What about Rain?

[NicoleN]

So as most or all of you know, I'm planning on building Sisqo a small aviary this summer. However, I do live in Michigan, where the weather is famous for being hot and sunny one minute, then raining the next, then sunny and dry again. Soooooo frustrating when I want to leave my car windows down

But to the point, if I have Sisqo outside in his aviary, would it be okay if it rained a little on him? You know, it'd be like getting a bath anyway. I honestly think that by the time we would notice it's going to rain, got his harness on him and into the house, it would be sunny again!

I would never leave him out there in a Thunderstorm, but is it okay if it's just a short sprinkle?

 

[Peta]

Yeah, that will be fine, all my little ones are going outside once the aviary is built and it was something I looked carefully into. It will just be like giving him a bath/shower.

Maybe you could put a cover of some kind over part of the roof for him. That would give him some shelter from both rain and sun if he wanted it?

 

[TexDot33]

Wait, we are discussing if birds should be left out in the rain :06: ?? Ok, I thought that most of our birds native habitat was the RAIN FOREST ... and honestly, do all wild bird go inside when it gets a little wet outside? Sorry, I was just lost, besides, I know how much all of us hate that "wet birdie smell"

 

[meghanxx4]

Yeah, that will be fine, all my little ones are going outside once the aviary is built and it was something I looked carefully into. It will just be like giving him a bath/shower.

Maybe you could put a cover of some kind over part of the roof for him. That would give him some shelter from both rain and sun if he wanted it?

ya a cover works.. i know people that have plastic for that which id ont think is that expensive but i really dont know the prices of things aha i've never really looked that far into aviaries since my mom doesn't wont let me have one. and also partyly because i live in area where its hardly ever sunny or good wheather. you could also make it half inside and half outside. hmm there a pic of someones avairy on another forum i go on let me see if i can find it...

heres an aviary that someone else posted on another forum i thaught id show just for ideas. it looks like they've just add the aviry to the shed and also tehres room inside for birds to go inside if its too cold or something.

 

[birdcrazy]

for small bird I got a small rubber storage box and cut a door in it this way I can take the lid off and clean out the whole thing really easy you could drape a tarp over a section of it as well what size are we talking do you know yet?

 

[NicoleN]

I thought that most of our birds native habitat was the RAIN FOREST

True, but I guess I just didn't know how much rain would be appropriate. Plus with how horrible our environment is, could he get sick from all the dirt and that in the rain? Maybe not have an immunity built up to any bacteria or virus in the rain that wild, outdoor birds have? I just want to be cautious.

Kelli, it looks like the final dimensions will be 5' x 3' x 6' (or...1.52m x .91m x 1.83m). It's only going to be temporary since I will eventually be moving out of my parents and into a house of my own.

 

[Peta]

Thats kinda similar to what we are building for our little guys, only a bit longer

 

[NicoleN]

Well I've already contacted the company that is going to make the netting for it. They're just waiting for the final drawing of it to get sent to them and then they will start on it. It's going to be a cedar frame with 3/4" nylon mesh around it all. The company custom makes it, so they will sew it together and all we will have to do is slip it on over the frame. One solid piece.

Plus I've already contacted a few local tree trimming services to see if I can confiscate their tree trunks & branches. No ash trees though, we have those Emerald Ash Borers here and I don't want to give Sisqo a branch that was treated with insectisides (or a branch that was infested with those things).

The only hold up right now is my boyfriend. He's drawing up the plans for it on his computer so we can e-mail it to the company. I don't really know what the hold-up is though, you just have to make a few lines...nothing fancy....

 

[birdcrazy]

do you mind telling us what the budget would be? when I was tring to do one I couldn't do it for less than 300

 

[NicoleN]

Hmmm....actually I don't really have a 'budget', lol.

I am getting nylon mesh, instead of wire mesh (like stainless steel) and that's cutting down A LOT on the overall cost. The price of the mesh & cutting fee (whatever that is) is $45. The tree branches are going to be free because essentially I guess I'm doing the company a favor by removing them.

I'm guessing that for the aviary itself (netting & wood for the frame), it will be around $200. Of course I don't really know how much wood is, so it might be higher or lower.

After it's done I'm going to plant some bird-safe plants & flowers in there for him to chew on and have a ball.