Converting dog kennel to cage

[Khaiqha]

My roommate might let me use his old dog kennel as a cage, and really it's just a huge wired enclosure with a sliding tray. Has anyone had experience converting one?

[Michael]

This may be unsuitable if it is zinc coated. Also the wire spacing most likely dangerous.

[Kathleen]

I'm trying to imagine how that might be. Guess there would be no grate above that sliding tray in which case the bird would be walking around amongst poop, food crumbs and toy waste. I would't recommend that. You'd have to secure the tray where as in a normal cage the grate prevents access and an escape route/hazard. No food or water bowl doors..a small sacrifice. What is the mechanism like to lock this crate? It might need to be secured with something else.

[Khaiqha]

Thanks for the response guys. I'm gonna search the kennel online and see if it has zinc.

The tray does have a grate over it, and the spacing is too narrow for Ace to place his head through. It locks with a sliding bar mechanism. I'll use the bowls that screw in with washers for food and water. Hopefully I can post pictures later this week.

[Michael]

I guess we were picturing two different kinds of kennels. I was thinking more of an outdoor fenced in area being converted to an aviary whereas Kathleen was thinking of a plastic travel carrier. In either case, a parrot specific cage will be significantly better for the bird. I would only use the carrier kind for travel.

[Natacha]

I wouldn't bother.
I know people who tried one as an outside cage, with a far larger bird than an Indian ringneck, and they quickly gave it up when they noticed how dangerous the bar spacing was..

[laducockatiel]

Yes, it's a big risk to take to save some money. I can't really picture it without seeing it, but I think that it's better just to buy a large cage.

[Khaiqha]

It ended up not working out, as for some reason Ace just hated it. I used the extra perches I bought and attached them to the outside of his old cage, so now it's kinda like a tree with the cage in the center. Also, as a result of the fiasco, his cage aggression has returned, and it's now also transferred to his shower stand and play stand. It's like he's worried I might change those too.