Newspaper Shortage

crazyforfeathers

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Aug 18, 2012
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Limbo (7 year old Dusky Conure), Prisma (4 year old Parakeet), Stormy (2 year old Parakeet)
Anyone know where I can get newspapers in bulk? I live in an a gated apartment complex so even if I got a newspaper sub, I don't know how they'd get it to my front door.

I use newspaper for my conure's cage. I go through it really fast. I just cant seem to get my hands on a steady supply of newspaper. Is there any other paper I could use as an alternative?
 

dragonlady2

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Oct 3, 2010
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Eclectus-Willy, Alexandrine-Oliver, Two Barrabands -Joey and Peewee, Plumhead-Peanut, Senegal-Mookie, Australian King-Bella, Peachfront conure-Peachygirl, Crimson belly conure-Pepper, Parrotlette
Once a week, I go to the local variety store and pick up newspapers that are being recycled because no one bought them. Do you have a store close by that you could ask for their papers that they don't sell?
 

henpecked

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Dec 12, 2010
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Jake YNA 1970,Kia Panama amazon1975, both i removed from nest and left siblings, Forever Home to,Stacie (YN hen),Mickie (RLA male),Blinkie (YNA hen),Kong (Panama hen),Rescue Zons;Nitro,Echo,Rocky,Rub
I go to the print shops that print newpapers. i buy the left over ends of rolls of newsprint. They usually have a large bin full of rolls that are too small to start a "run" with and are happy to have someone buy them.The unused paper looks nicer in the cage bottom than the printed stuff and you can cut/tear into whatever length you need. besides the tubes make great toys for the birds.. The smaller, local,weekly papers are your best bet.
 
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sodakat

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Jul 15, 2009
649
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One more idea is getting the leftover copies of a local "shopper" or "trading post" or whatever the free, local handout is. I learned that they recycle the overages they print but first they bundle them in stacks so it's easier for the recyler to handle. They will give away the bundled stacks if I arrive before the recyling pickup.
 

JDlugosz

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Jun 25, 2013
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Bronze Wing Pionus
Anyone know where I can get newspapers in bulk? I live in an a gated apartment complex so even if I got a newspaper sub, I don't know how they'd get it to my front door.

I use newspaper for my conure's cage. I go through it really fast. I just cant seem to get my hands on a steady supply of newspaper. Is there any other paper I could use as an alternative?

I'm having my wife bring home the free newspaper from the ethnic grocery stores she goes to. Hopefully that will be enough, without having to ask for outdated copies in bulk.

It would be cool to use junk mail, but not as practical so I'm not persuing that.

You can buy unprinted newspaper stock cut in the same size as newspapers, unfolded, in huge stacks or made into artists pads.

You can get rolls of paper at the big box home improvement stores. I use thin brown paper rolls to cover the bathroom sink when trimming my beard, and thick heavy paper rolls for putting on the floor when painting or whatnot. You can get white paper traditionally used for selling fish and meat, and rosen-coated pink paper that is more waterproof. The problem with rolls is keeping them flat when unrolled! I thought it might be cool to include a roll dispenser at the side of the cage instead of a drawer so you just pull it through to a fresh surface.

I'm wondering if newspaper will even still be around in 30 years.
 

Pajarita

Banned
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Jul 11, 2013
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You can also buy cage liners in the exact same size your bird's cage tray is. A bit expensive but VERY practical!
 

ruffledfeathers

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Aug 23, 2012
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Gilbert Oliver, Blue Crown Conure; Georgie, Sun Conure (2/8/01-8/8/12) RIP little girl; Percy, budgie 1993-1999. RIP Pepito-spanish timbrado canary
I used to just go and buy a Sunday paper every so often, because they are generally 'huge' newspapers, and they are a decent fit in my cage. The junk mail fliers are often so small, and i will use them to line the T stand or under his table top perch.

You definitely do go through them quickly though. My conure is one who, like many, i believe, likes to play with foot toys and rolls around on the floor of his cage, kicking toys, so i try to clean up after him as often as possible.
 
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crazyforfeathers

crazyforfeathers

New member
Aug 18, 2012
76
5
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Limbo (7 year old Dusky Conure), Prisma (4 year old Parakeet), Stormy (2 year old Parakeet)
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Thanks for all the replies! I've thought about purchasing newspaper prints from artist pads, but they are expensive! ($4.50 for 50 pieces not even AS big as a spread out newspaper page).

I've read about the newspaper rolls too but my problem is it takes a while to cut them piece by piece. If I could buy paper that is already cut to size as a newspaper, it would be perfect.

I might try to buy the sunday paper like rufffled said and visit supermarkets to see if i can have (or pay or) stacks of old newspapers. I also let everyone in my office know to hold on to old newspapers and I would buy them for cheap.
 

haleybird

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Mar 1, 2013
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california
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someday very soon a hyacinth! :)
Butcher paper comes on giant, seemingly everlasting, rolls....and you can cut it to the exact size of what you need...and they're relatively cheap to buy and they are just plain white (or brown), so it looks really clean (for a second at least!)
 

JerseyWendy

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Jul 20, 2012
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... I also let everyone in my office know to hold on to old newspapers and I would buy them for cheap.

You'll be surprised by how great people are about saving their old newspapers for you. I have 4 huge bird cages, so my local newspaper isn't enough for all of them. I asked 3 of my neighbors and now always have an abundance and never have to worry about running out. :)
 

chippy

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Feb 16, 2013
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2 Indian Ringnecks, Tiki (DH's) and Pippin (mine), 1 lovebird, Gemma (DD's) and 1 in birdy Heaven... RIP, Wilbur.
I do all the birds cages using roll ends from our local newspaper...four cages in all, since we also have a sleep cage for Gemma...and it doesn't take long at all to cut it.. really not a lot longer than it would take to fold up some newspaper...
 

JDlugosz

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Jun 25, 2013
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Bronze Wing Pionus
Thanks for all the replies! I've thought about purchasing newspaper prints from artist pads, but they are expensive! ($4.50 for 50 pieces not even AS big as a spread out newspaper page).

One time I had a stack, several inches thick, of unprinted newspaper that was cut the size of newspaper pages, but not folded at all.
 
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crazyforfeathers

crazyforfeathers

New member
Aug 18, 2012
76
5
Parrots
Limbo (7 year old Dusky Conure), Prisma (4 year old Parakeet), Stormy (2 year old Parakeet)
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Thanks for all the replies! I've thought about purchasing newspaper prints from artist pads, but they are expensive! ($4.50 for 50 pieces not even AS big as a spread out newspaper page).

One time I had a stack, several inches thick, of unprinted newspaper that was cut the size of newspaper pages, but not folded at all.

I will settle with not folded as long as it is cut to size. Do you remember where you bought it and how much?
 

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