Escape artist

[sidech]

Hello,

this is Jazz's cage :



Now I had the proof today that he can escape from it. He opens one of the 4 feeder openings (the water one) and goes throught it. The weight of the water in the bowl then shuts the door to the feeder and I guess he hasn't figured out how to get back inside.

Today I had a university class, so I was gone from 0800 to 16h30. When I came back, he was on top of his cage. Poor thing was screaming, of course he was hungry, there is no food on top of his cage ! (Eclectus eat all day basically).

Anybody has an idea how I should secure the 4 openings ? There are too many dangers in the house to let him roam free.

Thanks !

[patdbunny]

Pad locks. Tie the key to the cage somehow so you don't lose the key and so the bird can't reach the keys.

Yank on the locks to make sure they're actually snapped shut.

I used to have to put padlocks on all the too cages and my african grey's cage. Sometimes the conures figure out how to open their cages, but they're easy - paperclips.

[sidech]

Can you post an image of what you mean ?

I just don't see how I can use pad locks, since there is no hole in the door to the feeder. Unless you're implying I should drill one ?

[zazanomore]

Poor Jazz!

Could you somehow use one of those pear hook things? The hooks that keep toys fastened.

[kaylayuh]

If you don't want to drill a hole through the feeder doors, you could try using a bird safe chain around them by feeding it through the bars above and below it and padlocking it on the outside. Depending on how forcefully he can bite through things it may not work though.

[patdbunny]

Oh hey sorry, I assumed there was a latching mechanism that a padlock could be used on. Hmm. With those doors you might have to use a bicycle chain on each door w/ a padlock. My cages don't have that solid panel for feed doors. The feed doors are wire also so I can get padlocks on them.

[sidech]

I think I'll wait a bit to see if it happens again. There is a slight chance that I did not close the door well when I changed the water (bad, bad, me...)

And if it happens again, I think I'll buy a better cage. This one was really dirt cheap, and I can see why now. I could convert this one into a sleep cage and put it in the basement, where he might sleep better (I noticed he started being startled when I wake up at night to go to the bathroom, which is not far from his cage).

[ninadivine]

The padlock sounds like a good idea, they come in different shapes and sizes so it doesn't have to be too ugly to look at and if you need multiples i'm pretty sure if you simply get all the same kind the keys will be universal and one should work for all of them. It sounds like it would be for the birds safty really so it is important. If it was an accident i supose it wont be nesisary but new cages are also expensive however they make so many with really good locks and it would be a good investment.

[Ark]

I'm hoping that it's just a fluke and you forgot to close the doors, but if that's not the case, they do make locks for those types of feeders. They are pricey though, four would set you back close to 100$. Here is the link, maybe you can find some pieces to make similar locks yourself if you end up needing them, looks easy enough. ( http://www.windycityparrot.com/Bird-Cag ... _2147.html ) I have heard of quite a few people having similar problems with doors like that. That's one think I hate about my King's Cage, I think it's only the aluminum line that has better locks. My birds never opened it nor are they even locked in their cages anymore, but I just don't really like the look of solid feeder doors. The ones with wire feeder doors can be locked with (cheaper) padlocks if need be, they make some keyless ones specifically for parrot use.

[CheekyandMalolo]

I would get 2 snap lock for each(or caribeenas) for each feeder door, connected with just enough chain/rope/wire(whatever would be safest and hardest to demolish) that is just as long as the feeder door is high, and buckle it over top of it all. Gee I hope that make sense.