outdoor aviary

Hi Im new to this site. I have a Blue Fronted Amazon that I am making an outdoor aviary for. I will be setting it on my deck enclosed with half inch by half inch hardware cloth.My question is what type of lumber should I be using? I do know not to use treated lumber. Is pine OK? Must I use cedar????

Why not use PVC?!

It's cheaper, easier to work with, and more durable.

No you shouldn't use cedar.

Birdman666 said:

Why not use PVC?!

It's cheaper, easier to work with, and more durable.

Click to expand...

Thanks for that info....I'm very new to building stuff. i like the idea of PVC. I've been looking at videos on YouTube but they seem to be bigger and more elaborate than I'm trying for. Hoping to make appx 5ft X7ft and using what's called hardware cloth .... What's your opinion on this?

If i had time i would get into more detail. hardware cloth is not very parrot friendly. Mostly because it's cheap galvanized coated wire. Zinc poisoning is very possible. If your going to use galvanized wire use a quality "cage" wire. Google cage wire.

I appreciate All information thanks

I don't know if this site has a list, but I found this safe/unsafe wood list for parrots here:
Safe and Dangerous Woods

I printed out a list of safe foods and woods and a hazards list and taped it up inside my kitchen cabinet so I can check if I'm unsure about something. That way the information is always close at hand without having to do a search again.

Thanks I'll check into it

I also am in the planning stages of a new outdoor aviary for my birds, which range in size from a very large, 900-gram, Grey to a little parrotlet (not to be used at the same time, obviously). I already have a pre-made aviary (the 6' round one). However, it's getting old now (about 12 years), with a couple of popped (repaired) welds, and I'd just like a newer, larger, nicer looking place. I have a big, covered patio so my aviary is protected from the worst of weather, but it is exposed to some glancing rain, ice, and sun.

I have been looking at the A&E rectangular one, which is powder coated and can be ordered in the half-inch bar spacing. It's not really for full-exposure outdoor conditions but I think it's going to be fine on a covered porch, next to a house. I explored having my aviary custom built but my cockatoo is a complete woodchuck so wood would be totally out of the question, and stainless steel cloth is extraordinarily expensive in the size I would need, not to mention finding someone with parrot understanding and ability to build this aviary to avoid physical injury to the birds. I'm also just not willing to risk the zinc issue using other wire (although my city's zoo uses normal, zinc-coated chain link for its outdoor enclosures for parrots). Acid wash or not, I just don't want to use anything with zinc.

So, you might want to check into some of the ready-made aviaries, as well.

We built our indoor enclosure out of wood because we wanted a much larger cage for less money than the nearly $3,000 ones we saw online in that size and I have a simple solution for wood chewing as well. We went to our local home improvement store and bought some of those wood look floor tiles to cover any exposed wood. It's so very easy to apply, can be done with a simple hand tool like a putty knife. A few hard tiles that are indestructible over those boards and you have a bird safe area that looks like wood and can't be chewed:
http://www.lowes.com/pd_591542-1813-1096106_4294696460__?productId=50245003&Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&pl=1¤tURL=%3FNs%3Dp_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&facetInfo=

Was your putty knife-like tool a notched trowel?

The only problem with a ceramic tile is that it in outdoor situations, it needs to be installed over a substrate that does not expand & contract, which pretty much limits it to use over concrete with a suitable mortar.

MM, what did you use for walls/caging ? ? ?

vickie said:

Birdman666 said:

Why not use PVC?!

It's cheaper, easier to work with, and more durable.

Click to expand...

Thanks for that info....I'm very new to building stuff. i like the idea of PVC. I've been looking at videos on YouTube but they seem to be bigger and more elaborate than I'm trying for. Hoping to make appx 5ft X7ft and using what's called hardware cloth .... What's your opinion on this?

Click to expand...

Birdman 666
What size PVC would u suggest??? I'm checking into 1 1/2 inch but the 90's are rounded. Leaving gaps at the top... Any suggestions?

I also favor pic when building cages. As for your gap issue, I build the fame and put the wire over the whole thing, so there do not end up being gaps. However, I am planning an aviary that will be easily disassembled to be able to move with me when we go, and be enlarged or made smaller, and that I will do with panels. I will simply place more wire ov ER the gaps tightly and securely so no birdies can get stuck. A catch door is also a really good idea to include in your plans, btw.

