Today, most people have a fairly tight budget - and bird owners are no exception. Those who are looking to house their bird as cheaply as possible may consider the building your own cage from scratch at home. While this can certainly be a cheap way to get a cage for your bird if done correctly, homemade cages They often come with inconveniences that can cost you more in the long run in terms of money and headache.
The materials are not cheap
Building your own cage may seem like a viable way to reduce your bird care costs, but some have found that in the process of gathering the right materials and tools necessary to build your pet's enclosure, they spend even more money than they would have if they had just bought a pre-built cage from a manufacturer or pet supply store. Even small price tags can add up quickly when a series of specialized pieces are needed, and with custom projects bird cageThey often are. Make accounts before you start and make sure that it would not be better than just looking for a good price in a new bird cage instead of making your own at home.
Consider the safety of your bird
Have you ever built a bird cage? Are you familiar with the types of materials that have proven safe to house birds? Can you build an impeccable design that does not put your pet at risk of injury if an accident occurs? These are all the questions you should ask yourself before deciding build a homemade cage. What may seem safe for your untrained eye may indeed be a potential danger that commercial cage builders take into account and avoid when it comes to new cage designs.
With bird cages, security is the key
Also related to the cage design is safety. If you are not careful, you could end up building a bird cage that offers your pet many varied opportunities to escape and an increased risk of flying away. The point of having a cage for your pet bird is to protect it from the dangers of the outside world, so it is imperative that if you decide to build your own cage, recheck everything related to design and construction to make sure it is really A safe area for your bird to pass the time. Too many owners have invested time, money and effort in the construction of cages that were not safe enough to contain their pets and that caused them an incalculable headache. Don't end up like them!
Do you have the skills?
Commercial manufacturers who design and build bird cages for living have put many years of research, trial and error, and experience in the cages they sell to the public. This is so that they can offer a quality product that will protect their feathered friend efficiently, while eliminating the risks of bird injury based on the design of the cage itself. The building a bird cage It involves dealing with wood, metals and many other materials that can be difficult for beginners to work with. Even a cage that "looks good" once it is put together may have design flaws or other hidden problems that could pose a potential danger to the health or safety of your bird.
Building a quality cage takes time
Do not expect to be able to design a bird cage, collect building materials and assemble the project overnight. Building a safe and solid bird cage takes time and patience, especially if you have never done it before. Therefore, if you are excited about adopting a new bird and want to get a mounting cage so you can bring a house right away, building your own cage may be the worst route you could take. The fastest, best, and safest bet is to shop around for the best deal you can find in a prefabricated cage from a reliable manufacturer, and marry your bird in an enclosure that you can rely on to keep your pet safe.
If you do not want to do it yourself, we recommend:
How to make a wooden bird cage
A bird is a nice companion to have around. And you, as a pet owner, need to give your bird everything it needs to live happy and healthy. One of those basic needs is a bird cage. The large cages Providing your bird with the right amount of space can be expensive and unattractive. Making your own solves both problems!
Safety tips and warnings
Your local hardware store or home improvement store is likely to have a low-cost "screen-like material" that comes in various sizes, known as a hardware store cloth. Looking closely, many particles and small solid zinc globules attached to it are detected. This article may work well for rabbits, but it is dangerous for parrot birds, as they can easily break these toxic particles with their strong beaks potentially ingesting them.
The problem with galvanized wires: Galvanized means that the iron / steel is coated with zinc, which is highly toxic. Please refer to heavy metal toxicities in birds. The wire used for birdhouses and large breeding cages is usually galvanized wire. The most common hardware used in cages, such as nuts, bolts, chains, washers and quick links are galvanized or galvanized. Galvanized products are opaque, plated products are bright. Galvanizing is used to coat steel or iron with zinc. This is done to prevent galvanic corrosion (specifically oxidation), thereby increasing the durability of a product.
Zinc Powder Removal from Cages / Wires
Galvanized materials are left with a powdered zinc film that must be removed (also in preparation for painting). Although washing will remove loose zinc dust from the finish, it will not eliminate zinc plating. A mild acid, such as vinegar, can be used to remove zinc dust without damaging the zinc layer. However, neither vinegar treatment nor washing will neutralize zinc. (PLEASE NOTE: WARMED vinegar emits toxic vapors similar to carbon dioxide. Bird owners have lost their pets by adding vinegar to their dishwashing cycle, or have used it to clean coffee makers.) Therefore, birds are still exposed to zinc. Particularly at risk are heavy chewers, but even those that do not chew it are exposed to zinc, resulting in heavy metal poisoning if they grab the wires with their beaks.
