Make them stop that... quick.

clayman

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Hi all,

once again I am looking up to you 'zon gurus out there for a piece of advice. :)

I am pretty sure most, if not all of you have come to a point where your 'zon was doing something you really did not want him to do. In my case, the older girl started some time ago (and the younger one too recently) to fly to and sit on the circuit breaker box in my flat. It's pretty high up so it is the perfect vantage point for them, it appears. It's in the hallway, though, so there isn't much to see for them, but does not seem to matter at all. There's a cable TV and doorbell cables running through the wall just above the box, which is enough of an incentive for them to start poking around. The main trouble, though, is that the box is an old design where the wires inside are visible/fairly easily accessible to their beaks, which, of course, is bad news. I have been doing my best to keep them away from that spot, but they would often fly to it immediately after I release them from their aviary. I'm afraid that I will be too slow once and they will get a shock from biting through the insulation of a wire.

I have been looking for ways to cover the top of the box to protect the wires from the beaks and vice versa, but it's not as straightforward and although it is probably necessary, that is not the solution I would prefer.

If you have ever had to deal with a similar situation, what was your approach and how did it work out?
 

Flboy

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I would try to find something to place on top of the box to make it too awkward for him to sit up there! Perhaps something like a thin board leaning on a slant?
 

SailBoat

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A High Place to Hang-out! A place that the Humans get crazy when us Amazons go there, Oh yaaa - they are going to go there even more!

Most Electric Panel Boxes are around 100 mm deep and make a tight but reasonable place to land and just turn around on top of.

Of the three issues, the easiest one to change is the landing surface. The best way as stated above is to place something on top of that box that would make it very different for them to land on. A sloped surface makes for the best solution since it is something that can be handled by most anyone that is even somewhat handy. The slope surface needs to measure a minimum of 200 mm and common above 250 mm.

NOTE: There are strict regulations regarding what can be placed on or near a circuit breaker panel. Commonly, they limit what type of material can be used: Fire Resistant.
 
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clayman

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Thanks to all of you for the replies. My electrical box has a bit of a slope on the top, it's not perfectly level, which makes it a little more difficult for them to stay there, but there is a hole in the top and the wires run just below it, so it is indeed imperative for me to cover it up asap.

Thankfully, I got an idea for a cover this morning. It will require a little handiwork but it should be pretty easy.

How about you guys? Have you ever had to deal with something like that? What was it?
 
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wrench13

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The only way to discourage an Amazon from doing something you don't like is to physically make it impossible to do. Like landing on your circuit breaker. An all metal cover, with a sloped top surface would be just the thing. 45 deg top surface , or more. Sometimes we have to use that big brain of ours. Should be easy to fabricate something using sheet metal available at Home Dept or similar store.
 

SailBoat

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Thanks to all of you for the replies. My electrical box has a bit of a slope on the top, it's not perfectly level, which makes it a little more difficult for them to stay there, but there is a hole in the top and the wires run just below it, so it is indeed imperative for me to cover it up asap.

Thankfully, I got an idea for a cover this morning. It will require a little handiwork but it should be pretty easy.

How about you guys? Have you ever had to deal with something like that? What was it?


Note: If that hole in the top is round, it maybe a conduit or wire connection port. If you are under EU regulations there are very specific requirements and products used to close those ports (openings). In addition to the issue of having Amazons on top of the box, having an opening is unsafe for many other reasons and should be properly closed. A Hardware or Electrical Supply Store will have approved product to close that port (opening). Measure the opening and take a picture with you to obtain the proper product

I understand EU regulations for Industrial applications, but not residential applications. 220 VAC is common in all of Europe and open access to it is a serious concern.

As my Good Friend Wrench stated, Humans must alway be watchful of Amazons with time on their side to find ways of entertaining themselves and as a result driving their Human's Crazy. So, it is a constant requirement to keep an eye on them, provide them entertainment toys and using our Brains to keep barely a step in front of them.
 
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clayman

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Thank you, wrench13 and SailBoat, for your replies. I had a couple pieces of chipboard lying around, so I thought I could make something out of them, but SailBoat had a good point in that the thing covering the box should be fire-resistant. Metal is a good alternative since it is usually pretty smooth, although it is also conductive so it might pose another risk.

SailBoat, as I said, the box is an old design. It looks like this, although this one is shorter and does not have the hole. It used to be common a couple decades ago, but I am pretty sure it would not meet the current EU requirements.

