Help with a Cargo Net for Congo Grey

Hey!

So I'm bringing home a baby congo african grey this summer, and I really want a cargo net that he and my other monsters can climb and play on. I have two conures and a cockatiel, as well as three budgies (but I don't see the budgies using this). I really like to make things myself when possible, and I believe a cargo net is within my ability to create.
...Plus the premade ones are really expensive.

However! I have some issues that I can't figure out.

• What diameter rope do I use?
  I want the grey to be able to safely grab and climb and hang on it, but I also need my green cheeks and tiel to be able to do the same.
  The biggest size of sisal and supreme cotton rope that I've been able to find is 1/2". Is that big enough?
  
• Is there some other type of rope that would be safe to use?
  I read something about polly rope, but I'm very wary of it ):
  
• How big should I make the squares?
  I was thinking 6 or 7 inches... Would that be a good size for everyone to climb and hang out on?
  
• How much rope would I need?
  Planning to make the net about 3x4 feet. I know the knots take up a ton of rope length, but I don't want to accidentally skimp on the rope.
  
• Would the diamond design be better for this than the usual square one?
  I'm super torn on this one. I just want what's going to be best for my flock! I plan to hang it at an angle, perhaps off of one of the cages and attaching it to the wall.

Thanks in advance for your assistance!

1/2 inch should work out fine. Take a look at this style, doesn't use knots. I have been told the beads can get a bit pricey, so another idea is to use very short pieces of PVC pipe as rings.
http://www.parrotforums.com/parrot-toys/38266-tutorial-how-make-cargo-net.html

A thought, ouch! With this style, you could easily mix rope sizes and types!

Thank you! That style is what I meant by "diamond". I'm not great at descriptors, sorry!
I'd like to see that style in action to see of it'll work out the way I want. It looks way easier to make than the usual square cargo net.

I may be buying some sisal rope at my local Harbor Freight. I prefer to buy things in person if possible so I can check the quality and whatnot myself. I know to smell the rope for any unnatural smells (even though that'll look really odd), but I've also read about people boiling theirs before use.
Is that safe? Is there a better way to prepare it other than boiling? Should I do something else to it as well?

Here is what some others have done.
http://www.parrotforums.com/do-yourself/51566-sisal-net.html

Also, if you are going the bead route, Hobbly Lobby puts theirs half off every few weeks. Give em your email and you get a 40% off coupon every week for any one item!

Yeah! I saw that one and it looks awesome!

And I found an affordable alternative just in case this proves to be too difficult an endeavor for me.
Drs Foster & Smith has both sisal and cotton nets!

I've been reading that Greys like smaller perch diameters often, so I guess 1/4" or 1/2" should be okay. I'll probably pick up sisal in both diameters since it's so inexpensive by the spool.
I've also read up on how to make your own boings and rope perches as well. And of course I can use the rope for other toys

Hey Britt~

I've made both the "diamond" and square cargo nets before, and although the knotted square ones are more complicated, they hold their shape better even if they're hung loosely. My experience with the diamond/bead version is it needs to be sort of stretched out and attached at all corners because otherwise the "holes" close up (I hope that makes sense lol)

Here are a couple square ones I've made




I would do 1/2" -that would be a good size for everyone in your flock....

There's also a boing tutorial I posted a while ago. http://www.parrotforums.com/showthread.php?t=48090

Anyways- let me know if you want help making anything [emoji41]

That's what I was worried about with the diamond net (I have no idea how else to refer to that style). I figured that if you used beads it would close up on itself, and I wasn't able to find a video of that style in use by a parrot. If I do that style, I'll use knots. I'm not even sure where I could get beads big enough to hold two pieces of 1/2" rope haha

I'm probably going to head to a hardware store tomorrow to look at rope and whatnot.
Would PVC endcaps work on rope to cap off boings and other rope toys?

I made my own pvc playstand a few weeks ago and the budgies in particular enjoy it, and I noticed that the end caps I used look similar to the caps on some rope toys I've seen.

I think I'll try my luck with making a square net. Still need to work out the details. Like where I'm even going to put it.
I have to rearrange my entire apartment before I bring the grey home. I change the living/birdroom around regularly so that my guys don't get too upset with me if I need to move something.

Yes- you can use pvc end caps for boings and swaying rope perches... I usually go a measurement down on the caps from the rope, so for example if you use 3/4" rope- use 1/2" caps. However, I haven't been able to find 1/4" caps so 1/2" caps work just fine on 1/2" rope.

I have not been able to find cotton rope by the foot anywhere locally except for my farm/feed store who sells 1/2" and 3/4" cotton by the foot (and cotton is more expensive than sisal).

When looking at sisal, make sure the label says "natural" or "untreated" and try and smell it before you buy it. If it smells like oil- pass on it.

The square nets use the "Chinese cross knot" which is really awkward at first, but once you do it a few times it's super easy.

I'll see if I can find my plans for the big cotton net I made- I worked it out to figure out how much rope each knot took up, etc (and it was 1/2").

One last thing- if your birds like to chew on rope, I would caution against cotton because the fibers are long and can cause crop impaction, or their feet/nails can get caught in loose threads whereas sisal has shorter fibers and isn't as "dangerous".

I've looked into it a bit and if I can't get untreated sisal locally, I'll look into supreme cotton rope, which has the tiny, weak fibers.

I've also stared very intently at knot diagrams, but haven't practiced it yet. It doesn't look confusing anymore!
I think I read somewhere that for 1/4", each knot took up 6" on each rope. So would a knot on the 1/2" rope take up twice that?

This might sound silly, but would zip ties work instead of beads for the diamond net? Then I can cut them off and replace them easily if necessary, and they would hlep it hold its shape better. I've seen a few parrot owners use zip ties in their toys, and even uncut ones as toy components. I'm not sure how safe that is, though.

I'm still very torn on which style I want to make.

I really appreciate your help!

I just did a knot real quick on some 1/2" cotton, and it takes up 6" per strand. I can post a video on how to do the knot in a bit if you like....

Zip ties are not silly! lol I use them for EVERYTHING!! As long as your birds won't snap them off, then go for it- they're crazy cheap and super useful!!

That's wonderful to know, thank you so much!

And yessssss zipties! I tease my dad about his overuse of zipties for just about everything, but they really are super handy. I know my monsters won't be able to snap one, but I have no idea about the grey... Maybe if I do it tight enough where they can't get their beak between the tie and the rope, it'll be okay.

I appreciate it, but you don't need to go through the trouble of making a video! I think I figured out how to do one with the pictures I've seen.

Before birds, I did a lot of jewelery making and clay sculpting, that sort of thing. All self-taught. I'm a quick learner!

Hehehe I'm right there with your dad- I use zip ties for everything lol! [emoji56]

Some birds aren't interested in them at all, others think they're toys and chew on them- thankfully none of my flock pay any attention to them so I use them a lot to hang toys instead of the expensive quick links [emoji51]

I'm sure you'll do just fine if you're a quick learner! [emoji41] but- if you need any more help, you know where to find me! [emoji4]

I really do appreciate it! Thank you so much <3

Hopefully I'll have some goodies tomorrow and be able to start a real gameplan.