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Home-Made aviaries?

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Home-Made aviaries?

Postby kittyhazelton » Fri Jan 06, 2012 11:45 am

Any suggestions? I've made cages for softbills, poultry, etc. but the material used in those sorts of cages doesn't generally get subjected to the amount of destruction brought on by our hookbilled friends.
has anyone here had luck with "parrot proof" DIY cages?
Suggestions on materials, etc. greatly appreciated.
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Re: Home-Made aviaries?

Postby Michael » Fri Jan 06, 2012 11:58 am

Very difficult because of materials availability and cost. Most steel mesh is galvanized. Stainless is insanely expensive. Not much options in aluminum available and it isn't ideal anyway. You'd have to find an uncoated steel mesh or galvanized and remove zinc coating and then have it powder coated for you. It's very impractical. Unfortunately some aviary manufacturers are horrible!
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Re: Home-Made aviaries?

Postby kittyhazelton » Fri Jan 06, 2012 4:49 pm

hrmm.... I wonder about the steel or alluminum gridwall panels, like what they use to hang pegs at retail stores. Only thing is, not sure as though the grid spacing would be to wide, I think they're usually 2 or 3" squares. :-/
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Re: Home-Made aviaries?

Postby Michael » Fri Jan 06, 2012 5:17 pm

Well if done the right way, it should be welded to the frame. So unless you're an experienced welder, have 50+ hours on your hands, and at least $1000 to spend, wouldn't count on it. Even the prebuilt aviaries are a ton of work to assemble but the main thing it saves you on is sourcing materials, welding, and powder coating. They are a royal rip off though.
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Re: Home-Made aviaries?

Postby Cage Cleaner » Fri Jan 06, 2012 9:34 pm

Galvanized after is used in aviaries a lot as it is cheaper and supposedly safe after doused w/ vinegar. But, I personally would just stick w/ stainless steel. But depending on how big you want it, the stainless steel adds up very quickly as it is expensive. There are several youtube videos that have good suggestions, but I also don't think it's going to be something I'm going to be further in pursuit of after considering all the work.

As for making an indoor cage, I also don't think it's worth the effort, unless you have something very unique in mind. I find that the stainless steel mesh --even though it costs an arm and a leg-- looks cheap when used indoors. Also, if it's going to be something that the bird's going to be in constantly, the most common thing used for the cages --2x2's, is going to be a problem, as any parrot would likely chew through those in 1 week - 3 months worth of time, rendering your effort not just ineffective but also dangerous.

The other thing about aviaries you have to consider is all the plants/weeds and other thing that get into it, on top of cage itself. It just seems like too many factors to have to control and I don't have that much time on my hands to even try to do so.
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Re: Home-Made aviaries?

Postby kittyhazelton » Sat Jan 07, 2012 10:59 am

Well, we're currently in the dead of winter around here, so I have plenty of time to research construction materials/costs/etc.
I've built enclosures for everything from tortoises to alligators, chicken & poultry coups, helped erect a barn, and we built my mothers house from the foundation up.
As far as the CAPABILITY to build something, I am more than confident in my skills. But with a bird the factors on materials, construction design, size does change significantly.

... off to play with google's "Sketchup" program for some design ideas.
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Re: Home-Made aviaries?

Postby Cage Cleaner » Sat Jan 07, 2012 1:09 pm

kittyhazelton wrote:Well, we're currently in the dead of winter around here, so I have plenty of time to research construction materials/costs/etc.
I've built enclosures for everything from tortoises to alligators, chicken & poultry coups, helped erect a barn, and we built my mothers house from the foundation up.
As far as the CAPABILITY to build something, I am more than confident in my skills. But with a bird the factors on materials, construction design, size does change significantly.

... off to play with google's "Sketchup" program for some design ideas.


Well in that case you're clearly at a different level than I am. You should check out pictures of Singapore's bird park and build something like what they have for their parrots. That place is amazing. Fully planted aviaries that are bigger than most houses there. I didn't see a single speck of bird poop the whole time I was there.
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Re: Home-Made aviaries?

Postby Avialae » Sat Jan 07, 2012 1:28 pm

I've helped build tonnes of small Aviaries/large cages, it is not hard at all. I don't know where you live though, so i can't help you find materials.

Since the minimum cage sizes for Macaw-sized birds is about 6.5 square metres over here by law, i suppose we're more used to not buying pre-manufactured cages. My pois' cage is 2*1*2m and made out of pre-made sections that are very easily put togheter, took me half an hour alone to do it.

What type of Aviary is it you're building? Outside or inside, how large, and where will it be located?
Is it for macaws or smaller birds?
The best materials and construction methods vary, so that would be good to know.

Image
A friends cage, for the front he used a birdproof paint over a galvanized net. Housed an Umbrella Cockatoo and a Military Macaw.
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Re: Home-Made aviaries?

Postby kittyhazelton » Sat Jan 07, 2012 8:01 pm

Avialae wrote:What type of Aviary is it you're building? Outside or inside, how large, and where will it be located?
Is it for macaws or smaller birds?
The best materials and construction methods vary, so that would be good to know.

A friends cage, for the front he used a birdproof paint over a galvanized net. Housed an Umbrella Cockatoo and a Military Macaw.


Ideally I will be building both. I live in New Hampshire US
That indoor aviary is almost exactly what I had in mind for the inside one. As far as an outdoor one I'd basically build the panels separately then bolt them together somehow.
My biggest concern was the materials that could be used. This would be for my blue and gold macaw.
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Re: Home-Made aviaries?

Postby Shelby » Sun Jan 15, 2012 11:57 am

kittyhazelton wrote:I live in New Hampshire US.

Me too! Unfortunately, it's winter for more than half the year... What is the minimum "safe" temperature for birds to be outside in an aviary? 60 degrees F?
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