JEEPERS! What in the world is going on???

[crimson]

I noticed Willow was chewing at something in her cage....I went over to get a better look. this was NO TOY, this was part of her cage....she has managed to wiggle one of the bolts loose!

Not only that, look on the right side of the bolt, I don't see any coating at all! it almost looks like rust now... the other bolts are welded or sautered(sp?) and are still intact.

she must have broken the weld on it.

thank goodness I noticed....I don't think I could take another accident....

so I wedged two cuttlebone into the bars, one was wedged under the bolt to push it back up(it's now striped and won't stay up)and I positioned the other cuttlebone just to ensure she can't reach the bolt....holy jeepers, what next????

 

[strudel]

Are you sure the other bolts are soldered in, and it isn't just the powdercoating over the top?

The length of that bolt doesn't look long enough to go through both sections? Maybe it's snapped where the 2 parts join? What a pain in the neck. I'm so sorry. If it's not one thing, it's another. At least you noticed it quickly, even if it's a pain having to deal with it.

From the photo, that doesn't look like rust (smooth, not crusty), the bolt might be brass or copper?

 

[crimson]

Idk, I looked at the other bolt, and it looks welded to me, but maybe I'm wrong.

I'll get a better look at it tomorrow, your right at least I noticed!

 

[Mayden]

Just something I'd mention. I bought a cage with a similar colouring on it and was informed that it is not a powder coated cage as the white type colouring on it is actually paint. Not sure if thats completely accurate but something I'd maybe look in to considering toy/cage troubles atm.

 

[cassiepengo]

hey!! take care!! you should
get an another cage, you know

 

[Megapixel]

Idk, I looked at the other bolt, and it looks welded to me, but maybe I'm wrong.

I'll get a better look at it tomorrow, your right at least I noticed!

If the manufacturer were going to weld anything, they'd just weld it, not bolt it and then weld the bolt.
What you have is nothing more than a powder coating over the bolts

 

[crimson]

yes you are correct, I got another look at it today, at first I thought it was welded, but it's not, as you stated.

Willow should not be trying to get power coating off the bolt, that would be very dangerous if digested.

 

[Mayden]

yes you are correct, I got another look at it today, at first I thought it was welded, but it's not, as you stated.

Willow should not be trying to get power coating off the bolt, that would be very dangerous if digested.

Was Safari's cage similar?

 

[JerseyWendy]

Can you get the bolt back in its place with a wrench????

I'm SO glad you noticed that!!!!

 

[strudel]

Can you get the bolt back in its place with a wrench????

No, she said it's stripped (the thread's come off) and that's where I was remarking that it doesn't seem long enough. The way they work is that one bit of the frame just has a hole through and the other bit to be joined has a fitting which the bolt screws into. The bolt is just a little bit shorter than the length of the two bits to be joined. That's why I was wondering whether it had broken off and the other half of it is still in the fitting on the other part (ie rather than it being stripped, it's just not going into the fitting because the rest of it is in there, broken off). It doesn't look long enough to go through both parts of the cage frame. Whatever's happened, that is not good. A parrot cage needs to withstand parrots. It shouldn't just "fall to bits"

 

[Mayden]

Can you get the bolt back in its place with a wrench????

No, she said it's stripped (the thread's come off) and that's where I was remarking that it doesn't seem long enough. The way they work is that one bit of the frame just has a hole through and the other bit to be joined has a fitting which the bolt screws into. The bolt is just a little bit shorter than the length of the two bits to be joined. That's why I was wondering whether it had broken off and the other half of it is still in the fitting on the other part (ie rather than it being stripped, it's just not going into the fitting because the rest of it is in there, broken off). It doesn't look long enough to go through both parts of the cage frame. Whatever's happened, that is not good. A parrot cage needs to withstand parrots. It shouldn't just "fall to bits"

This happened with merlins cage. So theres is part of a scrww just jingling around in the frame now. We removed the lose screw and left it as it was because merlin doesn't fuss with his cage and its not somewhere he'll get any body part stuck. This obviously doesn't apply to everyone though.

