birds without cages?

Quantumcat

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Feb 21, 2010
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Has anyone ever kept a bird without a cage before?

If they have a special playstand where they aren't allowed to be disturbed (for the private bedroom value of a cage), the main area they spend time in can be separated from the rest of the house, they have a travel cage, and they have stands they like to be on in other rooms in the house (if the main area needs to be used but they need to be contained for whatever reason), is a cage really needed?

It's definitely expected that a bird will have their own cage and I have never heard of anyone keeping a bird without a cage before! But if a bird is a well-behaved member of the family, why can't they have free reign of the house like we give to our dogs and cats?

Anyway, I welcome your thoughtful replies :)
 

Aussie Ben

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PLENTY of people keep birds uncaged. Usually what happens is you have a dedicated room for the birds, the 'bird room', where they can spend time while your not home to supervise. It is basically like an indoor aviary. I wouldn't recommend free unsupervised reign of the whole house, as our homes are very unsafe places for birds. I have had flighted birds for 6 years and have 'bird proofed' most of my house. However I always find new dangers that would very well kill my birds if I wasn't supervising. Dogs are a little different, they are bigger, stronger and less mobile than most birds. Even if your birds are clipped, you will be amazed at how they can find their way to the top of a chair, table or cupboard and get into trouble.

This is not to say that you can't have birds flying free all day in the house. It's just better to have dedicated rooms for safety. When they are wandering the rest of the house, you should ALWAYS supervise. Even today I discovered a new danger - I have a metal ruler sitting in a pencil holder on my desk....what if one of my birds loses control and impales themselves? Horrible to think, but it could happen.

Lots of people on here that have bird rooms or indoor flights for their birds, so they can give you some first hand information. ;)

(BTW guys please don't start a debate on whether caging is good or bad, I don't think that is the point of the OP and it always ends badly... we have enough threads that discuss that topic)
 

_Cass_

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Free flight CAN be okay, as long as it is in a 'birdie' proofed indoor room. I know a couple of people who have kept their birds throughout their whole house, and some who like AB said, keep them in an 'indoor aviary'. I on the other hand cannot do that, since I have two cats, a dog and I will be re-staring my parrot rescue again this fall/winter.

If I was you- I would do a whole lotta research on harmful things that birds can get themselves into.

Good luck!!!
 
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Bobby34231

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Hey QC, Like Ben I'd hate to see this turn into a cage or not cage debate, I have stands in a couple different rooms in the house, as well as a playpen top on one of the cages, when I'm home all the birds are out as long as I can supervise them, I'd worry to much to much to leave them out all the time, don't know that you could ever have a 100% safe bird home or even a " well behaved" enough bird to trust leaving them out all the time...just my 2 cents worth....good luck on your decision :)
 

_Cass_

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Hey QC, Like Ben I'd hate to see this turn into a cage or not cage debate, I have stands in a couple different rooms in the house, as well as a playpen top on one of the cages, when I'm home all the birds are out as long as I can supervise them, I'd worry to much to much to leave them out all the time, don't know that you could ever have a 100% safe bird home or even a " well behaved" enough bird to trust leaving them out all the time...just my 2 cents worth....good luck on your decision :)

Yes I agree.... my sister has a B&G and she went upstairs for FIVE
seconds, and long story short.. now she need to buy a new closet door. :11:
 

Colorguarder08

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My mom used to date a guy with I think it was a green check conure and it had this thing that looked like a bunch of cubby holes instead of a cage cause he didnt believe in caging his bird well let me tell you his bird was a jackwad and a half but maybe thats cause his owner was too. So when I think of a cageless bird thats what I think of.
 

Ratzy

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See siggie :)
My birds have a flight room that is 'bird proofed'. I use it 1-3 times a week while I am cleaning out their cage. Otherwise, it is just the shower room. I make sure I remove the onarments and any dangerous items beforehand.
 

Mel

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If I'm home the birds are out but if I'm not they go back in their cages. I'd love to leave them out all day but like like others have said before, you'd be surprised at how easily they can get into danger even when all the checks have been done.

Chicka is content to sit on top of her cage or the play stand, Shadow likes to follow me around
 

clawnz

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Ok! So I am one of those who's birds are not clipped and never caged. I do have two cages, but they never get closed.
In two years I have had no problems. And we all know they are in top condition.

I do have the conservatory that they keep to most of the time. It is set up for them and they seem to know that,They do have access to the whole house if they wanted to.

As for free flying outside "No Not Without a Harness."
I have lost a bird and know the pain this does cause. She was not outside though.
When I carried her anywhere outside she was always in cupped hands.
Sure I do take Zambezie and Potato out with me, but in their case they are very very attached to me and will hunt me down to get to me. Inside or out.
In fact just yesterday I was outside and Zambezie was inside, but knew I was outside, so he was going off to the point Lyn opened the bird room door so he could skip out to me. It is so funny seeing him skip along the drive to me.
His cage is kept outside during the day and if he gets a chance to get out and I am around he will come to the door and start screaming to come in to me.
They cannot fly at all. Zambezie has always had a heavy clip. Potato has damaged his own feathers and will never fly again I feel.
They are birds at the rescue, and are total velcro fids.

It take a certain connection to be able to free fly and even with the confidence I have in the birds I handle, I will never free fly a bird outside.
 
OP
Quantumcat

Quantumcat

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I'm glad to hear some people keep their birds without cages! Since I started feeding Scarlett outside her cage and she won't eat her pellets, she never goes in there anymore, except when I physically put her in there to go to bed or if both of us leave the house together or if she is annoying us too much while we're trying to eat dinner. I'm sure she thinks going into her cage is some sort of punishment! I was beginning to wonder why we have this great big bulky thing taking up space in our loungeroom! It is handy having somewhere to put her where I know she can't get into trouble, but maybe I'll go through the spare room and make sure there's nothing she can get into trouble with in it, and stick the cage in the garage!

P.S. The photo is Scarlett getting into some major trouble. She flew into the bowl of chocolate mousse I was making! She looked extremely happy with herself.
 

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