KL31 Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 long story short, i NEED a full seal plexiglass. My mom wont let me keep the cage in the living room because of all the dust and seed shells. So makes me keep the cage in the laundry room D: anyways, i want to make a full seal plexiglass cage. Dimensions would be 4x4x20. the roof will contain 6 air vent filters, to keep the dust out. The front will contain a rather large door, large enough to fit the play gym i will keep on the inside. It will swing up, instead of to the side. if you know what a DeLorean is, you probably understand what i mean. Anyways, the play gym on the inside will be made of 1 inch diameter PVC tubes. The roundness and its size will prevent him from biting it, and the end caps will be made of metal. it will also be able to hold food and water dishes. The floor of the cage will also be made of plexiglass, but will be covered with parrot litter. idk if thats what its called but yeah thats what it is. the litter will be high enough to cover the base of the play gym. Cleaning poop and stuff would be simply scooping up the dirty clumped up litter, and refilling the litter as necessary. anyways, thats my idea. any suggestions? i have no intention of backing out of making this cage. its pretty much my only choice. So if there is any detrimental problem with the design, please suggest ideas to remedy it. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronald Byrd Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 I'm not sure how happy your grey would be in a plexiglass cage. He/She probably won't feel to secure being that exposed. Not to mention introducing a new cage is hard enough. Also, six air vents on top won't be enough if you put filters on them. I would suggest making a skirt out of plexiglass to catch the seeds and buy an air purifier. If you absolutely must do it then at least enclose his current cage with plexiglass and put a lot more filters on all sides. Then YOU get in the cage and spend a hour inside it to make sure you have plenty of ventilation and that there is no sunlight to turn his cage into a greenhouse, sunlight that your bird needs by the way. Find a different solution IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywings Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 (edited) I know your bird will need a great deal more air flow to remain healthy. The bottom litter can be a dangerous choice as it can grow mold if it gets damp or moist food on the surface and there is a danger of him ingesting it and becoming blocked. Perhaps you can build a plexiglass tray that reaches a height of 5 or 6 inches to surround his present cage instead. Edited March 29, 2012 by Greywings additional wording Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Don't do it. It is unhealthy. They have very delicate air sacks and respitory systems. You have to allow your bird out of te age daily, no matter how hard you try, there will be a mess from that to clean. Birds are messy, that's a fact. Put your mom in a plexiglas glass small room and see how she likes it, she may change her mind about allowing the bird to be in a age in the living room. Lol just a sarcastic remark. Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 I have to echo the other's sentiments about the plexiglass cage, birds need ventilation and closing one up in this fashion is sure to cause some trouble, make your bird sick and die. Why not promise to vacuum the floor every day where the cage is and keep the area spotless so she will allow your bird to be with the family where they spend the most time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 I have three parrots and parrots do scatter seeds and food. Just clean up after your grey. It really isn't that hard. If you do not have the time to do the clean up, then for your grey's health and happiness re-home your grey. That would be my suggestion. I may get a lot of heat from this post, but putting your grey in a plexiglass cage in the laundry room away from the family and activity is cruel. All animals need fresh and circulating air; and contact with people and life. Can't you put your grey's cage in your room?? Think of what your priorities in life are right now and if your grey is not a main part of your life then you have your answer of what you should really do for the health and happiness of your grey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronald Byrd Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 luvparrots.... Don't expect any heat, I'm sure everyone else was thinking the same thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KL31 Posted March 29, 2012 Author Share Posted March 29, 2012 @luvparrots, the whole point of making a plexi cage is to keep it OUT of the laundry room, to be in the living room with the rest of the family. If i could keep my parrot in my room, i would, but my room, as well as 90 percent of the house is carpeted... very thick carpet. And my mom would flip if it gets dirty. My parents dont even allow food upstairs (where my room is), let alone a parrot. anyways, i understand the main concern of this would be ventilation. as for the litter idea, i used to do it. The rocks are really good at absorbing fluids, and i never had one problem with my parrot eating it. then we sorta ran out, and resorted to using news paper instead. To fix the ventilation idea, i would attach a electric powered air filter, and run the intake tube to the bottom, and the out take tube to the top, so it constantly circulates and cleans the air inside. a secondary pump will be installed, that will constantly pump outside air into the inside. all the tubes will be protected with bars from the current cage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 What if the electricity went off for an extended period of time, heck even if for a short time it could prove deadly for your bird, please rethink this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KL31 Posted March 29, 2012 Author Share Posted March 29, 2012 what are you talking about? went off for an extended period of time? if you mean