Best mess control product?

[SilverSage]

So we are moving. It is al rather sudden, but we got the keys last night, put in our notice, and painted today. All the windows are open and fans on, birds will move in much later even though my human nose cannot detect any fumes.

But we are moving into a much smaller place with all carpet - right after adopting two Eclectus parrots. And the carpet is REALLY NICE, and you know... Birds... So, any advice on mess control, such as dishes, certain cage set ups, etc? I already have to vacuum every day, but if there could not be QUITE as much mess when guest arrive unannounced, especially from the eckies... In my current house I just roll them a few feet out the door for their daily bath and cage scrub, and then clean the hard floor and walls by their cage while they sit in the sun. Not so much able to do this on the 6th floor...

 

[Jayyj]

One possibility might be to buy some thick (thick enough to take a person's weight without flexing too much) plywood panels that are large enough to sit under the cage and extend two or three feet in front of and to the side of the cage. Then get some large tiles, as you would use for a bathroom or kitchen floor, and cement them to the plywood. This gives you a reasonably nice looking surface surrounding the cages that can be wiped down or mopped in a minute or so, and the carpet underneath is kept protected and in good condition should you ever rearrange or move.

An easier version of this is simply to lay tiles down on the carpet in front of the cage, but tiles on their own are likely to break under a person's weight - the plywood adds the necessary extra strength if you want to stand on them.

Failing that, a maid or butler would also do the trick!