Ok, before I describe the set up much, I want to explain the food and water situation. I have not read, or seen anywhere, anyone feeding thier birds in this fashion. But it has worked SOOOO much better for us, and the birds are much happier with each other this way as well.
Sea is in front of Pepper on that perch, but it's hard to see Pepper behind her and the cage bars
They were both very concerned that I was going back to the nest with the camera I think
They took over that nest box from Salty and Skye as soon as they started mating! And let me tell you, neither Salty or Skye gave it up easily
Salty, the largest (and I believe oldest) on the highest perch as usual! He is the boss of the cage. I do think that had Sea not been ready to lay, Salty would not have given up that box. Even now that the chicks are 9,7,5,3 days old inside there, he has to watch intently everything the young couple is doing. He hasn't tried to go in the box, but he leans way over to look in and see what all the peepin's about. He loves Skye, and they do mate, preen, feed each other, they both played around with and in the old nest box. They also both are gnawing at the hole to the new nest box, and they go in just like they did with the other one. (maybe Salty's sterile?)
Skye, sleeping on the lowest perch. Seems to be her nap spot for mid morning, she moves up a level throughout the day, she's like our little time keeper
By evening she's on the perch infront of the new nest box, and at night she likes hanging upside down from the top! holding on with her feet and beak. strange! She doesn't stay there all night, but for hours sometimes. Is that a really wierd thing? None of the others do that.
Now for the food and water, I used to have two water cups and two seed cups, and one treat cup. The water cups, no matter which kind I tried, were allways pooped in, filled with seed, or with treats that the birds thought needed soaking. I would change the water several times a day and they were MESSY! Then Skye decided they were great for bathing! She would take a bath in each little cup as soon as I filled them with fresh water, if i changed the water right after her bath...she needed another bath! It was hillarious watching her squish herself into a little water cup just to take a bath, but that was a real mess! water everywhere. So I switched out the little side of the cage cups, for tubes, YUCK...worse than the cups and not even good for a bath! I saw that green bird bath at the pet store one day and had to have it! Suddenly all the birdies love baths
The best part is...I will put in fresh water, and Salty or Skye or both at the same time (thats the best to watch!)with bathe and play and make a big mess, then they go nap and dry off, I change the water, and everyone just drinks out of it! They don't fight over it, or chase each other around/off. It's just perfect! I do have to change the water several times a day still, but it's so much easier, and the birds all seem happy with the communal bath
The food, well anyone with a bird knows, seeds go everywhere! And ever feeder I found was hanging just inside the cagewall, where the birds, be it a covered seed dish or not, seem to have a blast tossing the seed about and husks/shells go all over the place, OUTSIDE the cage. I've tried those 'skirts' around the bottom half of the cage, I swear the birds grab a seed, bring it up above the mesh, and spit the shell over it and onto my floor.
Also, I had four seed cups, all with the same seed mix, well all 4 birds wanted only the ONE cup. and all to themselves of course.
Since the bath/water bowl was working out so well, I decided to test out the same idea with food. But seeds I figured, would still make thier way to my floor from just bouncing when they hit bottom, if not from the birds deliberately spitting them out there So I arranged the perches so there is a hole from top to bottom over the food tray, so no easy access pooping on it. The tray is shallow, so it's very easy to see any mess that's landed, and how much actual food is left on it. And as with the bath, they all stand aroung the edges eating blissfully together after a bit one or two will move to the middle where they amazingly just let everyone get a chance at the middle spot!
Fresh dandilion leaves and spinach leaves are given on a paper plate! easy to clean up, and the birds just eat the greens, not the plates
Also, there is still a lot of seed shells making it to my floor, but it's been cut at least in half since I started feeding this way!
So this works well for all of us here
But really the reason I post the cage pic How many keets can live happily in this cage? or, how quickly do I need to find homes for the babies? hehe.
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Dianne,
Mom to a 12 yr old human girl (still in obedience training!)
A 1 year old Aussie/Border Collie mix "Jack"
A 9 year old gray short-hair Korat-looking kitty "Timothy"
A 9 year old black 'n' white short hair kitty "Trouble"
4 parakeets "Salty" m 3yrs,"Skye" f 2.5 yrs, "Sea" f approx 1yr, "Pepper" m approx 1yr.