Zinc Coating Removal
The zinc coating can be removed by soaking or sandblasting. However, once this is done, the wire will oxidize quickly. To prevent this from happening, you would need to apply another protective finish to the wire, such as non-toxic paint. Many breeders use galvanized wire after welding as a cheaper alternative to stainless steel. Galvanized wire after welding is a heavier wire and has no particles attached to it. However, a problem that still exists with the wire after welding is rust.
Any wire exposed to the outside will oxidize faster than the inner cages. As it oxidizes it will look more opaque and more opaque and eventually begin to turn whitish. If you touch a piece of galvanized metal that has been left out and the oxidation comes off your finger, then a bird will lick it with equal ease when it rises to the cage, exposing it to toxic levels of heavy metals. To avoid this, breeders scrub their cages with vinegar and water two or three times a year. Scrubbing removes some of the rust and vinegar somehow retards the new rust, but cannot completely stop it. And, of course, the vinegar wash won't last long if the cage is left out.
The only safe mesh is a stainless steel mesh
Stainless steel is more expensive, but does not oxidize. You can get it at most local hardware stores. It is typically found in the mosquito net door section. They also sell fiberglass or aluminum screens - so please be sure to ask stainless steel mesh. The PVC coated wire has a thin layer of plastic that is very easy to remove and chew on our birds. Therefore, it is only a good option for birds that do not chew, such as finches and sea turtles.
Powder coated wire is a baked in the coating that is harder to remove for our parrots and this is what is most often used in commercially available bird cages. It is a more expensive bite than PVC coating, but it is also much more resistant than PVC coating.
Dimensions
Plan the dimensions of the cage according to the size of your bird.
For a bird like a macaw, plan a larger cage, that is
- 100 ctm. wide x 100 ctm. long x 120 ctm. High
A medium to small cage - suitable for small birds, that is:
- 45 ctm. wide x 45 ctm. long x 45 ctm. tall (minimum size only for very small birds).
- 70 ctm. wide x 70 ctm. long x 80 ctm. tall (preferred - or even bigger)
Two bottom cage
The best cage is the one with two “funds”. The upper one allows the bird's droppings to fall to a second to prevent their pet from coming into contact with their droppings and spoiling the food. You can make a removable bottom for the second to facilitate cleaning.
Relevant especially for outdoor cages / birdhouses: When building a bird cage to keep it outdoors, it is necessary to keep in mind that you will have to keep wildlife out. The outer cages They have to be very robust. You will need to provide adequate shelter taking into account local weather conditions: Your bird will need shade in the summer and protection from the weather, including the possibility of having to provide heat in the winter, if it is cold in your city.
Protection against predators, such as raccoons, rats and snakes
For keep predators away, it is recommended to place an outer layer (consisting of the cheapest wiring is fine - or plastic panels) to prevent them from reaching or having access to their birds. Raccoons can especially come with their finger-shaped legs (as they like to do) - birds get scared and flatter all over the aviary - and end up on the ground. Eventually the raccoon can grab it and pull the poor parrot close enough to pull the pieces piece by piece. This also happens when you place your parrot outside in a regular cage - or a hanging cage. The hanging cage allows the raccoon easy access through the floor grid.
Plastic meshes are definitely not a good option for the outer barrier. Predators can easily tear it apart and larger parrots can also bite it. At least one 14 ”x 1” 14 gauge grid cable is recommended. A 16 gauge can work for most parrots, although an even stronger wire is needed for larger parrots, as they may be able to chew through that.
Build the frame
Wooden frame: Buy untreated wood and cut it into four proportional parts. The bigger the better. Remember that you have to accommodate hangers, food / water dishes, toys, maybe a nest box - and you still need to leave enough space for your pet to roam inside the cage. An appropriate size for small birds (parakeets, cockatoos, finches, conuros, etc.) would be 1 × 1’s, 1 × 2’s or any size of wood you want. The legs would be of a larger wood size, that is, 1/2 x1 ″ or 1 × 1 ″ or 1 × 2 ″ wire for smaller parrots. Apply a non-toxic paint and varnish on both sides and let dry completely.
Fix the cable
Fix the cable to the sides, up and down with a stapler. Alternatively, you can wrap the wire around the frame and fix it with a stapler. Then do up and down.
Choose a specific pattern that easily supports hangers and toys, but is narrow enough to prevent the bird from getting out or getting its head stuck. Remember to disinfect the wire - to remove any piece of metal and contaminants.
You can build a cage without wood simply by bending the wire and then cutting an opening for the door and using part of the wire to make a door.
Alternatively, cut the wire into four pieces of the same size for the sides of the cage. Use a stapler to fix the cable to the wooden stand. For the top and bottom of the cage, cut two more pieces of wire and fix them as described above.