I have checked the ready made aviaries... Unfortunately they are out of my price range.. Back to the drawing board

Great suggestion... I also want to disassemble mine for the winter.... Trying to keep it longer..in Michigan I will be using the cage for only a few months a year. I was planning on doing panels also and though about zip tying screen to PVC frame
Was planning on hardware cloth but after others comments I guess this might not be too safe....

weco said:

Was your putty knife-like tool a notched trowel?

The only problem with a ceramic tile is that it in outdoor situations, it needs to be installed over a substrate that does not expand & contract, which pretty much limits it to use over concrete with a suitable mortar.

MM, what did you use for walls/caging ? ? ?

Click to expand...

You can easily cut pieces of hardibacker to install with screws over the bare wood, and then add your tile. Easy peasy. It cuts with any standard power saw. Honestly you're supposed to use a notched trowel but in limited room applications you can back-butter it and slap it up. It doesn't come down, trust me. If the application is on a floor, I do it the correct way. On a vertical surface where people won't walk on it, I can pretty much guarantee it'll be just fine with back-buttering the tiles only. It may not be the correct way, but I've never had one fall down yet. I use a putty knife and run the edge down length-wise to make a few grooves in the mortar and call it good. I put up my own kitchen backsplash (although at that point I hadn't finished grouting the whole thing yet):
http://vid1371.photobucket.com/albums/ag285/BClosedDoors/Mobile%20Uploads/video-2015-01-05-13-25-39_zpsabmtpatg.mp4

vickie said:

Great suggestion... I also want to disassemble mine for the winter.... Trying to keep it longer..in Michigan I will be using the cage for only a few months a year. I was planning on doing panels also and though about zip tying screen to PVC frame
Was planning on hardware cloth but after others comments I guess this might not be too safe....

Click to expand...

In the midwest that is a great idea to take it down! As for zip-ties, I use them BUT I know which of my birds will find them and break them and which will not. You have to know your birds; both the species and the individual bird.

Minimaker said:

weco said:

Was your putty knife-like tool a notched trowel?

The only problem with a ceramic tile is that it in outdoor situations, it needs to be installed over a substrate that does not expand & contract, which pretty much limits it to use over concrete with a suitable mortar.

MM, what did you use for walls/caging ? ? ?

Click to expand...

You can easily cut pieces of hardibacker to install with screws over the bare wood, and then add your tile. Easy peasy. It cuts with any standard power saw. Honestly you're supposed to use a notched trowel but in limited room applications you can back-butter it and slap it up. It doesn't come down, trust me. If the application is on a floor, I do it the correct way. On a vertical surface where people won't walk on it, I can pretty much guarantee it'll be just fine with back-buttering the tiles only. It may not be the correct way, but I've never had one fall down yet. I use a putty knife and run the edge down length-wise to make a few grooves in the mortar and call it good. I put up my own kitchen backsplash (although at that point I hadn't finished grouting the whole thing yet):
http://vid1371.photobucket.com/albums/ag285/BClosedDoors/Mobile%20Uploads/video-2015-01-05-13-25-39_zpsabmtpatg.mp4

Click to expand...

Theoretically, you're right MM, but Hardiboard is not designed for below grade installations or installations where the material is constantly exposed to moist environments.....and especially exposed freeze-thaw installations.....when you screw Hardiboard to an outdoor wood base, it does add a measure of strength to the base, but the moisture in a wooden base will expand & contract (according to the type of wood used as a base) and depending on how tight the Hardiboard is screwed down, the flexing of the wood base will cause cracking of the Hardiboard & eventual sympathetic cracking of the tile and/or grout lines.....defeating your efforts.....

Just my humble opinion.....

)

Hi
You are so brave,I want an outside aviary,but I'm to afraid.
Originally from MI, but have been in GA for the last five years.
And you won't believe the bugs, creepy things and critters.
I know I wouldn't be able to use pest control, and the biggest pest would be fire ants.
So what would I do?
The best with your aviary and please post pics.

There is definitely some screwball statements in that article. First off, there is no such thing as Sitka cedar. There is a Sitka spruce.

Second, there are FOUR distinct and unrelated species known as "red cedar." The two that are commonly availalbe in the US are the Eastern and Western red cedar. I suspect the one that is the problem is EASTERN Red Cedar, which is a Juniper also known as the aromatic cedar (like cedar chests are lined with, etc...). The stuff you'll find in home centers for fence posts, etc... is WESTERN Red Cedar. This is a cypress. Western red cedar is the stuff they make pencils out of. White cedar is also a cypress.

None of cedars have any relationship to Redwood (Sequoia).