electrocute him, no possible way. The air filter is just a modded commercial air filter that is placed outside of the cage. only tubes that connect the cage with the intake vent and the outtake vent will be connected to the cage in any way, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 i would attach a electric powered air filter This is electric run so if your electricity would go off what would power it? Maybe your electric power is more reliable than ours but it does go off sometimes for various reasons. I never meant you might electrocute in any way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KL31 Posted March 30, 2012 Author Share Posted March 30, 2012 oh i see what you mean... its called a black out my friend. I would still leave install the filter on the top. It would be the back up incase the electric air filter doesnt work, so the parrot can still breath, until the power comes back up. and the power here is pretty damn reliable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murfchck Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 It sounds like you want him to live in a bubble. That is no life for a grey or any other bird. No matter how hard you try to defend this, it isn't right. I know you are trying to do right by him by trying to get him out of the laundry room, which also doesn't sound good, but really think this thru please. Put yourself in your birds place and ask if this is how you would want to live your life, in a see thru coffin? Time to start thinking about your bird and not yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoom Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 It sounds to me like you love your bird very much, but your mom is putting you in a position where it's impossible for you to provide your bird with a healthy environment. Is there any way you can negotiate with your mom? Maybe ask her to let you keep the bird in your room or the living room on the condition that you'll keep the area as clean as humanly possible? Ask her for a trial period - say a month or two - and if she's not happy with how it's working out, you'll find a new home for the bird? Or offer to take on additional chores in exchange for her putting up with the bird being in the living room or your room? (Is there something she really wants from YOU that you could include in the negotiations?) It's an unfortunate fact that birds are messy. Everybody here knows they're worth the mess, but it sounds like your mom cares a lot about cleanliness and isn't really a bird person. It may not be possible to win her over. On the other hand, it's also an unfortunate fact that kids are messy, and she decided to have kids anyway and tolerate the mess, so maybe there's hope. Besides, I'm sure you mean a great deal to her, and if she realizes how much your bird means to you, that's got to be worth something to her. I hope you can find a way to negotiate a little leeway with your mom. But if you can't, I believe you love your bird enough to want him to be healthy and happy, even if it means he can't live with you anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronald Byrd Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 (edited) Your concerns are dander and mess correct? I'm sure everyone here will agree with these solutions. Dander - Humidifier and Purifier. Your bird evolved in a climate with around 75% humidity. That is like your bathroom after an hour long shower. Your house is probably around 15% humidity and this is why your bird produces so much dander. A humidifier next to his cage will reduce the amount of dander produced and cause some of the dander that is produced to clump and be too heavy to go airborne. The dander that does make it airborne will be caught in the purifier. This will work just a well as your death trap idea. Mess - Build a skirt that extends 6-8" from the sides of his cage. Make it 12" if you have to. Or you can put newspaper down and change it everyday. P.S. tell your mom that this means she will have a humidifier and purifier in the living room. I noticed my house smells clean and I don't need air fresheners anymore. Look up on the internet all the benefits of a humidifier and purifier and present that information to your mother. Edited March 30, 2012 by Ronald Byrd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywings Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 You can also purchase those plastic mats that go under office chairs to place under the cage to protect any carpet, and clean easily. I am a Mom and to me the bird is more important than any carpet, why did she even alow a bird in your home unless she is willing to work with you to keep it properlyl? I am still not happy with the Plexi cage idea. I see you love your bird and I respect that. >:> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 I have tried to stay out of this discussion as I am appalled at you thinking your bird can live a healthy and long prosperous life in what essentially is a bubble. It is unhealthy and your bird will surely suffer in many ways. These are issues that should have been discussed and given lots of thought to BEFORE acquiring your bird. But seeming as that is water under the bridge, you have to do what is in the best interest of you bird. And that may very will be re-homing it. Doesn't sound like much of a life living in a laundry room or in a closed in bubble. As others have said, your mother chose to have kids, and they are messy even more so than 1 bird. She allowed to get this bird, she should allow you the responsibility of keeping the house clean from it too. Sounds like she hasnt even given you the chance. You have another option. Why don't you try and bring her heart into living this bird. If you can do that, she might be more willing to tolerate any mess. We all put up with annoyances in those pets and people we love. Share your bird with her, encourage her to spend time talking to it. Maybe feeding it some treats, giving him scritches on the head. Have her whistle to it and she might love how he imitates her whistle. You just might be able to win her over