Making a standard cage safe.

[Rick. L.]

Hi there everyone. We have a yellow-naped amazon by the name of "Beanie". She's 43 yrs old and is quite a character and great friend. Unfortunately, she had a neurological event meaning a stroke. She has seen an avian vet. We have her at home all set up in her carrier with soft towels, food and water. We're hoping for at least a partial recovery. Looking for any tips and experienced advise how to make her standard cage safer for her. She presently can't perch and walks way, way off balance. Grates on the bottom of the cage are no good for her, perches, elevated food cups are all no good at this time. This is a tough thing for her and us. She gets a lot of love and hoping for the best. It's good to be here with other bird people. Thanks, Rick L.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

So sorry about your old girl. You need to give her a safe environment. I had a female English budgie that had been overbred before I got her and she had osteoporosis. She fell about 3 feet to the ground one day and fractured her femur, the large internal leg bone attached to her pelvis. Her wings were not trimmed, but she was large, heavy and not very active. The vet who qx-rayed her wasn't too optimistic about her recovery but I took her home and set her up in a 24x24x32 plexiglass cage with low perches, a heavily padded floor, and food and
water bowls on the floor. She lived in this padded home for the rest of her life. She recovered to live another year before she had a stroke at about 7 years old and I had to put her down. The plexiglass prevented her from trying to climb while her fracture healed.

I got my plexiglass cages from Pennzoni display company. They are beatitifully dedigned with built in ventilation fans for air circulation. Expensive at about $500 each. Perhaps you could find a large aquarium, terrarium, or reptile enclosure to house her. Since your bird can not perch, I would pad the floor with soft towels covered with sheets of paper towels and give her low (about four to six inches high) platform perches padded with pieces of old towels so her feet don't get sores. Maybe make a wide ramp with a gentle slope for her to walk up to the platform perches.
Good luck and I hope she recovers enough to enjoy her life.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

If you need to prevent her from trying to climb and only have a wire bar cage you could take sheets of plexiglass and drill a few holes near the edges and zip tie them to the bars from inside the cage.

 

[Rick. L.]

Hi, Our presious Beanie passed away last night from her stroke. I want to thank you for the wonderful suggestions for a safer cage. I hadn't thought of the plexiglass on the sides of the cage as she was a climber at heart and loved hanging upside down and showing off for us. This is a tough one. Best to all with our feathered friends.

 

[LaManuka]

Hi, Our presious Beanie passed away last night from her stroke. I want to thank you for the wonderful suggestions for a safer cage. I hadn't thought of the plexiglass on the sides of the cage as she was a climber at heart and loved hanging upside down and showing off for us. This is a tough one. Best to all with our feathered friends.

@Rick. L., I'm so sorry for your loss of Beanie, she was so lucky to have been so loved and cherished by you. Please accept my deepest condolences, it is SO hard to lose these most pure and precious souls. No matter how long we get to be with them it can never be long enough. You will see Beanie again, she will be waiting for you at the Bridge

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I'm so sorry you lost Beanie. She was loved right up until the end. Many birds aren't so fortunate. Do you have any other birds?

 

[Rick. L.]

Hi DonnaBudgie, thank you so much for your kind words. They mean so much. We have had some sweet budgies. Beanie took to them also. We grew up with budgies as my Mom always had them in the kitchen. Thanks again.

 

[Rick. L.]

@Rick. L., I'm so sorry for your loss of Beanie, she was so lucky to have been so loved and cherished by you. Please accept my deepest condolences, it is SO hard to lose these most pure and precious souls. No matter how long we get to be with them it can never be long enough. You will see Beanie again, she will be waiting for you at the Bridge

Thanks for the kind words and condolences. You're so right, it never is long enough. I believe they all wait for us. Thanks.

 

[Vampiric_Conure]

Many Many hugs at the loss of Beanie. Once they wrap their toes around our hearts, it's hard to let go.

 

[Macawdamia Nut]

I am so sorry for the loss of your precious Beanie. People who are kind to animals are very special people indeed. Big hugs to you!

 

[Shoegoo]

So sorry to hear. I'm sure she had a wonderful life with you and your family. I'm hopeful there will be pets in heaven when we get there. I can't imagine a happy place without them.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Every time one of our budgies passes, my husband says that it flies over and lands on his long deceased Mom's shoulder and she smiles and says "Where did all these birds come from?" She has quite a few new feathered friends now.

 

[GaleriaGila]

THANK YOU for this thread,, and to all who replied. My 40 year old Patagonian is on heart meds and at risk for problems, although he is doing very well presently. This thread has helped me prepare... strategically and mentally. Thanks for sharing Beanie.