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SissyCool
09-28-2014, 03:05 AM
I have a travel trailer (rv, camper...lol) that I am renovating as a traveling "animal house" for my zoo. I'm building bird cages directly into it. I have a flock of 6 cockatiels (mom, dad, and offspring) a parrotlet and a DYH amazon. Below is a pic of the basic layout and which bird/s go in which cages. I'm wondering if this wire would be ok for the amazon's cage?

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Is there anything less expensive that would be ok for her cage? How about for the smaller birds? What would be the best, most economical wire to use for them? Keep in mind these are for indoor cages... Appreciate any assistance!

2365

SissyCool
09-28-2014, 03:30 AM
OK. I just found a place online that said this would be good for the small birds but NOT the larger parrots...so...I guess my question changes to what to use for my amazon's cage? Is there something better/more economical to use for the smaller birds? I really appreciate any help! :)

PlaxMacaws
09-28-2014, 04:29 AM
Hi SissyCool...

I'm not sure that I would use PVC-coated wire as a parrot enclosure mesh. It may be okay for the 'tiels, and possibly for the Parrotlets - it really depends upon how prone they are to mutilate objects with their beaks. But your DYH could, and may well proceed to gnaw through the PVC coating at various points.

When it comes to home-built parrot enclosures, one big problem is that much of the wire mesh that's available is coated with zinc. Zinc is highly toxic to birds when enough of it is ingested. The galvanization process is a common way that wire mesh products become zinc coated. A lot of folks still use galvanized wire mesh for aviaries, flights, and breeding enclosures... but the potential for zinc intoxication should always be a concern. When not in a position to afford stainless steel mesh -as is the case with most of us- deciding which wire mesh to use may come down to a judgment call. One of the common choices is GAW (Galvanized After Weld) mesh. It's said that one of the safest things to do with GAW mesh is weather it outside for an extended period of time and then scrub it down with a vinegar solution before using it to house birds. Some say to periodically repeat the scrubbing process at intervals. Doing so is considered a method that will dramatically reduce the level of zinc particles/flakes that may otherwise find their way into birds contained by the mesh.

I'm simply not sure how well a PVC-coated mesh would hold up over time around certain birds. Hopefully you'll get some additional feedback on this matter from other members. You might also consider performing an advanced post search here, since in the past we've had discussions concerning safe and affordable enclosure mesh.

SissyCool
09-28-2014, 03:28 PM
Thank you :)