Wife's hide/nest project

[CSLFiero]

So cooooool! It's velvet lined. The fabric is soft, warm, and no amount of nipping or scratching will ever get the naps to come out.



It's made from a pet store rabbit hide (timmy bungalo hide medium size, I think), I keep telling her to cover the outside so the parrot won't rip it to bits, but she thinks it looks so good this way, she doesn't care if it gets destroyed (yeah right, she'll change her mind cause she's put many hours into the details).

Thoughts? similar creations?

[pennyandrocky]

very cute i think your bird will love it. just be carefull if your bird is female take it away during breeding season you don't want egglaying.

[Eurycerus]

Maybe it's just my personal experience has jaded me and all the research I've done on hormonal behavior and happy hut type things but although it looks nice I would never give any type of hiding material, hideaway to my parrots. Encouraging hormonal behavior is just not worth the headache of aggressive behavior and potentially dangerous egg laying. In addition most hideaways have a very real danger. Parrots are incredibly destructive and can tear up fabric of all kinds easily. When they do they can accidentally ensnare themselves which can and has lead to fatalities. Please do your research before giving it to a parrot.

[CSLFiero]

Thanks for the concern, we've gone the hand made route for this reason of danger. While we've been hopeful for a male, we'll be careful around females.

I've been working up a easy way to mount it and have a spot inside of the top of my cage. The top come off as a separate piece, so I'm set up for easy removal foot cleaning, repair, or storage during the breeding months.

[marie83]

Aw thats rather beautiful. It looks pretty safe overall too.
Just be careful with male parrots too as some will also see them as potential nest spots and it might exaggerate hormonal behaviours. Ollie has a happy hut year round and is fine with it, it doesn't appear to make his hormones worse but if it did I would remove it.

[Andromeda]

Wow, your wife did an excellent job! That's a very nice looking hut.

I agree with the others regarding nesting and hormonal behavior. It's something you have to monitor because in females it can cause egg-laying and even in males an area perceived as a "nest" can contribute to hormonal behavior.

My green cheek conure has a happy hut in his cage and that's where he sleeps. I am aware of cases of entanglement and death in those types of huts so I check it every day for wear and tear but it's as intact as the day I purchased it so he doesn't seem to chew it at all.

He also likes to burrow in clothing (something I have read other green cheeks do as well) and he is not allowed to do that with things me or my husband wear so instead I hung an old shirt on his tree. He climbs inside sometimes and has chewed some holes in it as well but I cut off stray fabric and he is supervised at all times so I don't worry about entanglement.

He does not show any hormonal behavior as a result of his happy hut or the shirt but if he did I would remove them.

[pionus]

Heeeeeeyy there, can i climb in there?

seriously that is an awesome hut, good job.

[janetafloat]

Wow, that's amazing! I'd sleep in there

[CSLFiero]

Thanks for the kind words and keen advice! I honestly don't know if it's more likely to end up an object of territoriality or a pile for shredded hay in the bottom of the cage. Either way, this is fun.