Bird Proofing and Cleanliness [Moving]

ReggieDunlop

New member
Aug 3, 2014
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Forgive me for such a long post, but I want to square away several issues prior to moving from my current apartment, so thank you to all who read an answer these questions!

As we all know, maintaining the safety of our birds in our homes as well as the cleanliness of our homes is a never-ending process, so since I will be moving to a new apartment in December of 2014, I want to make sure I prepare the apartments for both of the aforementioned aspects, safety and cleanliness.

My Birds: a 5 year old cockatiel, and a 3 year old African Congo Grey


In terms of safety, for what should I look on move-in day prior to letting my birds out of their carriers?

Again, in terms of safety, how could I protect wires? I have a lot of electronic devices, and I will also be setting up a home theater system, so how to I protect my birds (my cockatiel loves wires) as well as protect damage to my equipment?

In terms of comfort, how can I make their transition to the new apartments as comfortable as possible?

In terms of cleanliness, I have a few questions:

1) How can I prepare the cage area to minimize the messes that occur while they are inside their cages? Anyone have any cool set-ups for that?

2) How can I avoid messes in corner and other hard to get areas?

3) I will be purchasing a new couch for the new apartment, my old furniture was ruined by my birds (it was my first set, and it was discount furniture, so I didn't get too annoyed, but I let the damage go too long), so how can I make sure that I can maintain my new couch as long as possible?

4) My grey will stay on his perch (keeping the perch area clean will help too), but my cockatiel is either on me or walking on the floor, so that's a problem in itself.

In terms of the general apartment environment:

Is adding additional perches a good idea?

Any other material that they would like?

Is there anything I could place in the apartment to keep the cockatiel out of mischief?

Are there any safe plants for an apartment?

Anything else?

Again, I want to give a big thanks to all those who can provide some advice!
 

weco

New member
Nov 24, 2010
3,342
12
USA
Parrots
Nanday, suns, parrotlet, Patagonian
Bird Proofing and Cleanliness [Moving]

Forgive me for such a long post, but I want to square away several issues prior to moving from my current apartment, so thank you to all who read an answer these questions!

As we all know, maintaining the safety of our birds in our homes as well as the cleanliness of our homes is a never-ending process, so since I will be moving to a new apartment in December of 2014, I want to make sure I prepare the apartments for both of the aforementioned aspects, safety and cleanliness.

My Birds: a 5 year old cockatiel, and a 3 year old African Congo Grey
How long have we had our birds?

In terms of safety, for what should I look on move-in day prior to letting my birds out of their carriers?
Some apartment managers will have painted, had exterminators in and probably had the carpets cleaned...you need to know if this is what’s going to happen with your new apartment. Some oil based paints will off-gas for up to 45 days and a few brands even longer, the problem with latex paints is in their odor/off-gassing and that’s usually gone within a week or so. With carpet cleaning, it depends on whether the apartment complex does it in-house or has a cleaning company do it...often you can contact the cleaning company and inquire as to what soap solution they use, check the product online & make sure it’s safe, if not, ask them to use plain water without the soap solution...and...make sure they don’t add any air freshener to whatever they clean the carpet with. If exterminators have treated the apartment, you should find out what was used & make sure it is safe for birds...if you have the opportunity to speak with the exterminators before they do any treating, you need to be sure that anything they use is safe for application around birds.

Again, in terms of safety, how could I protect wires? I have a lot of electronic devices, and I will also be setting up a home theater system, so how to I protect my birds (my cockatiel loves wires) as well as protect damage to my equipment?
There is a product called Wiremold, it comes in a plastic and a metal version & the plastic version should be sufficient, unless your grey has a propensity to chew wires. The plastic version has an adhesive tape backing that allows it to be removed without nal or screw holes to be filled, though you might have to expend some elbow grease when you move out, with some GoofOff or similar. Home Depot, Lowes, Meyers & many better hardware stores carry the Wiremold products...they’re easy to assemble & are easy to trim to fit your particular installation.

In terms of comfort, how can I make their transition to the new apartments as comfortable as possible?
Until your feathered friends get comfortable with their new surroundings, have everything moved in & in place before you bring them in, then it would be best to not do any moving/redecorating
until they are comfortable with their new home.


In terms of cleanliness, I have a few questions:

1) How can I prepare the cage area to minimize the messes that occur while they are inside their cages? Anyone have any cool set-ups for that?
If we’re talking about floor standing cages, some people place plastic office chair mats under their cages, others use pieces of scrap carpet, sized accordingly.

2) How can I avoid messes in corner and other hard to get areas?
Some people will use push-pins to hang clear shower cu rtains on walls around & behind cages, just be sure you take them out of their packages several weeks before you mount them, even washing them in your washing machine (if the can be laundered) will take away some of the PVC off-gassing, using sheets will work also and allow you to launder them when necessary.

3) I will be purchasing a new couch for the new apartment, my old furniture was ruined by my birds (it was my first set, and it was discount furniture, so I didn't get too annoyed, but I let the damage go too long), so how can I make sure that I can maintain my new couch as long as possible?
Be sure your new furniture has not been treated with a fire retardant or a stain preventer/repellant...both can kill birds. As to protecting new furniture from chewing beaks, light blankets (wool or cotton, you never know about synthetic) as throws are usually a cheap solution.

4) My grey will stay on his perch (keeping the perch area clean will help too), but my cockatiel is either on me or walking on the floor, so that's a problem in itself.

In terms of the general apartment environment:

Is adding additional perches a good idea?
Perch/play stands are always a good idea.

Any other material that they would like?

Is there anything I could place in the apartment to keep the cockatiel out of mischief?
I’ll let others chime in from here on.....

Are there any safe plants for an apartment?

Anything else?

Again, I want to give a big thanks to all those who can provide some advice!

Good luck
 
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