Sand paper for my conure cage

[DeclanOH]

Hi,

How are ye all, My conure Rio is coming up on 3 months on April 6th. I notice has nails are getting alone and I read online around putting sand paper in there cage for there beak and nails to keep them shortened. Is it a good idea to put sand in the bottom of his cage. At present I have plain A4 paper and some times he nibbles on it and hide underneath the paper. His nails are long and I am wondering will this work. Take into count Rio sometimes sleep at the bottom of his cage does this matter.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Sterling1113]

I would not line the bottom of the cage with sand paper, and I still think you should get a grate to separate fallen droppings/food from Rio, but you said you're working on that and I trust that you'll find one in due time, yeah?
Sandpaper is notorious for irritating feet and causing sores for birds, so perhaps find him an appropriate sized pedi-perch, or a concrete perch, and place it somewhere near a food bowl so he will stand on it when he goes to eat/drink, yeah? Just don't place it too high, you don't want him to make it his "sleeping" perch and wear out his itty bitty feet.

 

[EnglishMuffin]

I don't think sandpaper should be kept in the cage/ on perches. It's not comfortable for their feet and might cause sores. The best thing is to take him to an avian vet and have the vet give him a nail trim (some will do this free, mine does!).

 

[Birdman666]

Short answer: Not really, no.

That's what bird groomers are for. Beaks get done about once a year to once every 18 months or so. (Mine have plenty of chew toys, and they use them.)

Wings and nails get done 2-3 times per year, as needed. Don't do it yourself without being shown how because there is a blood supply to the nails, and if you cut them to short, you will hurt your bird.

 

[getwozzy]

Sandpaper should not be used in the cage or on perches-- I would not want my birds chewing on it or possibly ingesting it. Pedi-perches work fine as sterling suggested, but if they're getting long maybe it's time for a trim!

 

[DeclanOH]

I would not line the bottom of the cage with sand paper, and I still think you should get a grate to separate fallen droppings/food from Rio, but you said you're working on that and I trust that you'll find one in due time, yeah?
Sandpaper is notorious for irritating feet and causing sores for birds, so perhaps find him an appropriate sized pedi-perch, or a concrete perch, and place it somewhere near a food bowl so he will stand on it when he goes to eat/drink, yeah? Just don't place it too high, you don't want him to make it his "sleeping" perch and wear out his itty bitty feet.

Hi Sterling,

Oh yes I am stilling looking for a grate type barrier for the bottom of my cage. As living in Ireland I am finding it hard to find something like that. For the perches I found these Perches for Bird Cages: great bargain at zooplus: Hagen Pedi-Perch but I am caught on the diameter. I am not sure.

 

[Sterling1113]

I would not line the bottom of the cage with sand paper, and I still think you should get a grate to separate fallen droppings/food from Rio, but you said you're working on that and I trust that you'll find one in due time, yeah?
Sandpaper is notorious for irritating feet and causing sores for birds, so perhaps find him an appropriate sized pedi-perch, or a concrete perch, and place it somewhere near a food bowl so he will stand on it when he goes to eat/drink, yeah? Just don't place it too high, you don't want him to make it his "sleeping" perch and wear out his itty bitty feet.

Hi Sterling,

Oh yes I am stilling looking for a grate type barrier for the bottom of my cage. As living in Ireland I am finding it hard to find something like that. For the perches I found these Perches for Bird Cages: great bargain at zooplus: Hagen Pedi-Perch but I am caught on the diameter. I am not sure.

I just read some of the reviews on that product, and a couple people said they got the medium sized one for their cockatiel and it was a little large but still worked fine, and somebody else got the medium for their kakariki and it was just fine. So I feel like the medium would be fine for a conure. (By medium I assume they mean the 16cm, since they're not labeled small medium and large.)

 

[MonicaMc]

You might want to consider learning how to trim nails yourself or find someone who's willing to do it for you.

Toenail Tips for Parrot Keepers
Parrot Nails and Beak
How to Trim Your Bird's Nails

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

I do not suggest putting sandpaper in the cage. I also agree it is not comfortable for a birds feet. The best thing you can do as far as the feet goes, aside from having them trimmed by a professional, is provide them with several different types and sizes of perches.

As for the beak, just be sure your bird has a cuttlebone. That serves to not only help keep their beak trimmed but it provides added calcium (essential for female birds who lay eggs - fertile or not).

I have a female cockatiel who the past few years had chronic egg-laying (and she's 19) and never had that problem before. It turned out to be the corn cob I put in her cage (under her cage grill). She thought it was nesting material. So I stopped putting that in her cage and did just newspaper and she stopped.

My sun conure on the other hand, I have to put corn cob on the bottom under the cage grill to weigh the newspaper down or he'll chew it up.

As a general rule though, providing either paper towels or newspaper for a cage lining is ideal - so is a cage grill. That way they don't have access to their droppings (can't eat them or chew on contaminated food discardings) etc.