Apr 17, 2015 18:00:17 GMT
pjld
Normal Violet
Posts: 136
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Post by pjld on May 4, 2015 10:24:14 GMT
Hi everyone. Part of our budgies cage has cracked & I am thinking it would be good to fix it. Would it be safe to use super glue to mend the crack? It would be in a place fairly inaccessible for any chewing etc, and on a plastic part anyway, which I guess the budgies would not choose to eat. They have not chewed the plastic in their cage at all in fact It's not really practical to tape, so I think glue would be the only option, aside from trying to replace the part of the cage, which might be very tricky to do! What do people think? Are there any safe methods for fixing plastic things which people have found to use in aviaries or cages - or is super glue just a no go for use on budgies cages? Any advise, thanks Patrick
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Post by OP on May 4, 2015 10:36:56 GMT
Rightly or Wrongly I have used Super Glue to repair the base and slide out tray of a cage. These are parts that the budgies shouldn't be able to reach. If you can do the repair whilst the budgie(s) are out of the cage whilst the glue has cured and they are unable to chew the area then it should be OK. I am not saying it is safe to use, because I don't have the knowledge of the chemicals used. I think the main danger is to allow the budgies to be around whilst the glue is curing and giving off dangerous fumes.
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Post by OP on May 4, 2015 12:07:28 GMT
I have never repaired a cage and I wouldn't risk their health using a glue...could you ever be sure it wouldn't be forever giving off a tiny bit of fumes ? The answer to that would depend on the chemical make up of the plastic and the chemical composition of the glue. One would need to find out both of those things to say whether the repair was safe or not. In my experiences if the repair cures to a solid state then it would not give off any more fumes than the original plastic. Have you ever noticed that even old plastic gives off an odour when warmed. One has to ask is this any safer?
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Glue
May 4, 2015 20:06:03 GMT
Post by Budgies Retreat on May 4, 2015 20:06:03 GMT
Superglue is otherwise known as cyanoacrylate, or CA for short. CA, as the name suggests contains cyanide and is dangerous in the fumes which are giving off as the glue reacts with the plastic. Just drip a drop on a piece of kitchen paper towel and see the fumes rise. It is not the best glue for plastic anyway due to oil in the plastic, and although the bond may seem good, it will never "repair" it. As OP suggests, try it but without the birds being in the room, and leave outdoor to "fume off" for a couple of hours. There is a product which I use for plastic model making called "Plastik-Weld" and it actually melts the surfaces and the bond is permanent. However this product contains chloroform. Both products aren't so much of an issue for humans in the small amounts that they are intended for use, but to a little bird's respiratory system it may be dangerous, so as suggested, keep them away from the repair for as long as possible.
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Post by Hezz on May 5, 2015 0:21:38 GMT
I don't know how well PVA glue would work on the plastic, but it is safe to use around budgies. Or hot glue gun glue is also considered safe.
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Post by Shirls on May 5, 2015 6:59:12 GMT
Agree with Hezz there. I have a play gym for budgies that is glued with PVA. I can't say they ever use the gym but I made loads of enquiries about the glue being safe. Not sure if it would work on plastic, but definitely keep the birds away til glue has dried whatever you decide to use.
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Apr 17, 2015 18:00:17 GMT
pjld
Normal Violet
Posts: 136
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Post by pjld on May 5, 2015 8:12:48 GMT
I have a hot glue gun, and that sounds like it could be a good option - stronger than PVA and budgie safe. Will give it a go this evening
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Glue
May 6, 2015 2:10:35 GMT
pjld likes this
Post by Hezz on May 6, 2015 2:10:35 GMT
Hope it works.
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Glue
May 6, 2015 8:18:41 GMT
Post by Budgies Retreat on May 6, 2015 8:18:41 GMT
PVA is water based so will be bird safe, but absolutely useless to stick plastic, or polyethylene which is what most plastic items are made from. You may as well use mayonnaise lol Hot glue sticks, especially the cheap ones that most DIY shops stock, have tackifying resins which may not at all be suitable for "possible" consumption by your bird, as well as hydrocarbons, rosins and other chemical bonding agents. What may help, if you end up using superglue, is to wet the joint first before applying a thin bead on the outside of the crack, so that the bird cannot get to any that dries proud of the joint. CA cures better in the presence of moisture, and is less brittle used this way. Originally designed by a surgeon for gluing cuts in skin, so just make sure that your fingers aren't wet when you use it, as it bonds skin even stronger when they are wet! If it were me, I would use a two part epoxy resin. On the outside of the crack I would rough the surface to give it a key, use something like wire wool, a pan scourer or a Brillo pad (if you're old enough to remember them), just to take the shine off the plastic. Then mix your two part epoxy, and apply a thin coat along the crack ensuring that it covers the crack either side of it. Allow to fume off as I described earlier, and it should be good to go.
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Post by OP on May 6, 2015 8:31:31 GMT
A lot is going to depend on where the crack is, and why it cracked in the first place. Usually if it has cracked during normal use then the crack will have been caused by stress (on the cage), which would make a repair liable to crack again either side of the repair as the repair would possibly be stronger or less flexible than the plastic. If it is a crack caused by rough handling i.e. being dropped or something dropped on it, then the repair would be more successful. Good luck.
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Glue
May 6, 2015 8:40:23 GMT
Post by Budgies Retreat on May 6, 2015 8:40:23 GMT
Good point OP, were you an engineer perhaps?
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Post by OP on May 6, 2015 9:17:40 GMT
Is there a clue somewhere?
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Glue
May 6, 2015 18:56:02 GMT
Post by Budgies Retreat on May 6, 2015 18:56:02 GMT
Just a small one
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