Floor of my aviary

[birdinthehand]

I have just built a 2m x 2m aviary for the budgies and would like any suggestions what might be suitable to put on the floor, at the moment it is paving flags, need something I can clean and doesnt blow around, also practical suggestions for water/food feeders preferably without damaging the wire  

[birdinthehand]

[Hezz]

Concrete is the best thing to have on the floor as rodents cannot burrow under and up through between the pavers. As this is not an option for you now, I would look at ways to deter vermin from being interested in getting inside. Taking the mesh down well below ground level and back-full the trench with quick-set mortar is a method some people use, I know someone who did something similar but with broken beer bottles after having his mates over. Laying traps around outside the perimeter should work, as well as keeping seed stocks away from the aviary itself, keeping the wastage on the floor swept up should also help. There are also electronic deterrents that can be used if you have a real problem. Apparently rodents do get used to the noise emitted and then take no notice of them but if used intermittently they seem to work well.

Seed and water containers is a conundrum. If you also have an inside space for the birds to retreat to at night/cold then I suggest you keep food and water in there. Mine does not and I’ve tried a number of different types and not really been happy with any mostly because the sun conure tips everything that isn’t bolted on. You may find that your budgies are much better behaved.

The other thing that must be mentioned: is your aviary double wired? This is a necessity if you have any birds of prey in your area, even other birds that are known for raiding other birds’ nestlings. Not sure where you live in the world, but here is Australia we run the gauntlet of all things wanting a fast feed - mice (after the seed, not the birds), rats, snakes, raptors, butcherbirds, kookaburras - all will try their luck and often succeed if there is only one lot of mesh between the budgies and the outside. There is a product called snake and mouse aviary mesh, made specifically for this purpose.

[skysmum]

Just an idea, I had wood panels half way up the mesh from the floor and it was double meshed, this was a good deterrent for rodents.
Hanging seed and water bottles were the easiest but mine were inside so there was not temptation from rodents. Just watch the seed doesn’t get damp in the winter months or the water freezes. Some people with outside only aviaries use trays for seed raised on plinths and put fresh in every morning and remove at night.

[Hezz]

Something that works a treat that I didn’t mention but doesn’t look the best - corrugated iron around the lower part on the outside as rodents can’t climb it.

What framing do you have across the roof? I’ve used the top frame of mine to hand all perches from with plastic chain and stainless steel cable ties. You could probably use plastic, my sun conure just takes delight in snipping them and then wonders why his perch is no more. Hanging chicken-type feeders from the roof frame might be an option if you can find one small enough to not be too wasteful, and the other suggestion I was about to make, skysmum has just covered - using something like a bird-bath setup.