Extra cage security when gone

[DRB]

I live alone and after reading all the talk of lost birds I started thinking about possibly having a bird stolen from the home when not there. I'm not paranoid and live in a nice area but you never know.

The only thing I considered was a small bird safe chain looped through the bottom of the door with a small pad lock.

Anyone take this kind of precaution or is there anything to consider further if doing so?

 

[Mariar]

Sissy has a huge walk in cage on the front porch. When I work all day and at night(she sleeps in that cage) I have a lock on the door. Of course we recently put up security cameras as well. Because like you said..you never know.

 

[Scott]

One of the best methods to safeguarding a home is to have a dog that is very vocal when strangers approach the home. Barking can make a thief feel self conscious; many prefer homes that are silent inside!!

 

[Brittany741]

Ex cop here...

A dog is a great suggestion and one of the best deterrents to burglary.

I also suggest an IP camera with additional cloud storage, with infrared and mobile alerts.

The padlock idea is a good one until they decide to just take the entire cage. You'd be surprised what criminals will do when they see something they want.

This brings up another issue. Bird identification. Microchipping is your best bet on having your bird returned. Many species look identical and when changing environments or getting lost, many birds will not replicate behaviors when in unfamiliar environments.

KEEP YOUR MICROCHIPPING INFORMATION UPDATED! Many microchipped pets can't be returned because the owners either never registered their information with the company or failed to update changes to their address or phone number.

Also take good, clear photos of your bird's band if they have one, as well as their entire body or unique, identifying marks. Make sure you get prints of these photos and store them in a safe place. I also strongly recommend taking photos of all serial numbers for any equipment, firearms, electronics in your home. These should all go in a safety deposit box as well as on a spreadsheet, backed up to a server with 2-factor authentication.

Lastly, there is no such thing as a safe neighborhood. Crime happens everywhere. Statistically, most burglaries happen in the late morning/early afternoon.

Your best defense against burglary is prevention. Using your security measures perfectly, 100% of the time is the best deterrent. Doors with glass or Windows should have a 2-sided keyed deadbolt.

Alarm systems with cellular communication is also a great option, and there are some new systems such as Canary, that are inexpensive and don't require any wiring.


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[DRB]

Ex cop here...

A dog is a great suggestion and one of the best deterrents to burglary.

I also suggest an IP camera with additional cloud storage, with infrared and mobile alerts.

The padlock idea is a good one until they decide to just take the entire cage. You'd be surprised what criminals will do when they see something they want.

This brings up another issue. Bird identification. Microchipping is your best bet on having your bird returned. Many species look identical and when changing environments or getting lost, many birds will not replicate behaviors when in unfamiliar environments.

KEEP YOUR MICROCHIPPING INFORMATION UPDATED! Many microchipped pets can't be returned because the owners either never registered their information with the company or failed to update changes to their address or phone number.

Also take good, clear photos of your bird's band if they have one, as well as their entire body or unique, identifying marks. Make sure you get prints of these photos and store them in a safe place. I also strongly recommend taking photos of all serial numbers for any equipment, firearms, electronics in your home. These should all go in a safety deposit box as well as on a spreadsheet, backed up to a server with 2-factor authentication.

Lastly, there is no such thing as a safe neighborhood. Crime happens everywhere. Statistically, most burglaries happen in the late morning/early afternoon.

Your best defense against burglary is prevention. Using your security measures perfectly, 100% of the time is the best deterrent. Doors with glass or Windows should have a 2-sided keyed deadbolt.

Alarm systems with cellular communication is also a great option, and there are some new systems such as Canary, that are inexpensive and don't require any wiring.


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I live in an urban setting, lots of homes, lots of neighbors close, and the cage has to be taken apart to be removed from the house. The ONLY worry I have about a pad lock is a fire. If by chance a fire ever broke out and someone who didn't know where the key was (like a neighbor) able to get in quick enough not sure they could get the bird to come to them.

What does a microchip involve regarding the bird and the procedure, being a rookie owner of a very CAG that scares the crap out of me. I'm sure I'm just being irrationally scared of that option. Is it quick, painless, is there a history of long term side effects like a disease etc?

 

[OutlawedSpirit]

As far as microchipping, as far as I know, it is pretty similar to putting a microchip in a dog or cat. Except that in a bird, it is put into the breast muscle as opposed to just under the skin. Obviously, anytime you are putting anything foreign into the body, there are some risks, but they are slight. I think the benefits far outweigh the risks.

I agree thought that a padlock isn't going to stop someone who is really determined to take the bird. They could either take the entire cage, or just cut the lock, honestly. I have put padlocks on one of my budgie cages before, but that wasn't to keep other people out, it was to keep the bird in. She decided she had enough of the cage and would just let herself out, thank you very much.

The dog idea is good. I have 2 dogs and they can sure make it sound like I have an entire, ferocious kennel in my house. Not that they would do much if someone actually got in, they weigh maybe 25 pounds together, and are much more bark than bite.

 

[Brittany741]

If the cage can't be taken out in one piece, then I wouldn't padlock it. Even if you do have an escape artist, there are many better options to keeping them in than a padlock. Imagine if there was an emergency or medical issue and you couldn't get to the bird in time. Just not worth the risk.

Most burglaries rarely include a bird with a nail and a razor blade on its face. Most happen in under three minutes and they go for things easy to get rid of and make money by trading or selling. A bird is none of the above.

Go for the most likely scenarios and you've covered 99% of the risk.


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