What so you use on the bottom of their cages?

Lunalie

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Jan 28, 2020
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LaGrange KY
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10 parakeets
Just a curious thought. I have heard several answers and seen different ways from others, but would love to hear what you all do! :)
 

noodles123

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Jul 11, 2018
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Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
paper towels or nothing (under the grate).

No bedding- these are often toxic and can cause blockages if ingested-wood chips can also be toxic and produce fumes.

If you do newspaper- black and white is the way to go. Colored ink contains toxins that you don't necessarily want in the cage (even under the grate).

I have also used non-glossy poster paper in rolls.
 

DestinyCall

New member
May 5, 2020
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I don't get the newspaper and don't like using paper towels, so I buy rolls of butcher paper and cut it to fit. You can get it in different widths to fit your cage trays and one roll lasts a long time.
 

noodles123

Well-known member
Jul 11, 2018
8,145
472
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Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
That is basically what I did with poster paper (non-glossy). My thing was, my bird only pooped in certain areas, so it seemed like a lot of work. That having been said, paper towels pop up when they are folded in, so it was hard to keep her from pulling them into the cage during hormonal periods...which is why I often just go without and clean the area with a bird safe cleaner frequently.
 

MonicaMc

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Sep 12, 2012
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Paper.... mainly end rolls for newspaper rolls... which I need a new source for.
 

Talven

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May 4, 2019
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Australia
Newspaper is what we generally use here although I am tempted to change to using a type of cat litter that is readily available here. It's made of rice husks and is organic and biodegradeable. All of which is below the grate and [Hopefully] inaccessable to my birds.
 

birbsRcool

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Jun 15, 2020
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Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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1 cockatiel named pikachu^^
paper towels or nothing (under the grate).

No bedding- these are often toxic and can cause blockages if ingested-wood chips can also be toxic and produce fumes.

If you do newspaper- black and white is the way to go. Colored ink contains toxins that you don't necessarily want in the cage (even under the grate).

I have also used non-glossy poster paper in rolls.

what toxins are there? we don't really have black n white newspaper anymore
 

Jen5200

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Mar 27, 2017
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I buy big rolls of brown kraft paper in the same width as my cage trays. My trays are under a grate so the birds can’t get at the paper. I also throw newspapers/flyers on top of the brown paper in the “high poop” areas that I can just peel off and throw out daily. I change the brown paper weekly. The big rolls of kraft paper are inexpensive on Amazon and last quite a while.
 

mica21493

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Dec 12, 2019
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Eastern Pennsylvania
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Mica and Daffy, greatly missed
I use newspaper. I have friends who get the paper and save it for me so it's free and plentiful.
 

Betrisher

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Jun 3, 2013
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Dominic: Galah(RIP: 1981-2018); The Lovies: Four Blue Masked Lovebirds; Barney and Madge (The Beaks): Alexandrines; Miss Rosetta Stone: Little Corella
I use cardboard. Mostly pizza boxes, but also packing boxes which I get for free from our local hardware store. The birds just love turning the cardboard into confetti and Rosetta really enjoys using a pizza box for her personal trampoline. :)
 

Jasmine333

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Dec 7, 2019
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Paper towels, most of the time plain white ones. I got tickled at Oliver when I used some paper towels recently that had some round orange-colored designs. He kept looking down at the paper from his perch and may have thought "boy, I really messed that paper up quick".
 
OP
Lunalie

Lunalie

New member
Jan 28, 2020
56
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LaGrange KY
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10 parakeets
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I end up getting all my newspaper from my mother who lives with my grandmother and they get a paper everyday and the large one on Sundays so my mom saves most of it for me. Lol
 

DestinyCall

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May 5, 2020
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The inks themselves can be toxic if the bird is able to reach and ingest the colored newspaper.

what toxins are there? we don't really have black n white newspaper anymore

I don't think they can get away with inks that are potentially toxic anymore.

You'd be surprised with what people can get away with until they are caught red-handed. Birds are sensitive to much lower levels of toxicity than humans ... and most people do not eat their newspapers when they finish reading it.
 
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Talven

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May 4, 2019
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Australia
... and most people do not eat their newspapers when they finish reading it.
That's very true but there is always the risk of a small child doing exactly that. People are waaay more protective of their children nowadays. Don't get me wrong the potential is there in newspaper but nowhere near the risk it was 20+ years ago.
 
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