any ideas... ?

[Herc]

hi all,

i was wondering if any of u have ideas on how to keep hercules from sleeping on the front of his cage - he doesn't choose a perch to sleep on, just the side of the cage... the problem is that he is choosing to sleep on the side where his seed dish is below him.. and he poops all over the side of the cage at night...

i know in his old home he was in a corner type space and the side he is sleeping on was beside a wall at his old home

he is covered at night, just as he was there

when i got him (2 wks ago ish?) he had only 3 dowel perches in his big cage (18.5" square x 27" high) - he now has new perches (all natural branches and cactus perch) but he is still choosing to sleep on the side of the cage. he uses all the new perches and seems to be enjoying them during the day.

any thoughts or ideas on how i can get him to sleep on perch instead?

thanks!

[Islandbirdies]

What about a cozy hut, my Lola love's it and I only put it in at night so she/he dosen't get nesty.

[Herc]

i asked the previous owners about that, and apparently he never went in it, but loved to hump it lol

i could probably try it - would it hurt to put it in his spot do you think?

[LauraO]

I would just try and move his seed dishes and let him be. Some birdies just prefer to sleep on the side of the cage like that. To him, it's comfortable:rolleyes: .

[michael]

You know, I had to put a plastic tray under Goof's birdie buddie during his first year. He pooped in his water bowl and would not change the corner he slept in even when I moved his buddie. Could not move the bowl because of the cage configuration either. Besides, I liked to change his water often but could'nt take him out every time. Finally, I clamped a toy in his corner, with much guilt mind you, and he ended up underneath it! Stubborn little turd. Now, after a new cage and a really long heart to heart talk about personal hygiene and proper etiquette, he poops in and on everything but his water bowl......including me. I have faith in him though. Together, we are learning to use poo poo paper. If you time him just right and see him back up a little, we hit the paper every time. I've been telling him "good boooy" "poopy on the paper" "Goofy's good boy" and he is definitely catching on. Still have to work on those behind the shoulder down the back sneaky poops. He still leaves those on me when I'm not looking.........Goofy and Michael

[Herc]

lol michael!

that is so funny it's cute lol

i can't change hercules' food dish either, or i'd end up with an open spot he could get out of, due to the way the cage is made - oh that would be so simple lol

i guess i will just have to try a hut and see if he chooses it, otherwise.... ? lol

thanks for the laugh - on a more serious note, that is a very good idea tho - who knew u could paper train a bird :)

[shylevon]

You should probably fashion some sort of shelf just over the food dish that will serve as a sort of splash guard. It is healthier to keep the poops out of the dinner dish, and if moving the dish is out of the question (and I can definately see why it would be) then you will need to get creative in covering it. If you can buy a piece of plexiglass or lucite, you can probably cut it to size and attach it to the bars to cover the dish giving birdie enough room under the cover to eat.

Have you tried putting a favorite perch in the space that he normally sleeps in? Lots of birds have a favorite spot in the cage, and they feel safe and secure there.

[Herc]

hi shy,

i thought of doing a shelf and our local bird store sells wood ones, but i thought it woul dbe hard to keep clean - plexiglass might work i will have to look into it

as for perches, he only started with 3 plain dowel ones that he prob had forever, so now that he has other perches he does have new favs but not enough for him to switch to yet... mind u its only been 2 wks since i've had him...

[michael]

I bolted a 4x4" piece of plexiglass, just like shy mentioned, to a small treat dish that you just hung on the cage above the water, or in your case, the food dish. That way it came off for easy cleaning without having to tie it or anything. After drilling two holes through the dish I marked the spots onto the plexiglass, then drilled them too. I used stainless steel nuts and bolts and once put together I squashed the threads on the ends of the bolts with side cut pliers so the nuts could not be removed by Goofy moto beak. This did work well until he got the new cage. Nice to have in case he decides to poop in them again. Sorry I didn't explain it better earlier. I had poop on my mind!...........Michael and Goofy