If you are making a cage with sides, 2 feet wide, and the top and bottom: 2 feet wide - each piece of wire should be cut to 6 feet. In the end, you would have 2 pieces of wire 6 feet long. Bend a piece of the wire that you cut to the length of the cage and then fold the remaining wire on one side. Take the second piece of wire that you cut and do the same. Then put the two pieces of wire together to form a cage. You can join them together with cage clips. The use of cage clips requires a special tool to make it easier. You can use pliers to fix the cage clips (this special tool can also be found where the cage clips are sold). You can also use electric ties to hold the cage together - however, larger parrots usually chew the electrical ties.
Some people send their galvanized cages to a powder paint shop. However, zinc tends to be a poor paint primer. The best situation would be to take any raw iron wire to be nickel-plated, and forget about zinc and paint altogether. If you are going to have a bird cage sandblasted with sand and powder paint make sure that the new powder paint is formulated free of lead and zinc, as needed for a bird cage (powder paint designed, for example, the car industry could contain lead or zinc that are toxic to birds). The process is quite simple: all metal surfaces are sandblasted, heated and sprayed. Keep in mind that hinges and locks cannot be coated with powder paint, so they will continue to rust.
Cut an opening in the front of the door cage. Then, cut a piece of wire slightly larger than the opening and fix one side to the cage. Make sure the door opening is large enough to allow room for easily clean the cage. Put a deadbolt or small lock outside the door. Fix the door with cage clips or electrical loops, etc. If you plan to raise the bird later, make another hole in one side of the cage and secure it for now.
How to make a pvc bird cage
Items you will need to make a plastic cage:
- 1 ½ diameter PVC pipe
- 8 3-way PVC joints
- 4 T-shaped PVC joints
- 4 90 degree PVC joints
- PVC cutters
- Steel mesh (see warnings below)
- Wire cutters
Zipper or steel wire ties
Anyone who has owned a bird of domestic animal Of any kind you have experienced the pain of shelling out sometimes large sums in new cages that are often much smaller than your pet would like. Cages for larger parrots, in particular, can cost thousands of euros even for a basic installation, and these cages rarely offer space for customization. But with a few simple tools and a considerably reduced price, you can create spacious and attractive cages and birdhouses with only PVC pipes and wire mesh.
Decide your dimensions and cut your pipe
For the purposes of this article, our cage will be four feet wide by three feet deep by five feet high, with a door opening that is two square feet. The front part of the cage (where the door opening will be located) will have a horizontal stabilizer bar to support the door frame. You will need four lengths of four feet of PVC, four lengths of three feet, two lengths of five feet, and four lengths of 29 ½-inch for the main body of the cage, as well as two lengths of 23 feet for the grab bar horizontal. The door will require two lengths of two feet and four lengths of 11 inches of ½-inch.
Connect the structure
Connect a four-foot tube to a three-foot tube with a three-way joint and let them rest flat on the L-shaped floor. Connect an additional four and three-foot tube to create a rectangle. Make sure the empty openings of the three-way seals point up. Repeat with the remaining lengths of four feet and three feet so that it has two rectangles. Connect the two five-foot lengths of PVC vertically to the back of one of the rectangles. Connect two 29-inch ½-inch pieces vertically to the front of the same rectangle, then cover them each with a T-joint, followed by the next two 29-inch ½-inch segments. Place the second rectangle on top, completing the main frame of your cage.
Build the door
Build the door opening by connecting the following in sequence: a length of two feet to a 90 degree joint, add an 11 ½-inch segment, a T-style segment, the next 11 ½-inch segment, a joint 90 degrees, the next two-foot segment, another 90-degree splice, an 11½-inch segment, the final T splice and the last 11½-inch segment. Connect the corner with the last 90 degree joint. The T-joints of the opening should point outwards. Now connect the door opening to the 23-inch PVC pieces with the T-joints, and connect the entire assembly to the T-joints at the front of the cage.
Cut your stainless steel mesh with sheet wire cutters to fit the sides of the cage. It is fixed with wire or zipper. Cut a piece of mesh two feet x two feet apart for the cage opening. Secure it on one side with zip or wire ties, and use clips or more wire to keep the door closed.
Planning is everything in this project. If you alter the dimensions, be sure to check your math and do it twice. Also keep in mind that PVC gaskets will slightly change the overall dimensions, so allow a gap of approximately one inch when you consider the support bars or the divisions in the segments.
Warnings
Never use any type of galvanized wire with birds that chew or use their beaks to climb, such as parrots. Anything that is sold as "galvanized steel" is probably zinc coated and can result in fatal poisoning by toxic metals. Sandblasting or coating the mesh with non-toxic paint can help in some situations, but the only safe mesh is a stainless steel mesh. Always supervise large birds in PVC cages, as some birds will eventually gnaw even industrial PVC.
