Parrot proofing your house.

[cml]

You have an amazon and a pionus, both famed for their perch 'potatoness', so yes, I am sure yours ignore them but not all species are like that. Cockatoos and conures are explorers and go EVERYWHERE and the toos not only have real big sharp claws, they have huge, powerful beaks and can go through anything! I'll give you an example: I have metal grid platforms hanging from ropes from the ceiling and, around the hook that goes into the beam (they are big and heavy), I've had to put real thick plexiglass sheets because, if I don't, they fly up, hang on to the rope and chew all around the hook until they reach the beam and make a hole large enough for the whole thing to come down (the grays do it, too). My umbrellas went through the sheetrock on a wall and had chewed through the supporting beam behind it in a single afternoon during a breeding season to the point that I had to call a contractor to reinforce it with a metal gird before we replaced the sheetrock.

You presume way too much.

Both my birds are definetely not perch potatoes, but active explorers and very playful. They climb, fly and play all the time. In opposite of you I can provide countless of pics to prove it.

If your birds' claws are that long and sharp you should do something about it.

[Weka]

Well, I'll definitely report on what I end up doing with our bookcases, and how well it did (or didn't) work. Thanks for your thoughts and various experiences. I wish more than anything I had access to this sort of information when I had my budgie -- but internet forums hadn't been invented yet, and all I had access to were two very outdated books on British show budgerigars from the library. Speaking of books, I just got Michael's book in the mail this afternoon (cheer!) and which has a pretty basic yet solid section on parrot proofing.

Okay, here's another proofing-related topic: Floor Coverings. We have wall-to-wall carpeting that we might be removing in a couple of years in favor of hardwood flooring, but until then we plan to cover up the cage and high-traffic bird areas with throw rugs or even office floor matting. Anyone have a preference for either of these? Or is it just easier to just use one of those little steam vacs? Also, are there any sort of rugs/floor materials that you would recommend NOT using?

Thanks,

Weka

[cml]

Dont worry Weka, me and Pajarita clash sometimes but I think we've worked through it (mostly) and niether take too much offense I hope. Just disregard our little bickering .

You can do worse than listening to Pajarita in many areas of parrot care, she got lots of experience.
In some respects though, I completely disagree with her, but that's just the way of things. And luckily this is a forum where you can discuss stuff .

Okay, here's another proofing-related topic: Floor Coverings. We have wall-to-wall carpeting that we might be removing in a couple of years in favor of hardwood flooring, but until then we plan to cover up the cage and high-traffic bird areas with throw rugs or even office floor matting. Anyone have a preference for either of these? Or is it just easier to just use one of those little steam vacs? Also, are there any sort of rugs/floor materials that you would recommend NOT using?

Thanks,

Weka

This is actually a very valid question, to which I've given some thought recently. It might not be so much parrot proofing for their safety, but rather for their messiness !
We have hardwood and plastic floors in our appartment, and while the parrots CANNOT do any damage to a properly laid floor (as there is nowhere for claws or beaks to grasp onto), they do make a mess!

A carpeted floor will get filthy very quickly! You definetely need something under the cages, that extends about 3' outwards in all directions as well.

We've been feeding some blueberries and cranberries recently and they discolored our floor in the parrot room instantly. Luckily with a lot of work, I managed to clean it off.
Now we have, as a temporary measure, put an oilcloth under the cage. I am going to get these as soon as I feel I can drive safely again (I've had surgery recently):
http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/44881100/
It's really a protective floor cover for office chairs, but they are large and good quality and should do nicely I think.

[Pajarita]

You presume way too much.

Both my birds are definetely not perch potatoes, but active explorers and very playful. They climb, fly and play all the time. In opposite of you I can provide countless of pics to prove it.

If your birds' claws are that long and sharp you should do something about it.

LOL - No, no presumption or assumption, either. I've had eleven amazons all together and two pionus (granted, two individuals do NOT give you a whole lot of insight into a species) and they were the most stayed-put birds of all the species I've had with the exception of an almost catatonic gray and, besides, it's not only me, CML, everybody who has them along with other species agrees on this (http://www.birdchannel.com/bird-words/perch-potato.aspx). But maybe yours are the exception to the rule.

As to my birds claws, they are long and sharp because that's the way nature meant for them to be. I don't believe in shortening them so they won't prick my skin when they perch on me. Now, I am the first to admit that this is uncomfortable in most instances and downright painful in others (when cockatoos perch on your hand, they grab on so hard their nails can actually make little holes) but I just move them to a 'better' spot (like my arm which, been wider in circumference, it gives the bigger birds a sense of security so they don't hang on so tight).

[Pajarita]

Floor covering: I would go with linoleum. You can lay it on top of the carpet (that's what I did in the cat room) and use the 'transitions' (http://www.homedepot.com/b/Flooring-Car ... 15170336:s) to secure it to the floor (you can also use quarter-rounds against the wall and paint them the same color as the baseboard). It's inexpensive, very washable and will last a long time as long as you lay it very straight and tight so the bird cannot get his beak into it. And, you can get a color and design that would go with your décor.

[cml]

Floor covering: I would go with linoleum. You can lay it on top of the carpet (that's what I did in the cat room) and use the 'transitions' (http://www.homedepot.com/b/Flooring-Car ... 15170336:s) to secure it to the floor (you can also use quarter-rounds against the wall and paint them the same color as the baseboard). It's inexpensive, very washable and will last a long time as long as you lay it very straight and tight so the bird cannot get his beak into it. And, you can get a color and design that would go with your décor.

Aye, lineoleum is what we have in some rooms as well, and what I meant with plastic floors .

I'll be adding those plastic covers just the same, due to the risk of discoloring from fresh foods.

[xoxdid]

Excuse me...I gave my parrot a i-pod charger cable for her to chew (it's not connected to anything), Is it safe for her?

[cml]

Excuse me...I gave my parrot a i-pod charger cable for her to chew (it's not connected to anything), Is it safe for her?

Absolutely not!

[GreenWing]

Excuse me...I gave my parrot a i-pod charger cable for her to chew (it's not connected to anything), Is it safe for her?

Absolutely not!

CML is absolutely right. Please do not give your bird a wire/wired cord to chew, ever.