Is mesh spacing of 0.92" good for a Timneh? Help!

[bluelagoon538]

Hello. Good to be on this helpful forum once again, as this is my second posting. In my previous post, I was confused between which feathered baby to bring home, and you guys sure helped me greatly! and I thank you for that. I have decided to bring home a Timneh AG. Yay, very exciting!

As I had mentioned in my previous post, I will be constructing my own cage consisting of non-toxic and untreated wood and stainless steel. I know wood sounds crazy, as these big birds sure are big chewers. But I have set up a good plan to make it mainly stainless steel mesh. I have searched a few websites that talk about cage requirement and bar spacing. Some say the bar spacing should be 3/4th of an inch for a TAG, yet others say 3/4th of an inch "to an inch" will do just fine. I am looking up stainless steel fabricator companies and came across one who uses resistance-welding (no filler-metal used) with wire diameter of 0.08" and wire spacing of 0.92"

My question is, would 0.92" of wire spacing be good for a Tag or is it a little big? as .75 is being preferred by a few websites. TAGs are of course smaller than CAGs.. Any help would be appreciated if you have any knowledge on this. Thank you in advance! will be checking back later on tonight.

 

[SailBoat]

Personally, I would stay away from mesh. Mesh is great for structural applications and walkways, but too busy (dark interior), difficult to clean and expensive for a bird cage, unless you plan on standing on it.

The spacing between .75, .92 or 1.0" is an issue of piece of mind that your parrot will not hang itself. Since you are making this, I recommend that you do a little test to determine what is safe in your mind. Visit your breeder or pet store and determine, which one of your fingers is the same as an adult Timneh head. If that finger can be 'pushed' fully though the spacing - its not safe.

Not everyone has a Timneh, so for your own piece of mind, do the test. Also, you will always have a test tool should you find a pre-manufactured cage.

 

[Aquila]

If you are intent on building your own cage, I suggest the use of PVC and acrylic sheeting for the back of the cage (can also help to protect the wall it's against and reduce mess)

Once you determine the spacing, make sure to thoroughly clean your materials with something acidic like vinegar to help wash away any residue on the metal and any other materials. Stainless steel is the safest, and if you are versed with welding it would make things much easier (I know I wish I was, I have some great ideas for things.) and if you have the tools you can also make a tray for the bottom of the cage with sheet metal, bent and welded or riveted into shape.

Other than contaminants, be careful of any sharp edges or possible wood splinters. You should also be able to order stainless steel tubing (like many playstands and some cages use) to use instead of the wood for the frame.

I would also recommend looking into getting it powder coated. The whole undertaking to have a great custom cage can be very expensive, but worth it if you have the money!

 

[bluelagoon538]

Thank you Aquila and Sailboat for your replies.
@Aquila, i did look up some PVC and acrylic sheeting, and sounds like a good plan to put it in the back. In fact I was trying to find something like that before. I am planning to make the bottom only being a removable tray so i can get into the cage from the bottom to do some adjustments when needed. The door will of course be on the top. I have already built the base of it for now, and the mesh I am looking for will be 4ft tall by 11ft wide (estimating with 3ft width, 4ft height, and 2.5ft depth of the cage, and make it go all around) This size mesh is going to cost me ~$280 as I have called up a few companies to figure out.

I also found a mesh that was rectangular, 1" by 1/2" and also 1-1/5" by 1/2" but I am wondering if the 1/2" would be a problem for a Timneh?

@SailBoat, I wish I can measure a Timneh head :22: being the fact that any parrot's head is much smaller than it seems with all the hair. But you're right, I should be able to make sure. Would you recommend a 1" by 1/2" or 1-1/2" by 1/2"?

Thanks guys! Just got back from work, a bit exhausted. :20:

 

[SailBoat]

A parrot's head can be size using three frontal sight lines. Width of the beak at the skull, inside line of the eyes (an area half way between the beak and the inside (projected) eye socket) and outside line of the physical eyes.

Beak at Skull: Most of the beak projects between the bar spacing.
Inside line of eyes: Beak is full projected but skull will not pass though the bar spacing.
Outside line of eye: Skull can be forced though bar spacing, accidental handing is possible.

The important dimension is the .50" since it defines the maximum bar spacing. The 1 and 1.5" dimensions only define the crossing bar. Consider traditional cage building where the crossing bar can be 12 to 18".

Please remember to include a tall (full height if possible and wide door). You will need to be able to easily enter the cage to clean, position toys etc.. and move your parrot in and out with easy. The smaller the door the more of a pain this becomes.