Strange stuff at bottom of cage!

[krizzteena]

I am hoping someone may have some previous experience with this situation.

I use corncob bedding for the bottom of my cages and every Saturday I take the cages apart and clean them and replace with corncob. For the past 2 weeks KeKe has had large areas under where she is perching where the corncob has turned black, is very wet and started growing what looks like mold! YUCK!:x

I havent been doing anything different then normal. She is eating a gourmet seed and fruit & veggie mix and this week I noticed that her poop isnt her usual green but orange like the papaya or carrot in her diet. I am wondering if she has recently started eating more of it and this is changing the colour? I have noticed this week that the volume of poop has seemed to increase too.

She has become more nesty lately wanting to tear all paper in sight and spending time in one bottom corner of her cage scratching around and is more nippy too.

Otherwise she is active and happy.

Any ideas?????

[Eliza]

I thought that using corncob bedding in a bird's cage was generally discouraged as it is prone to growing mold.

What I'd do is trash the bedding in the cage, clean the entire cage & pan with a diluted bleach & water solution (rinse well) and use plain white paper towels. If you notice anything after a few hours/ overnight (strange droppings, etc.), call the vet.

Best wishes!

-e-

[Christine9]

Corncob bedding should not be used because if ingested, it can impact the crop. I agree with Eliza, use papertowels, or newspaper instead, and change them everyday instead of once a week. This will give you a better idea as to whether something is wrong with their poops.

Also, does your lovie eat colored pellets? I alternate between giving my lovies fruit flavored ones and natural ones, and I know that on the days when I give them the colored ones, sometimes their poops will turn brownish colored, especially if they consume alot of them. Same happens when I give them fresh carrots; their poops turn a light brownish-orange color.

[sweetCarmen]

I think that your bird is getting ready for nesting, and is spending more time at the bottom b/c you don't have a nest for her. Lovebirds will nest even if they don't have a mate. My lovebird did the same thing, and I thought she was probably wanting to make a nest. She's probably tearing all the paper in sight because she wants to use it to make a nest. My lovebird also was very nippy and it's because she wants a safe place for her eggs. You should get her a nest thats wood and about 7x7x7, not too much bigger, but definetely not smaller asap, cedar shavings are good for putting in the bottom. She will most likely feel a lot more secure w/ a nest and won't be as nippy. Also you can use plain paper too, for the bottom. If your lovie has a mate, she should start having eggs within 10 days after mating, and one every other day after that. hope all goes well.

[linda040899]

I agree that the corncob bedding has to go! I really wish they would post a warning on the label that it should not be used for birds! It's kiln dried and cannot be digested once it's been ingested!!

If you have a single lovebird, you don't want to encourage nesting. Giving her a nestbox will do just that. Additionally, cedar shavings are also dangerous for birds and should not be used. I use either paper toweling or newspaper to line the bottoms of my bird cages. The paper in each tray is changed everyday. That way, I can get a clear view if there are any changes in a 24 hr. period.

[Christine9]

If you are trying to find a suitable cage liner, here is a little excerpt taken out of the Resource Library:


Newspaper or Carefresh are good cage liners but don't use corncob, crushed walnut or cedar (cedar is toxic to birds). They can be ingested and impact the crop. Pine or aspen shavings will work but it's harder to monitor droppings. Plain newsprint (non-colored) is best.

[sweetCarmen]

oops, I'm sorry, I hadn't meant cedar. really sorry

[chris_lynn]

is the corncob bedding ok if you have a grate inbeetween the badding and the cage?

[Eliza]

is the corncob bedding ok if you have a grate inbeetween the badding and the cage?

Honestly? I'd avoid it if I were you.

There's always the chance the the lovie can get to the corncob bedding. I know that Beetle likes to run about on the grate and if I had the pan filled with corncob, he could easily get to it.

And again: damp corb cob bedding can get moldy.

-e-

[linda040899]

I still wouldn't use it. When it gets damp/wet, it molds. It's also very hard to monitor droppings, as they kind of get lost in the corn cob. I know it looks very neat but there are more cons than pros.

Several evenings ago, I was cleaning the cage trays in my back bird room. On the paper I saw 2 small fresh drops of blood. Apparently, one of my birds had overpreened a blood feather and it bled a tiny bit. Corn cob would have absorbed the liquid and I might have missed it completely. The feather had stopped bleeding so everything was OK but at least I could see a potential problem that could have been life threatening.

[Mummieeva]

The only thing I use to a liner is newspaper. I myself only use care-fresh for nestbox. Mainly because my birds love to splash in their water. Changing care-fresh daily could get annoying(mainly cause i always spill more then gets were i want it.).



Steph