for your help!

I thought it would be okay but i just wasn't sure!