The hole in the top is rectangular. I considered just taping a piece of plastic on top of that hole; it would certainly be a little makeshift solution but sufficient to keep my 'zons from sticking their beaks in that hole. However, I would also like to protect the TV and doorbell cables that come out of the wall just above the box, so my plan is to make something that would create a steeper slope to make it much harder or impossible for them to stand on it and use it to cover both the hole and the cables. I am thinking that a piece of metal or something folded just right and tightened to the wall with a couple of screws might get the job done.
 

SailBoat

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Yup, that is an older design.

Metal would be a better choice, since you can cut and bend to the shape that you need. And, yes, a steeper slope will also be helpful.

Spray painting the metal cover will help insulate it (somewhat). The concern is the TV cable and Door Bell wiring. As you correctly noted, metal is conductive and making contact with the breaker box and either or both the TV cable (lesser concern) and the Door Bell (more concern (12 or 24 VDC)) wants to be avoided.

In addition, you could use electrical tape to wrap (separately) the TV Cable and Door Bell ringing along those areas that may make contact with the new Amazon Shield. You could also, run a cover of electrical tape along the edge and rap up on the sides of the metal sheet that would be touching the electrical panel. This would 'limit' conductivity.

Avoid screwing into the electrical panel. If necessary, you need to open it and 'know' where the screw will enter and make assurances that those areas are free of wires currently and in the future! Best to avoid screwing into the panel!

If you 'own' the Flat, start budgeting moneys to upgrade that panel. Normally, they will need to be upgraded to current electrical code to sell the Flat.
 
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clayman

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Thank you for the insight, SailBoat. I think I have finalized the design. Indeed, it's going to be a metal "roof" of sorts, a right-angled triangle with the vertical side mounted to the wall and having cut-outs to accommodate the different cables in the wall. The top will cover the box and be steep enough to not allow for any grip for the ladies' claws.

Today, I have managed to eliminate another one of the problematic spots the ladies loved to take advantage of -- my ceiling lamp in the living room where their aviary is. I have a fairly simple lamp that has the power cable outside and is hung on a thin steel string. The girls loved to climb it and nib at the cable. I found out just as I was fixing this issue that in one spot, the cable was almost nibbled down to the aluminium wires. I dealt with it just in time.

I had to get a plastic tube (essentially a drain tube) from the department store and run the string and the cable through it. To make it a little prettier, I wrapped it in a decorative duct tape.

It was a quite a bit more difficult than I had expected because of the way the way the wires were joined inside the base of the lamp, but I am happy to say it turned out just the way I wanted to. The girls have already tried to climb the tube but to no avail. The sight of them trying was a huge satisfaction to me for all the trouble I had to go through to keep them off of that thing. :)

The electrical box is the last painful spot I need to take care of to make the place much safer for my ladies. Thank you all again for the replies, guys.
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Taw5106

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OK girl thought here, I don't know how big the box is but what about putting something over the box like a big hat, a mask, something that they would see a change and avoid? I say this thinking about my green chicken, he's afraid of everything new so this might not work if yours are brave, lol.


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clayman

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Thank you for the reply, Taw5106. :) I have already placed a makeshift carton cutout, in the generale shape of what I hope will be put on there eventually, on top of that box and made it steep enough for them to not get a grip on it. The duct tape I had handy sucks big time, but the thing still holds. And sure enough, the ladies have tried multiple times to get there as they got used to, but failed every time. I am a little more comfortable now. :)

And yes, my girls are generally quite courageous, especially the younger one. Every time it comes to that "fight or flight" decision, she cracks her fingers, so to speak, and starts lashing out pinches and bites.
 

Birdman666

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Best advice... If you really want to discourage them from hanging out there, they make these pigeon spike strips that install with adhesive, and it takes away their nesting spot. Then just do a PVC playstand sort of thing nearby where your bird IS allowed to go.

THAT SPOT IS A NO GO.

THIS IS YOUR SPOT.
 
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clayman

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Thanks for your reply, Birdman666. As I have said in another thread, they do have a tree and a playground to satisfy their need for gnawing. I suspect they fly there just to get my attention. They know that I will come when they sit there.

Thankfully, as I have said in my previous post, I have made a temporary solution to keep them away from that place so I am a little more at peace with their exploratory flights around the flat.
 

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