Post by Casey on Mar 19, 2012 10:32:34 GMT -8
Your tiel's cage is her safe retreat, like her bedroom so to say, so you want it to be comfortable and safe and hygienic. It needs to have all the things she will need to stay in good shape and happy. This means proper perches, toys, food bowls, and other fun things.
You must have food and water in her cage. Preferably you should have one bowl for seeds, one bowl for pellets (if your tiel eats her pellets mixed in with seeds, this is fine), and a dish for fresh water at all times. Have a separate dish for veggies and other fresh foods but this does not stay in the cage, remove it to be washed every time after use. Do not place food and water bowls directly under perches as she will poop in her dishes and this can make her very sick. Try to put the bowls where they are easily accessible for you and her. Always change these daily. Water should be in a ceramic or stainless steel dish preferably as plastic tends to be difficult to wash and disinfect and this can grow bacteria. Proper hygiene with food and water is very important.
Perches should vary. At least three different materials and diameters should be used to promote good foot exercise and health. Sitting on the same size and same kind perch all the time can cause foot sores called bumblefoot. this is a painful condition and is easily at risk to bacterial infection. At least weekly perches should be cleaned of any poop. Dowel perches are not recommended as they are more likely to cause sores. If you do use them, be sure not to make them a main perch in the cage (no sleeping perches should be dowel). Sandiperches, pediperches, cement perches should be avoided, as they can abrade the feet. Cement perches can be used with caution, but do not make them a main perch in the cage (ie. sleeping perch). These perches are shown to scrape the feet rather than trim nails. Sandpaper perches also have been proven to be dangerous from the bird eating the sandpaper and ingesting it, which can cause crop impactions. Natural wood perches are highly recommended because they vary naturally in diameter and they are the best way to keep the nails from over growing. The bark will keep the nails in good shape. Rope perches are excellent for birds to have. Many birds with trouble gripping, are older, have arthritis or other foot problems benefit from the softer rope perches and every bird should have one or two in their cage. However, rope perches need to be checked regularly for loose strings which could catch toes. Ledges make excellent perches, especially for birds with special needs. They give the bird somewhere flat to sit and take some pressure off their feet. Older birds or birds with disabilities should most definately have one of these as their perches! Perches should be stable so the bird does not injure themselves if the perch falls. Perches should be placed at different heights in the cage so that the bird can use the most of its space.
Because tiels have long tails, care should be taken about placing perches far enough so they dont constantly brush their feathers against the cage bars. This also means the cage needs to be at least 18 inches wide at minimum. This will prevent damage from nightfrights as well. The top perch should be placed so that the bird is not brushing their head on the top of the cage to prevent damage to their crest.
Swings and boings are liked depending on the bird, some birds prefer boings and some prefer swings, so you should experiment with what your bird prefers.
Whether you use a grate or plain paper is up to you, it all depends on what you and your bird prefer, just note some birds will shred the paper and get nesty over it so in such cases it is more advisable to use a grate.
Toys should be placed within reach of the perches and should be safe. Loose strings and toys where heads can get stuck are too dangerous and should be avoided or fixed.
If you use a sleeping cage, it should have only one or two perches and no toys, especially if your bird panics at night. This could injure the bird.
You must have food and water in her cage. Preferably you should have one bowl for seeds, one bowl for pellets (if your tiel eats her pellets mixed in with seeds, this is fine), and a dish for fresh water at all times. Have a separate dish for veggies and other fresh foods but this does not stay in the cage, remove it to be washed every time after use. Do not place food and water bowls directly under perches as she will poop in her dishes and this can make her very sick. Try to put the bowls where they are easily accessible for you and her. Always change these daily. Water should be in a ceramic or stainless steel dish preferably as plastic tends to be difficult to wash and disinfect and this can grow bacteria. Proper hygiene with food and water is very important.
Perches should vary. At least three different materials and diameters should be used to promote good foot exercise and health. Sitting on the same size and same kind perch all the time can cause foot sores called bumblefoot. this is a painful condition and is easily at risk to bacterial infection. At least weekly perches should be cleaned of any poop. Dowel perches are not recommended as they are more likely to cause sores. If you do use them, be sure not to make them a main perch in the cage (no sleeping perches should be dowel). Sandiperches, pediperches, cement perches should be avoided, as they can abrade the feet. Cement perches can be used with caution, but do not make them a main perch in the cage (ie. sleeping perch). These perches are shown to scrape the feet rather than trim nails. Sandpaper perches also have been proven to be dangerous from the bird eating the sandpaper and ingesting it, which can cause crop impactions. Natural wood perches are highly recommended because they vary naturally in diameter and they are the best way to keep the nails from over growing. The bark will keep the nails in good shape. Rope perches are excellent for birds to have. Many birds with trouble gripping, are older, have arthritis or other foot problems benefit from the softer rope perches and every bird should have one or two in their cage. However, rope perches need to be checked regularly for loose strings which could catch toes. Ledges make excellent perches, especially for birds with special needs. They give the bird somewhere flat to sit and take some pressure off their feet. Older birds or birds with disabilities should most definately have one of these as their perches! Perches should be stable so the bird does not injure themselves if the perch falls. Perches should be placed at different heights in the cage so that the bird can use the most of its space.
Because tiels have long tails, care should be taken about placing perches far enough so they dont constantly brush their feathers against the cage bars. This also means the cage needs to be at least 18 inches wide at minimum. This will prevent damage from nightfrights as well. The top perch should be placed so that the bird is not brushing their head on the top of the cage to prevent damage to their crest.
Swings and boings are liked depending on the bird, some birds prefer boings and some prefer swings, so you should experiment with what your bird prefers.
Whether you use a grate or plain paper is up to you, it all depends on what you and your bird prefer, just note some birds will shred the paper and get nesty over it so in such cases it is more advisable to use a grate.
Toys should be placed within reach of the perches and should be safe. Loose strings and toys where heads can get stuck are too dangerous and should be avoided or fixed.
If you use a sleeping cage, it should have only one or two perches and no toys, especially if your bird panics at night. This could injure the bird.
