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Post by sweetpea on Dec 2, 2013 16:12:18 GMT
Hello all,
I wondered if anyone has "combined cages", i.e., put two cages together, each with an open door into the other cage? In other words, having two cages side-by-side where the buds can choose which cage they can go into?
My thinking is that this might be a handy set up for Phineas & Thomas, in that if one (Thomas) needed to get away from the other (Phineas) they could go into the other cage.
Any ideas?!
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Post by nat on Dec 2, 2013 16:45:14 GMT
I have tried it twice in the past. It seems to depend a bit on the size of the entrance. When I combined 2 cages with a small door between (approx 5 inches by 4 inches) they all stayed in the same cage even when I put them in the alien cage, they just all returned to the cage they were used to despite changing perches and toys etc. When I have tried with 2 large home made cages with a square foot entrance they went in and out no probs. Perhaps it may depend on how adventurous the individual birds are though? And perhaps I should have persevered for longer with the smaller gap cages and put food bowls in the alien cage at first ? I think it could be done but by somebody with more patience than me lol
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Post by samwiseg on Dec 2, 2013 16:48:22 GMT
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Post by skysmum on Dec 2, 2013 17:30:51 GMT
She did , this is my set up sweetpea and it works well, you have to make sure the two side doors marry up and i had to turn my feeders to get it so that they dont have too bigger gap for any accidents, but they love it. Im currently in the process of changing the white one for a bigger one though, would like a Hagen but i dont think they have side doors . Having said this i may get one anyway because i would like to keep Inca and Chilli separate when they get together so that they bond, or not as the case may be .
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Post by sweetpea on Dec 2, 2013 22:06:41 GMT
Thanks for posting that picture, skysmum. That's exactly what I was after. I assume the cages are close enough together to not have to fit anything around the connecting doors? I would be worried if they squeezed out & escaped! Unfortunately, with the cages I have, there is about a 3 inch difference in door height so I would have to raise or lower one of the cages somehow. Alternatively, I'd have to make some kind of connecting tunnel! It's great that your lot appreciate the two cages. It looks like it has worked out very well for you.
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Post by sweetpea on Dec 2, 2013 22:16:14 GMT
I have tried it twice in the past. It seems to depend a bit on the size of the entrance. When I combined 2 cages with a small door between (approx 5 inches by 4 inches) they all stayed in the same cage even when I put them in the alien cage, they just all returned to the cage they were used to despite changing perches and toys etc. When I have tried with 2 large home made cages with a square foot entrance they went in and out no probs. Perhaps it may depend on how adventurous the individual birds are though? And perhaps I should have persevered for longer with the smaller gap cages and put food bowls in the alien cage at first ? I think it could be done but by somebody with more patience than me lol That's interesting about the size of the door, Nat. I guess with the larger one it was less restricting, from the birdie point of view. Although I think some aviaries with an outside section, often only have a small hole to access it? But then you only need one bud to go through & the rest should follow. In theory! I imagine with my unadventurous lot that I would set it all up & they would stick to the one cage anyway. They are very much creatures of habit. In fact, the other day, Phineas ran over to drink water from the bath (clipped to outside of cage) & was hanging over the edge of the cage before the silly sausage realised it wasn't there. BTW, I love your description of the "alien" cage. Very apt.
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Post by birdguhl on Dec 2, 2013 22:51:55 GMT
I had two cages face to face for a while to get Woody and Berry used to going in and out the small cage so that vet trips in it wouldn't be too traumatic. But the 'bulgy' bit at the bottom of the Hagen meant that there was a gap at the doors and so they were able to climb out. I would like to try getting one of the other smaller cages I currently have in service in a similar or better way for Luee and Berry now so that I can get them out of the big cage to clean it without having to grab them.
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Post by skysmum on Dec 2, 2013 22:52:50 GMT
Thanks for posting that picture, skysmum. That's exactly what I was after. I assume the cages are close enough together to not have to fit anything around the connecting doors? I would be worried if they squeezed out & escaped! Unfortunately, with the cages I have, there is about a 3 inch difference in door height so I would have to raise or lower one of the cages somehow. Alternatively, I'd have to make some kind of connecting tunnel! It's great that your lot appreciate the two cages. It looks like it has worked out very well for you. Your welcome These two worked really well with the door height's. Yes by turning the the fitted feeders round which wasn't a problem because i don't use them, they butted up with maybe half an inch gap, ive never tied them together and ive not had a problem.
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Post by Hezz on Dec 3, 2013 1:02:22 GMT
Someone else did this and had a little "tunnel" ....... it may have been PPV ..... but couldn't swear to it. But yes, said buds would have to be the adventurous type to explore a tunnel on their own.
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Post by nat on Dec 3, 2013 18:41:53 GMT
I made a tunnel for the smaller cage join experiment from half inch square aviary wire with a ply walk board at the bottom and connected with cable ties
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Post by sweetpea on Dec 4, 2013 22:18:37 GMT
I had two cages face to face for a while to get Woody and Berry used to going in and out the small cage so that vet trips in it wouldn't be too traumatic. But the 'bulgy' bit at the bottom of the Hagen meant that there was a gap at the doors and so they were able to climb out. I would like to try getting one of the other smaller cages I currently have in service in a similar or better way for Luee and Berry now so that I can get them out of the big cage to clean it without having to grab them. That's a good idea, to get them used to the small/vet trip cage. It's so much easier to clean a cage without the buds in it.
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Post by sweetpea on Dec 4, 2013 22:22:43 GMT
I made a tunnel for the smaller cage join experiment from half inch square aviary wire with a ply walk board at the bottom and connected with cable ties I imagine a wire tunnel would be less scary than an enclosed one. You are obviously a whizz kid at diy! You made the aviary they currently live in, didn't you?
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Post by sweetpea on Dec 4, 2013 22:28:02 GMT
Thanks for posting that picture, skysmum. That's exactly what I was after. I assume the cages are close enough together to not have to fit anything around the connecting doors? I would be worried if they squeezed out & escaped! Unfortunately, with the cages I have, there is about a 3 inch difference in door height so I would have to raise or lower one of the cages somehow. Alternatively, I'd have to make some kind of connecting tunnel! It's great that your lot appreciate the two cages. It looks like it has worked out very well for you. Your welcome These two worked really well with the door height's. Yes by turning the the fitted feeders round which wasn't a problem because i don't use them, they butted up with maybe half an inch gap, ive never tied them together and ive not had a problem. I do sometimes have to remind myself that the buds do just weigh a few grams so realistically, they are not going to push a cage to one side! It occurred to me today that as I upgraded one of my cages, I still have the old one (same size) & I could use a side of that & cut a hole out at the right height. At least, it wouldn't matter if I made a pig's ear of it. I might get a new table for one of the cages so will wait until I do that in case it's a different height. It has been good to get some ideas. Thanks everyone!
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