New baby coming next weekend …cage flooring ?

[Piedpiper]

Hi
we are picking up our first bird , a 9 week old parrotlet next weekend. I purchased a large flight style cage. (36 x 20 x20, without stand) It can be divided but we are just giving her the entire cage herself. there is a grate on the bottom, above the tray. I hate the thought of her walking on the grate..but I don’t think I can remove it because she might be able to escape. I’ll have to look again.
But , in the tray, instead of paper, I was thinking of using PDZ. Its scoopable , like kitty-litter , made of zeolites, which is naturally occuring and non -toxic. I use it in my chicken coop under their roost, and a lot of people use it in horse stalls.
has any one tried using it ?
thank you

 

[LaManuka]

Quite honestly, plain old paper is the way to go for lining the floor of a bird cage, butcher's paper or kitchen paper towel is best I find. It's MUCH easier to just remove it every day and start fresh, rather than having to deal with any litter/substrate type materials. Unfortunately there have been many cases of birds becoming ill from inhaling dust particles from the substrate itself or the dust from dried droppings, plus illness caused if they manage to ingest various types of substrate too. The grates themselves are pretty easy to keep clean with a wipe down each day, either with diluted white vinegar (dilute with cold water only, hot water can cause harmful vapours) or a commercially prepared product like F10SC disinfectant or "Poop Off". I find my birds don't actually tend to spend much time walking around on the grate anyway so I don't think that's so much of a concern. But I definitely would steer clear of using anything other than paper as a liner, it's just much less work for you and, more importantly, safer all round for your bird that way.

 

[Laurasea]

I love tge picture with the heart around your soon to be!!! Fantastic Cage!
I use news paper myself, as mentioned above.
I had used a bird product called fresh nest in the past, but it would easily grow mold underneath. So I prefer paper changed daily ( most of the time )

 

[Piedpiper]

I love tge picture with the heart around your soon to be!!! Fantastic Cage!
I use news paper myself, as mentioned above.
I had used a bird product called fresh nest in the past, but it would easily grow mold underneath. So I prefer paper changed daily ( most of the time )

Thank you about the photo.
I’m glad you like the cage. I’d prefer a tall cage, I think its more attractive,….but I read the birds like a longer cage…..I hope it’s true! And I hope she likes it !

 

[fchristian]

I put newspaper on the bottom but use the grate as well. You want to keep your bird off the floor and out of any mess on it. My birds, if left w/o the grate, will try eating soiled seed and food. They will also try tearing up the paper. The grate keeps your bird in a more sanitary environment. I use the cage you have and it is great for your Parrotlet. Mine loves to run back and forth plus I have more room for toys! Good luck!

 

[wrench13]

Another vote for paper ! I use the nearly endless supply of advertising flyers that the US Mail delivers daily. It is the best use of that almost trash - let the parrotlet poop on it and now its useful for something other than clogging up my mailbox!

Stay away from shavings, corncobs and other bedding type materials. Seriously, news paper or other types of paper are the best for lining birdcages. Gratings are not too dissimilar from fine tree and brush branches - your little guy will be fine walking on the gratings.