Opinions on someone's DIY "cat-proof" cage on YouTube

Hey everyone,

I saw this video today and I wanted to see others opinions on this "cat-proof" DIY bird cage. You can watch the whole video for context, but skip to 5:36 for the tour of the cage. She plans on getting a green cheek conure. She has used everything non-toxic.

My concerns:
1) Ventilation - I know there are ventilation holes and what not, but do you think that it is enough?
2) Sound - will there be too much reverberation within the cage - i.e, when her bird screams the sound will bounce off the walls and be very loud on the inside for the bird?
3) Chewing - to me there is a strong possibility for the bird to chew its way out
4) Size - maybe I'm just used to huuuuge bird cages but to me it seems a bit small, even for a GCC, which we can assume will spend quite a bit of time in there because of the cats (If the bird was coming out for most of the day then I think it is probably a good size)
5) Perches - she talks about how all the perches will fit into the holes that have been drilled - this will not only block ventilation even more but won't offer perch variety

I don't know, I'm just really curious about what other members think! Am I being too critical?

Here's the video:
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDXD4htnXU8"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDXD4htnXU8[/ame]

Be sure and place it where sunlight can't shine on it. That thing would be an oven!

And I agree, not enough ventilation

For me that's more of a show case for inanimate objects. What kind of interaction is there going to be for the poor green cheek that is forced to live in there? The cage is so low with no view upwards that when people walk by it will only see their lower half. Hopefully it will be out more than in and then not anywhere near her 'beautiful safe' paint job. I wonder if she has kept parrots before or knows much about them.

I can't imagine Syd surviving in there without getting very depressed. It has quite upset me.

I saw that video and it was... ick. Why not buy a real cage and just keep your cats out of the room . ..

There's no substitute or short-cut for constant supervision and spatial separation!

I cannot see a living creature being happy n there.
Just my two cents.

Ugh, someone expressed their concern about sound reverberation in the comments and her response was that pineapple green cheeks don't scream like suns or Jendays or whistle like cockaties, so it shouldn't be a problem. I don't have any experience with GCCs but that just comes off as extremely ignorant. Further, she stated that she works from home and intends to have the bird out most of the time and have it only be in there to sleep. Why go through the hassle of making that cage then? She has an answer for everything and doesn't seem to be open to criticism and I hope her poor fid doesn't suffer for it.

Not practical, a great chew toy if a bird so decides to, and I imagine that it would stain rather easily...

Instead of holes for ventilation, could have cut out strips... not that I'm a big fan of acrylic cages... but ventilation could be improved... not to mention, it scratches easily.


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Karlys said:

Ugh, someone expressed their concern about sound reverberation in the comments and her response was that pineapple green cheeks don't scream like suns or Jendays or whistle like cockaties, so it shouldn't be a problem. I don't have any experience with GCCs but that just comes off as extremely ignorant. Further, she stated that she works from home and intends to have the bird out most of the time and have it only be in there to sleep. Why go through the hassle of making that cage then? She has an answer for everything and doesn't seem to be open to criticism and I hope her poor fid doesn't suffer for it.

Click to expand...

That pissed me off too. So I actually replied.

I agree with your concerns on ventilation.
With such small hole I could see dust, dander and feathers becoming an issue and, like someone has previously mentioned, it could potentially become a mini oven if the sunlight shines on it.
I hope she rethinks the design at least. No bird is "quiet" either. They may be less likely to scream like a macaw or other large bird but that by no means means that it will be like a mouse and be quiet. My cockatiel can make a racket when he wants to and he's considered a quieter bird.
After reading some of the comments on the video I'm a little disappointed in how many people are saying it is beautiful or amazing. I don't think the majority of them have actually kept a parrot before. It's not like owning any other animal, that is for sure.

Good for them for putting in so much effort to build that thing but.....


THEY USED PINE!!! Most pine from the hardware store is treated with pesticides that are DEADLY TOXIC to little birds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:11:

Looks like something that someone would build had they never owned a bird

I'm really hopping that once she gets the bird (doesn't look like there's any changing her mind) that after a couple days she realizes how truly awful the cage design is and buys the bird a proper one.