Cage Wire Question/Door suggestions

[Kathryn]

This question is posted here because it would apply to lovebirds.
And I've included a photo of some methods I use to secure guillotine cage doors to foile escape artists.

Some of you may remember my two conures Maggie and Max have been having a hard time rejuvenating their feathers since I got them. I've been reading a lot on heavy metal toxicity even though it didn't show up in their bloodwork. I'm not sure, but I think this wire may not be suitable for birds even though the big cage was build by a bird breeder.

The first two photos are closeups of the wire on the cage that came with the conures. A photo of the homemade cage is in the Conure section. To be on the safe side, I have ordered a new powdercoated cage for my pair.

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2095800444

The last photo has three different ways to secure those guillotine doors.
On the left, I've used a screw on feeding station. This one is from Dr. Foster. The weight keeps the door down and it's easy to refill the feeder because it lifts out of the holder.
In the middle, I wired a large fishing weight to the top of the door. I can lift the door to access the cage, but the birds don't have the muscles (yet) to lift it. The weights are lead...so they must be secured on the outside of the cage.
On the right, the screw on comfy perch can be tightened to hold the door down and loosened when I want to remove the water cup.

[shylevon]

How very clever you are. Who'da thunk to put the food or water dish attached to the door so it wouldn't open.

You are very sly indeed.

[michael]

Careful with that lead, it can I'm pretty sure, affect birds like it does humans. And its a soft metal.

[Keltoth]

I'm with Michael; I'd find some other heavy object for the door other than the lead weight. I understand it is on the outside of the door, but lead is notoriously soft and if there is ANY play in the method you used to secure it to the door, it will leave lead residue on the bars it rubs against. You won't see it, but it will be there, and your birds will at some point pick it up. Even if it doesn't rub, it is just sitting there as a foreign object, tempting your birds to mess with it.

In my opinion, the risks just aren't worth the payoff, especially when you can use something else for a weight. I'd say get the lead out.

- Eric

[Kathryn]

Good point on the weight. I didn't think about it rubbing. I have some steel weights I can use instead.

Any thoughts on the wire mesh...Am I being paranoid there.....

[Keltoth]

Good point on the weight. I didn't think about it rubbing. I have some steel weights I can use instead.

Any thoughts on the wire mesh...Am I being paranoid there.....

Not paranoid at all! From the ALBS website:

"Another underpublicized danger to many birds is the zinc coating used to galvanize most wire mesh. Most wire mesh is galvanized by "dipping" the steel mesh into molten zinc. This process is called "galvanized after welding" because the wire is welded into a mesh first, then galvanized. This creates a thin coat of zinc over the entire mesh, seams and all. This sort of wire poses a threat to birds, because the zinc coating can crack and flake off of the steel wire, and be ingested by the birds. It is very possible for a bird that chews on its cage wire to ingest a lethal dose of zinc in a very short time.

The type of wire to use for building breeding cages is what is called "galvanized before welded" wire mesh. In this type of wire, the individual steel wires are electroplated with zinc before they are welded together. This leaves a microscopically thin layer of protective zinc on the wire. This layer is actually bonded to the steel, and will not flake off like dip galvanizing, and does not pose a threat to birds.

If you are purchasing wire for birds, inspect the type of wire you are buying. If you can see where the seams in the mesh were welded, it’s galvanized before welded wire. If you can’t see the seams or the welds, you are dealing with dip galvanized wire, and it is probably better avoided."

The full article can be read at: http://www.africanlovebirdsociety.com/breeding/cages.htm (http://www.africanlovebirdsociety.com/breeding/cages.htm)

- Eric

[Kathryn]

Thanks Eric,
Yep, that's one of the articles I read when researching metal toxicity. While it's a very well written article, there were no photos of the wire in the article like what is on my cage. It appears to be a dull gray color and it is very hard to tell if there are welds or seams (like dipped before weld). The wires just cross over each other (like galvanized before weld). There is no metal buildup where the wires cross (like dipped). With similarities to both good and bad wire, I chose to be safe not sorry.

While Max and Maggie didn't have any heavy metals show in tests, I still wonder if climbing with their beaks on this wire could be affecting their feathers. It's not a typical health response to metal toxicity but I've not read anything which says it doesn't affect feathers.

We're making progress with improved diet and Max is actually growing new feathers on his head and tummy.

The new cage arrived today and I put it together, disenfected it, and moved all their toys into the new cage. (It's like the cages in another thread that you said you use for your birds.) Max and Maggie are settled in for the night. The inside dimensions are about 1/2 what they had in the big wire cage, but they never used the bottom 1/2 of the space anyway. I think they will be much happier. And I'll be less paranoid.