My kakariki has started moulting

nickieemma · Joined: Apr 08, 2010 Posts: 22

On looking at information I was under the assumption the perche branches had to be a certain type, that is why I said to get from a shop.

Since checking the earlier forum comments I went to a local hardware store and bought some plywood and beading to make a new floor for Mo's cage. It took a bit of tweaking but I eventually got it to fit. Laughing

He is slowly getting used to it, I will check my local stores for the items you have suggested to place down.

Thanks everyone for your advice

nickieemma · Joined: Apr 08, 2010 Posts: 22

Cute but worrying me senseless.

I have lowered all his perches as he's climbing up his cage but falls down on occasions as he doesn't have the strength to get onto his perches. I have also moved his food and water so he doesn't have to do much climbing. Since doing this his cage is messy as anything as he is throwing it out of the bowl which is what he used to do. So there's going to be a lot of cleaning for me.

Still struggling with walking and gripping the cage with his left foot but hopefully now after following advice on flooring he may improve.

nickieemma · Joined: Apr 08, 2010 Posts: 22

Unfortunately I only have a small garden and it is entirely slabbed and the local forest is about 15 miles away and is a bit inaccessible for me at the moment. I have a daughter who is in a wheelchair and it's school holidays and the forest area is not wheelchair friendly. That is why I am choosing to go to shops at the moment. Once school starts back in 2 weeks I will be able to get there.

manders · Joined: Mar 26, 2010 Posts: 120

There is a very common garden tree (Euonymous) in the UK which is lethal to kakarikis. Even a few leaves dropped into the aviary by the wind can be fatal if they eat them and these trees are routinely planted in new housing developments.

We collected stuff like willow, birch etc, trees that we knew were safe to provide perches. They love stripping willow buds and bark off by the way.

pabloc · Joined: Sep 26, 2007 Posts: 988

Gee,

I have read many horror stories about newspaper and lining the floor cages etc... then a few months ago reading from a champion English budgie breeder... he uses newspapers to line the breeding cages floors.
I don't think that guy is that stupid as to risk his expensive birds signlol

I'm also spoiled, as I live downtown, but my birds are in a "rural" area with lots of fields and stuff around. Getting a few pine or eucalyptus branches is not a problem, as well as a bunch of wild herbs, plus my grandpa has a small orchard to the side of the house where I get "free supplies" :) signlol

But nevertheless don't underestimate kakariki and their instinct. My birds have never had meat before they did over here, and they DO eat it. Also when I give them aromatic herbs... they've never seen a wild kakariki rub them off instead of eating, and I doubt my original breeding kakarikis were provided with herbs or natural branches, chances are really small. Most people just feed seed and water.

Same as cockatiels going bananas whenever you drop a fresh branch of eucalyptus.

Just my 2 cents :)

May · Joined: Apr 03, 2008 Posts: 281

My birds are in Large parrot cages similar to Mo's i dont use the wire floors... they just pull out... and i use wood shavings (not sawdust) in the bottom (i tried newspaper underneath... but they kept pulling it up. I empty the seed dishes into the shavings after a few days for them to scratch about in. Willow and Apple trees are what i use most for perches/feeding....as i have them in my garden... have no idea where i could get eucaliptus in uk. each cage has a large stainless dogbowl type water bath but these get dirty quickly when on the bottom of the cage...

i also added some perspex strips cable tied round the bottom to stop some of the mess....although Mo's cage looks quite deep at the bottom so that might not be too much of a problem ....

hope it is just his leg Pray

nickieemma · Joined: Apr 08, 2010 Posts: 22

I have got some MDF to make another base and will put some Lino over it to protect it from water getting soaked into it. Just need to cut it down to size.

I have also looked online and in shops for woodchip, whilst doing so I saw a product "CAREFRESH PET BEDDING" which apparently is good for small pets and birds and is dust free. Has anyone heard of this or uses it and would you recommend it?[/u]

nickieemma · Joined: Apr 08, 2010 Posts: 22

Although I have taken Mo to the vets twice now and have been told he is ok but possible damage to leg could there be a chance he could have broken a 'toe'? He is climbing and sitting on perches yet 1 'toe' tends to not bend as well as the others.

If it is broken is there something I can do to assist him? I have lowered his perches so he doesn't climb so high which he is now getting used to, we can't stop him climbing!! I have also put in wood ramps ( usually used to small pets eg deagus, rats etc) which he seems to like walking up and sitting on.