Cage for a week

[Eurycerus]

So I've pretty much nixed the boarding idea due to my last thread. I just bought tickets to Kauai (omg I'm so excited, I haven't gone on a vacation for years) and I spoke with my parents and 13 year old brother and they said they wouldn't mind taking care of Nika. I'm going to pay him because she has a routine and requires attention (feeding her twice a day, change water, wash bowls, change the newspaper, cover her at night, roll her to a sunny area, a minimum of some attention and treats). I figure money is a good incentive to take care of an animal.

So here's the question. She has a travel cage, but not only is it too small for a week long adventure but the feeder and water cups have to be removed by opening the door. So that's out. Although Nika and my brother got along last time they saw each other I figure that I should probably set up a way to take care of her without anyone having to handle her to avoid any mishaps. (although that means I better really stock up her toys in there because I usually put new wood pieces in her cage everyday :/ )Then she has her huge cage at home.

So should I disassemble her gigantic cage and trek it an hour to my parents house and then reassemble it? or should I buy the cheapest cage I can find that is 18 by 18, and more portable than her big cage. Those seem to be the only options I can come up with.

[liz]

Go for the 18X18 so she can have her food, water and sleeping in one place. You can hang toys on the outside of her cage for play and put a perch on top.

[cml]

There are a lot of smaller cages, like large budgie and tiel cages that are "cheap" that will work very well for a week!
Good thing that youve got your family to take care of him, that will be a lot better than a potentially dangerous boarding .

[Michael]

How cheap is cheap? I wouldn't use a wire "cockatiel/parakeet" cage for a Senegal!

[cml]

How cheap is cheap? I wouldn't use a wire "cockatiel/parakeet" cage for a Senegal!

Why not? They are VERY unlikely to bite through those wires, Stitch cant with his travel cage which is built just so, and I believe his amazon beak is more powerful than a senegal's?

[Michael]

Why not? They are VERY unlikely to bite through those wires, Stitch cant with his travel cage which is built just so, and I believe his amazon beak is more powerful than a senegal's?

Because they come with dangerous guillotine doors that can strangle a nosy parrot, the door only snaps shut with a wire bend, and the wire paint chips off easily. These cages are not safe for a larger parrot unless for temporary supervised transport (and even then I wouldn't).

[cml]

Why not? They are VERY unlikely to bite through those wires, Stitch cant with his travel cage which is built just so, and I believe his amazon beak is more powerful than a senegal's?

Because they come with dangerous guillotine doors that can strangle a nosy parrot, the door only snaps shut with a wire bend, and the wire paint chips off easily. These cages are not safe for a larger parrot unless for temporary supervised transport (and even then I wouldn't).

We use small padlocks to supplement the bad wire bend (which you are entirely correct about) on our transport cage, also Ive seen plenty of doors that open sideways like on "parrot cages".

I disagree with the paint. It must be down to different manufactors, because we havnt had any problems with paint chipping off anywhere on the cage. I do agree with you that its not optimal as a living cage, but for transport or a week at a sitter I believe it will work great.

[Eurycerus]

Well I'll look but it seems like I am probably going to take apart her cage and reassemble it. Huge pain in the rump but I can't afford to buy a new cage that's sturdier than a budgie/cockatiel cage if those really aren't good. I would've thought for a week it wouldn't be too bad.

[Michael]

I would've thought for a week it wouldn't be too bad.

I'd say with YOU it wouldn't be too bad cause at the first signs of failure, you'd replace the cage or find an alternative. But around other people, this may go unseen before its too late and something happens. I wouldn't put money in junk that you won't use again. However, if you can find a Poquito iron travel cage or an aluminum kings cage used, that may be better. Those are about 18 cubed as well and much more suitable. The poquito one is under 100 even new I think so might be worth a shot but it is heavy as hell!

[Eurycerus]

Oh that sounds good. I'll take a look :]