where she might want him around more and would be willing to tolerate any mess he makes that YOU will clean up. Let her know how much this bird means to you and how it is only there until you are able to move to your own place. I do believe that if you continue to keep this bird in the laundry room or in a bubble no matter what kind of an air system you install, he will begin to get stressed and pluck and have other behavioral problems. These parrots NEED human interaction and out of cage time with their family. They are flock creatures and need that to continue to flourish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KL31 Posted March 30, 2012 Author Share Posted March 30, 2012 Thanks for the help guys. really appreciate it. the problem is that my mom doesnt really think that the bird needs anything other than food, water, and cage. Where my mom is from, parrots (or any bird) is just a commodity, something pretty to look at, not a companion. and no matter what i tell her, she doesnt believe me, thinking that it is just a bird, and doesnt really need anything. actually, while typing up an extended response to everyone's complaints, i have reached an epiphany. the problem is that the food bowl is located right on bars of the cage, where the shells can fall out of. To solve this, i would build a device that will stably hold both the water and the food bowl at the center of the cage, so the seed shells wont fall outside. the bottom would be protected with a skirt as well, to minimize the amount of shells that would fall out. i'll buy an air filter and place it next to the cage, so that the dust wont spread. How well would this work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWIX Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 It would not hurt if you add a small plexi glass piece around the feeding area (The Bowl), this will minimize the amount of food spilling outside the cage. I am completely against covering the cage completely with plexi glass and i agree with everyone above. I think you love your parrot and if you really do, you will never want him to live sad and unhealthy, parrots and birds love freedom just like us. Take the right decision and please take care of him, maybe ask your mom to read this thread too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murfchck Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 I do not mean any disrespect but how old are you? I only ask because maybe you could find a temp home for your bird until you have a place of your own where you can properly take care of him. Moving him to the family room is a good start but will he ever get to be out of the cage? Stretch his wings? Be a part of the family? They need these things and so much more to be happy in their life. They could out live us and the early years of their life is setting the stage for their later years. You could mentally harm this guy making rehoming later on very hard. On this forum is a Bill of Rights for Birds. Please read this. I will try and find it for you and put it here, i have 2 rescued birds and this touched me deeper than anything else i have ever read before. Please think about your birds well being, sometimes it hurts to do the right thing but it feels better knowing they are being cared for in the right way! 20 years ago i gave up a wonderful umbrella cockatoo because i couldn't care for him correctly, it was 18 years later before i knew for sure i was completly ready to invest the time and love they need! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWIX Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 This is a great solution Wingy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted April 1, 2012 Share Posted April 1, 2012 Contrary to most responses, I can easily seeing this work - IF it was big enough. Let's work with KL31 (real name?) rather than driving him/her off. KL31 isn't talking about a completely sealed system, just limiting the access to airflow. The ideas involving the external filtration are impressive. (The filtered vents are an issue because they require forced air, so some open vents will be required in the case of a power outage.) It sounds like KL31 is willing to put a lot of time and thought in coming up with a way to get his/her bird integrated into the household. The plexiglass won't keep the bird from hearing/communicating with the family. If the plexiglass cage was big enough, you could put a lot of perches in place; a lot of places to climb and exercise. The bird gets to see and hear the family, which is no different than if it was in a standard cage. That said, the cage itself provides a lot of exercise - I'm sure Ellie is not alone in climbing all over the cage. I like the idea of the humidifier and the air-purifier to control the dander. We've seen several ideas to control the seeds/waste. You could even put a sheet of plexiglass on a hinge on the outside of one side of the cage (the side with the food and water bowls. That way you have access to the bowls and can control the mess. Get a large plastic mat to put under the cage. (I've been meaning to do that myself...) I know people like KL31's mother. Don't understand them one little bit, but I also can't see convincing them to change. KL31 is gonna have to work around his/her mother for now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimijean Posted April 1, 2012 Share Posted April 1, 2012 Thank you Doug. ) Kim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KL31 Posted April 1, 2012 Author Share Posted April 1, 2012 is 4x4x8 big enough? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted April 1, 2012 Share Posted April 1, 2012 Again, I think it depends on how much climbing space there is on the inside. Greys need their exercise and it doesn't sound like you'll be able to take yours out very often. With regard to your air vents, remember that an impediment to airflow (which a filter is) will greatly reduce or even eliminate airflow. It is going to be a BITCH to keep clean, though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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