 

[strudel]

So theres is part of a scrww just jingling around in the frame now.

Yes, but it really shouldn't happen. A screw will break off if you subject it to force, but the 2 bits of cage aren't subject to any force that should break a screw. I think they just use really cheap and nasty hardware on these cages.

I got a cage from my galah's former owner. It's all rusty and needs repainting, but it's worth doing because it's a decent solid cage. Some of the others just fall to bits and aren't worth doing anything with.

 

[JerseyWendy]

I missed the part that it was stripped. It certainly doesn't LOOK stripped in the photo. Short, yes, but not stripped.

Beth, can you get the bolt out, take it to a hardware store and have them match it up with a SS bolt that you could then use???? IF part of the bolt is stuck up in there, a screwdriver + hammer should knock it out.

 

[crimson]

Technically there is NOTHING wrong with Willows cage, other than that bolt coming loose.

It is a GORGEOUS cage, that cost over $400.00, my cousin was anal keeping it clean, and is in superb condition, (other than that bolt.)

I cannot tell whether the bolt has dropped down due to it being broken(which I doubt).

I certainly don't have any extra cash at the moment to go out and buy a new cage, nor would I just because of one bolt loose, that would not be logical. Her entire cage is fine.

the cuttlebone seem to be working just fine, and the next time I have Willow out of the cage, I will look at the cage more closely to see if I can remove the bolt.

 

[strudel]

and is in superb condition, (other than that bolt.)

That's good, hopefully it's a standard size bolt and you can just get another at the hardware shop. I replaced some bolts on a cage I got secondhand. I got the hardware shop people to tell me what size it was and bob's your uncle. If it has sheared off and left half in there, you can just drill it out.

 

[Mayden]

So theres is part of a scrww just jingling around in the frame now.

Yes, but it really shouldn't happen. A screw will break off if you subject it to force, but the 2 bits of cage aren't subject to any force that should break a screw. I think they just use really cheap and nasty hardware on these cages.

I got a cage from my galah's former owner. It's all rusty and needs repainting, but it's worth doing because it's a decent solid cage. Some of the others just fall to bits and aren't worth doing anything with.

I was moving house in a rush, couldn't get the screw out, so just folded the cage on itself (snapping the screw) so I'm certainly not going to blame the manufacturers on this one :21:

 

[strudel]

so just folded the cage on itself (snapping the screw)

Sure, but OP's doesn't seem to have been subject to any force. Maybe something similar had happened in the past, without anybody noticing. The screw might have been resting where it was supposed to be.

 

[Mike17]

Sometimes bolts (or rather the nuts) are welded in place to make them "captive". It can be very hard to get a socket head or spanner on to nuts in some positions so the manufacturers insert the nut then tack weld it in place. Then the whole assembly, or rather part of it, should be rust-proofed (as the weld can promote rust) and painted although they'd need to be careful with the nut threads. These cages are usually shipped flat-packed so each "side" or "top" or "front" would be made separately. It's unlikely the bolts would be brass, to expensive (and easier to tack weld a steel nut to the assembly). It's not easy to remove a broken bolt- they are often hardened and as hard as drill bits, and anyway the thread needs to be chased to remove leftover bits so new bolt can be fitted. As for getting replacement bolts, it helps to take another unbroken one with you to the hardware store, especially if in US- local stuff is still non-Metric (so old hat!) while stuff out of China is usually Metric.

 

[strudel]

It's unlikely the bolts would be brass,

Thanks for the info, sounds like you know your hardware. What do you reckon that browny colour is due to? Rust?

 

[Mike17]

Thanks for the info, sounds like you know your hardware. What do you reckon that browny colour is due to? Rust?

Yes, Strudel, almost certainly rust. The bolts on cages are prone to rust as the cage is washed, the water sits around the bolts and takes much longer to dry out, hence rust is promoted. Actually, when I moved back to WA all our cages were disassembled so when I put them back together, I did do with grease on the threads, as they were showing signs of rust from previous use. Plus, I moved the rustier ones to the top, or positions where water accumulated less, so good bolts went to "bad" positions, and greased (with automotive grease).