Remedy for a sliding cage door?

[reeisconfused]

Max will be getting upgraded to a new cage tomorrow. His present cage is big and we gave no issues but I wanted to upgrade him to a bigger one. The only problem is that this new cage has like a sliding door that goes up to open the cage. Any remedies for this? Max is smart and it’ll be no time until he figures out how to open it. Is there something I can get to kind of secure / lock it safely?

Thank you.

 

[noodles123]

A lot of people use zip-ties, but then you would have to cut them daily...If you can find a stainless steel lock, that could work (or even stainless steel hoops that are used for toys sometimes..they fasten into a ring but are flexible). Just make sure that he can't get squished by the door (if he pushes it up and it is stopped 1-2 inches off the base because of the lock, then it could fall back down onto his foot/head etc --depending on cage weight).

Make sure any metal is stainless w/o paint on it etc.

 

[ChristaNL]

I find a lot of my answers in the mounteneering-equipment part of outdoor-activities-shops.


All the clasps, large carabiners etc. have max-weight/tensile strenght on them, so you know when you are in the safe-zone when it comes to your bird and the amount of force it may bring on them (and always they will state the materials they are constructed of - so no surprises there).


An IRN will not be as difficult as a large too of course, but just in case tie-wraps do not do the trick...

 

[Flboy]

Lows carries a large selection of stainless clasps!

 

[EllenD]

Yeah, there are a million different quick-release clasps that you can buy at Lowes, Home Depot, or even Walmart, and since it's on the outside of the cage, if you put the clasp at the bottom of the door he won't be able to get to it, so you can use something like a heavy Caribiner or similar without worrying about him getting his beak caught in it or anything...

Walmart sells an entire line of different Carabiners, everything from cheap ones for $1 a piece to climbing-grade that cost $20-$30 a piece in their camping section...I do a lot of mountain biking and fishing, and I got tired of paying for equipment at Dick's or any of the other "outdoor" stores, so I started buying my stuff at Walmart (except sleeping bags or tents)...The older you get, the less you care about "brand names", lol...Anyway, there are a bunch of different clasps you could find....

My very first Budgie that I was given when I was 6 years-old (circa 1986) had a cage like this, it was an awesome cage that was huge and sat on a tabletop, and the bars were heavy-gauge metal, but it was round, the entire cage was round...It has a sliding door, and my Budgie figured it out...So my mom used a regular old twisty-tie, lol, and it was a pain in the butt to untwist and then twist again a million times a day, but it worked...i wish she had known what a Carabiner was, lol...

 

[Flboy]

A trick I use with tyewraps that works well for my outdoor cage is:
I place the tyewraps above the door, putting pressure on the bars at the slide points. It is very difficult to just slide the panel up, without first sliding the tyewraps up!
Also, if this a pop apart style cage, use tyewraps on all of the join points! They can fall apart if bumped wrong!

 

[BirdSquawk]

How strong is the metal on the door? If it's one of the thinner types where the door is just bent onto bars you could bend it off on one side so it swings open instead and use a clip to keep it closed. Of course then you'd have to make sure the edges aren't sharp.

I just use a plastic hair clip like this, https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ladies-P...ip-Claw-Clamp-Ponytail-Holder-Pafbl/109947991

it's too strong and big for Jack to take off.

 

[reeisconfused]

Thank you for your replies everyone! These are all great ideas and I will keep them in mind.
I found these little steel clasps at my local store and am currently using a steel clasp like this one. I secure it between the top of the cage door and cage metal and it works wonders.

 

[LeslieA]

I use 1 of 2 things, large stainless steel pear/C links or stainless steel carabingers. The problem with carabingers is the snap-lock weakens then catches beaks and/or toes. My IRN only gets the links. (Of course, my IRN wants to break his beak or kill you, so judge accordingly.)

There are several companies that make locks like you seek and some are willing to discuss your needs specifically.