Securing feed hatches?

strudel · Dec 8, 2013

No doubt this one has come up before, but I can't find it (yet) and I want to get my new cage sorted out ASAP.

It's got the swing-out feed hatches on it, with just the hanging "clip" as "security". I need to find the pliers to tighten it up, but I'm pretty sure she'll be able to figure out how "work it" to open the hatches. Any suggestions for something better?

Also, the food bowl hangers are just put on with nuts and bolts. She may want to have a go at them - I saw the picture in the photo comp of the bird dismantling his cage and I can tighten them up. Is there anything else that can be done that would keep them removable? I suppose I could pop rivet them on and drill the rivets out if they get all manky where they join the cage?

Megapixel · Dec 8, 2013

Pics would be very useful - maybe even just pics of that model cage from some website that sells them.

strudel · Dec 8, 2013

Thanks, they are standard "swing out" solid metal doors on a screwed pivot with just a metal tag hanging over it to prevent it being opened, there's no other catch. There's a photo on the catalogue of avian products here, but it's a pdf and the photo doesn't show the feed doors up close so it's not much use. It's the first one, corner cage. AllPet products Wholesale to the pet industry

I was mistaken about the nuts and bolts. The extremely "helpful" instructions described the 6 different types of screws and the washers and nuts as "screw bag 1 pc" and did not make any reference to which screws go where. The nuts are actually for securing the top perch and the feedcup holders are just screwed in. So that's ok, it's just keeping the doors closed better. She's moved in, and hasn't yet tried to "escape" so maybe it won't be an issue (yeh, right

).

Megapixel · Dec 8, 2013

Great, thanks. I found a better pic.
Are the hanging tabs on a threaded bolt that can be tightened so they can't pivot?
maybe put a little loctite or regular super-glue on the bolt and then tighten it down real good.

strudel · Dec 8, 2013

I need to get the socket set out and see whether it can be tightened up. It's got a locking nut on there, it can't be tightened by hand. I'm pretty sure it'll tighten up with tools, but it has to be movable to get it open, and if it's movable miss clever bird might move it.... It may not be much of a challenge for her, I don't know.

Megapixel · Dec 8, 2013

Sorry, for some reason I was thinking you wanted to just lock down the feeder doors and not use them. I assume the bowls would still be accessible through the main door.
I don't use the dishes that come with a cage unless their isn't a better option. I prefer to put food bowls in places that make sense according to the birds eating habits and to use food bowls that I think are the "right size"

strudel · Dec 8, 2013

Thanks, yes I don't use them in my other cages either, but this is a small cage and not her main "house" so I thought I might use them. There's not a lot of room to add lots of stuff. Actually, you can't access the bowls from inside, there's a bar across them to stop the bird pulling them out of the holder. Maybe I will end up just sealing them up, eventually. I'll give them a go first, though.

Calace · Dec 9, 2013

There was another thread on this not too long ago, I had a quick look but can't find it right now.... I'm sure someone else might remember it though. I'm almost positive that the solution was some metal discs attached somehow

Sorry I can't be more specific, hopefully someone else does remember who posted it!

Captsteve · Dec 9, 2013

I would look into a better catch system and rivet the door on. Browse around a hardware store and see what you can come up with. some loc-tite on the nuts will help.

My Goffin can proudly reduce a cage to a pile of pieces in short order. I swear he has an impact wrench hidden in his cage! I have to tighten everything on his cage on a normal basis.

strudel · Dec 9, 2013

Thanks, there are no nuts, I'd put them on in error. It's the "better catch system" that I need to figure out. You'd think the cage manufacturers would figure it out. Some of the other cages had door "catches" that wouldn't keep anybody inside, I reckon. At least the door catch is ok.

MamaFuzz · Dec 28, 2013

Not sure how it would work with a larger bird but I closed all the extra doors on my gcc's flight cage with c-links from wal-mart. They look just like the clips used to hang toys but are shaped so they can be righted with pliers. You just have to be very careful when finding hardware since A LOT of it is coated with zinc.

strudel · Dec 28, 2013

Thanks, mamafuzz, she's been using her indoor cage a lot (it's been hot and I've been working on/moving/cleaning her outside cage, so she's been indoors) and she's shown no interest in getting out through the hatches. She immediately comes out when the door is opened, but she's not trying to do a Harry Houdini through the feed doors. She's a good girl.

I also screwed the "latches" in properly and they are quite firm, now, they were just really (really) loose when I got the cage.

JerseyWendy · Dec 29, 2013

I had to modify my feed doors, as my big macs BOTH found ways to open the doors AND the food dishes.

Here is a link to my modification: http://www.parrotforums.com/macaws/35095-houdinis-no-more.html

strudel · Dec 29, 2013

Thanks Wendy. My cage has those flaps to restrain the doors, but they were really floppy when I first got the cage and that's all there is, no additional latch. When I first asked, I hadn't noticed that there is a bar across the feed dish which (presumably) also restricts access to the flap. Anyway, she doesn't seem intent on doing the great escape (not YET, anyway

) so hopefully for me it's not going to be Hogan's Heroes on a daily basis.

Some cage design is just (IMO) crazy. At the shop, some of the cages intended for parrots just have a lift-up "catch". Any large bird could easily open that from the inside. You'd have to be very vigilant and use ties to lock it up properly. Until I got my galah, I had no idea how "naughty" parrots could be. One of her cages has little bumps on the side of the feed bowls so they can be twisted and can't easily be taken out. I remember wondering why you'd need that, my budgies never pulled their dishes out...... Now I understand

Captsteve · Dec 29, 2013

I found that the only thing that really works well is to put my Goffin in his cage, weld all doors and hatches shut, wrap the entire cage in barbed wire and pin it to the wall with the bumper of my jeep!

But that really makes cleaning the cage a pain! lol

strudel · Dec 29, 2013

hahahaha Captsteve, even ropes and chains never stopped Houdini

Freespin · Dec 29, 2013

Could you drill a hole in the door and padlock it?

Securing feed hatches?

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Would you refurbish a rusted cage?

Bazzles room =)

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