Window chewing...

Vilatus

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Jul 17, 2017
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One Quaker, Nico
Hi everybody.

I'm having a reoccurring issue with my budgie. Every time I let him out, he almost immediately flies to the window and tries to chew the screen and the wood. Almost all the toys in his cage are wood, there's toys for him to chew outside it as well. I don't know what to do and I'm becoming very frustrated- I have to babysit him the entire time he's out which means I can't give attention to my cockatiels. When he goes to the window, I put him back in his cage. I don't know how to stop this behavior. He has plenty of things to chew, but he keeps doing this.

Any help and/or suggestions are appreciated.
 

SailBoat

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Jul 10, 2015
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Ugly starting point, but the end results are rewarding:

Painter's tape with plastic sheets above windows will limit or eliminate access. The tape needs to be replace a couple of times a week so that it does not become permanent fixture on the wall.

After a few weeks, the Parrot is on to something else. Will need to repeat a from time to time.

Hope this helps.
 

wrench13

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Yeah you really want him to not chew metal screen , all of that stuff is zinc coated and zinc is toxic with a capitol T
 

GaleriaGila

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Brilliant, Mr. Boat. I was just going to commiserate, because I have to be constantly vigilant when you-know-who is on the loose. I'm gonna try that on a few things that the bird is interested in at the moment!
 

texsize

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Bella likes to chew on the door jam.
 
OP
Vilatus

Vilatus

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Yeah you really want him to not chew metal screen , all of that stuff is zinc coated and zinc is toxic with a capitol T
Mine are actually some sort of fabric, not metal thankfully. One of the family dogs saw a cat in the yard last year and actually tore through our screen, oops.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
OP
Vilatus

Vilatus

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Ugly starting point, but the end results are rewarding:

Painter's tape with plastic sheets above windows will limit or eliminate access. The tape needs to be replace a couple of times a week so that it does not become permanent fixture on the wall.

After a few weeks, the Parrot is on to something else. Will need to repeat a from time to time.

Hope this helps.

If it'll help, it doesn't matter.

This sounds like a wonderful idea. I think I might actually go to the store tonight and get this set up. My budgie's rein of terror must end haha

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
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Vilatus

Vilatus

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Brilliant, Mr. Boat. I was just going to commiserate, because I have to be constantly vigilant when you-know-who is on the loose. I'm gonna try that on a few things that the bird is interested in at the moment!
Good luck to you, I hope that trick works!!

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 

wrench13

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Yeah you really want him to not chew metal screen , all of that stuff is zinc coated and zinc is toxic with a capitol T
Mine are actually some sort of fabric, not metal thankfully. One of the family dogs saw a cat in the yard last year and actually tore through our screen, oops.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

LOL, reminds me of when my best friends Basset hound jumped right through a screen door panel . To be fair to the dog, there was never a screen panel in place , so she'd just jump thru the opeing. He replaced the screen panel and it lasted all of an hour, maybe. That dog was a juggernaut.

Good luck - 'Boats gave you a good idea ( but then 'Boats usually gives great advice). Please let us know how it worked?
 

Kiwibird

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Try tying up a couple old CD's on strings and hanging them in front of the window on a tension curtain rod or just tape them to the ceiling. Birds do not like hanging CD's because they're reflective and move. It's actually suggested as a safe way to keep them out of gardens. Sometimes the only way to evict a determined bird from an off limits area is a swift proverbial kick in the tail by having something they hate move into the space. It doesn't take long for them to move on and not return (if they do, the CD monsters come back!). My moms amazon was getting under the coffee table a while back and chewing carpet. My mom taped up some old dvd's on strings under the coffee table. Sure enough, she stopped going under there even after the CDs were removed.
 
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Soyajam

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Feb 9, 2013
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I'm having a similar issue - I have been hanging a boing in a doorway but I've had to take it down as my bird climbs up and then chews on the door-frame where the boing attaches to a hook on the wall.

I was also going to say either a chew-proof protection or a deterrent, and i think Sailboat or Kiwibird's suggestions sound the best.

Personally I'm thinking of a combination of tape + acrylic/hard plastic. The hard plastic is slippery and birds can't grab onto anything if the edge of it is out of reach.
 

LordTriggs

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Try tying up a couple old CD's on strings and hanging them in front of the window on a tension curtain rod or just tape them to the ceiling. Birds do not like hanging CD's because they're reflective and move. It's actually suggested as a safe way to keep them out of gardens. Sometimes the only way to evict a determined bird from an off limits area is a swift proverbial kick in the tail by having something they hate move into the space. It doesn't take long for them to move on and not return (if they do, the CD monsters come back!). My moms amazon was getting under the coffee table a while back and chewing carpet. My mom taped up some old dvd's on strings under the coffee table. Sure enough, she stopped going under there even after the CDs were removed.

That is an awesome idea Kiwi! Could be a good way of halting birds going to little hiding spots to make nests
 
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Vilatus

Vilatus

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One Quaker, Nico
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Yeah you really want him to not chew metal screen , all of that stuff is zinc coated and zinc is toxic with a capitol T
Mine are actually some sort of fabric, not metal thankfully. One of the family dogs saw a cat in the yard last year and actually tore through our screen, oops.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

LOL, reminds me of when my best friends Basset hound jumped right through a screen door panel . To be fair to the dog, there was never a screen panel in place , so she'd just jump thru the opeing. He replaced the screen panel and it lasted all of an hour, maybe. That dog was a juggernaut.

Good luck - 'Boats gave you a good idea ( but then 'Boats usually gives great advice). Please let us know how it worked?
Even peaceful dogs can do some damage to screen doors lmao... it's serious business getting outside.

I'll let you guys know, but right now I unfortunately haven't had time to go get plastic!

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 

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