I own a female lutino ringneck. She is hand reared and very tame and has always lived inside. If I am at home she is outside on a playstand all day. If it is raining she will sit on the security gate. She loves being outside though and the only time she is inside is when Im at work in which case I put her in her cage for safety reasons and to save my furniture and wires that she finds to chew. She is only 2 years old but as a baby she lived out permanently. In fact her cage was stored in the garage most the time and she lived on her play stand.
We have moved into a new house though and this means that she is now kept in the spare bedroom which is carpeted so just imagine the mess from seeds and feathers!
I live in South Africa in a city called Durban. Our summers are very hot - temperatures go up to 35 degrees celcius or more. and our winters are cold but nothing extreme. My father in law has built me an outdoor aviary (about 100cm long x 80cm high x 80cm deep). Half of it will be covered and the other half is open. What do these bords prefer with regards to temperature? Luckily I have the option of bringing her inside if there is a storn or if it is raining. The aviary will be sheltered under the rafters of the roof and protected from the elements. It will be outdoors though.
Do birds feel cold? i know when it's hot she is miserable and loves a bath or a spray down and will even sit out in the rain to cool off in summer. Im just concerned about the temperatures and which ones she prefers.
any ideas?
Indoors or Outdoors
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Indoors or Outdoors
We think caged birds sing, when indeed they cry...
Re: Indoors or Outdoors
A little disappointing that no one has any suggestions Oh well, I will just have to try myselfWe think caged birds sing, when indeed they cry...
Re: Indoors or Outdoors
That isn't too hot for the IRNs, as you said they will cool themselves down with bathing or the rain. Having a covered area will also lower the temperature.
Birds can become cold but a covered and enclosed area should be enough to get you through a winter. We would cover our outdoor aviary and put a light in for the nights where it actually got down to freezing.
I think the main concern for the aviary would be keeping predators/pests out.
Birds can become cold but a covered and enclosed area should be enough to get you through a winter. We would cover our outdoor aviary and put a light in for the nights where it actually got down to freezing.
I think the main concern for the aviary would be keeping predators/pests out.
I've been called 'birdbrained' before, but somehow I don't think this is what they meant. say:hah-nay
Re: Indoors or Outdoors
Luckily our temperatures dont go down to freezing! EVER! the coldest I would say it gets here is about 10 - 15 degrees celcius in winter only.
The aviary will have a padlock on it to stop monkeys getting in (we have a lot of those and they like the birds food!) and we dont really have snakes so im not too concerned about that issue but we have made it so that it is off the ground and closed as much as possible. we will be covering the rest in shadecloth as need be to keep her protected.
thanks for the input much appreciated! will post a picture when it is complete!
The aviary will have a padlock on it to stop monkeys getting in (we have a lot of those and they like the birds food!) and we dont really have snakes so im not too concerned about that issue but we have made it so that it is off the ground and closed as much as possible. we will be covering the rest in shadecloth as need be to keep her protected.
thanks for the input
much appreciated! will post a picture when it is complete!We think caged birds sing, when indeed they cry...
Re: Indoors or Outdoors
You'll just need a sheltered area from the wind when it's colder. Heat lamp too if concerned- then the bird can move closer or further from the lamp and you'll know if she's hot or cold. ^^
Sounds like you have it all in hand.
Sounds like you have it all in hand.
I've been called 'birdbrained' before, but somehow I don't think this is what they meant. say:hah-nay
Re: Indoors or Outdoors
That is a good idea - I will look into buying one for the winter months. Im happy knowing my bird is hand reared and tame and i can simply bring her inside should the weather turn bad at any point
My only issue at the moment (after witnessing it on the weekend) is our local monkey troops. I had popped inside to have a quick shower and she was happily on her stand outside as she always is over the weekends when im home and the next thing is I heard the dogs going mad and i ran outside (half dressed let me add and was seen by the neighbour! lol!) only to find THREE monleys sitting in her stand eating her seeds and fruit and a look of terror on her face! Luckily the monkeys were more interested in her food than her but I know if i had been longer they would have turned their attention to her and killed her. It's a huge concern even though her aviary will be locked securely. They are very persistent animals, desperate to find some easy lunch.
My only issue at the moment (after witnessing it on the weekend) is our local monkey troops. I had popped inside to have a quick shower and she was happily on her stand outside as she always is over the weekends when im home and the next thing is I heard the dogs going mad and i ran outside (half dressed let me add and was seen by the neighbour! lol!) only to find THREE monleys sitting in her stand eating her seeds and fruit and a look of terror on her face! Luckily the monkeys were more interested in her food than her but I know if i had been longer they would have turned their attention to her and killed her. It's a huge concern even though her aviary will be locked securely. They are very persistent animals, desperate to find some easy lunch.
We think caged birds sing, when indeed they cry...
Re: Indoors or Outdoors
That's terrifying! Are they large? Big enough to rip the aviary open if they're determined? o.o?
I've been called 'birdbrained' before, but somehow I don't think this is what they meant. say:hah-nay
Re: Indoors or Outdoors
The big males can be HUGE! I would say as big as a medium sized dog and their teeth are probably about 2 inches long or more. The babies are the problems though because they are more agile and they are the ones who come down to her stand to eat. They are so tame because they come scavenging for food in the urban areas so they are not scared of us if we try and chase them. And they harrass my dogs, I have 2 Yorkshire Terriers who think they are Rottweilers and love chasing them. Im scared one day they get too close and bite my dogs I tried to chase them over the weekend with a whip and one turned and chased me and I ran!
As for the bird, I dont think they will get the aviary open - I plan on padlocking it up tight and keeping the food in the sheltered area where they cant see it. and it wont be able to be knocked over because we are fixing it to the wall. They are looking more for an easy meal than having to break in. different troops behave differently. at our last house they would come inside the house and threaten us if we chased them and ransack the kitchen and literally sit there and eat until THEY were finished and wanted to leave, but in our new place they have never even tried to get inside the house. I might even bring her inside during the day which defeats the object of the aviary but her safety is first. The monkeys are there at least 2 or 3 times a week, sometimes daily. some days they pass through and other days they like to hang around for hours.
Sometimes I feel so sorry for that bird! We had just moved in to this house and I heard an almighty crash and the neighbours cat had knocked her cage over and was sitting on top of it trying to get her out. Now we solved that problem by wiring up the windows so that they can be open but the cats cant get in and the monkeys start! Poor bird, I think she has had more than 9 lives! She is so tame and fearless. One morning I put her outside and we were still sleeping and she was happily chirping away and suddenly went quiet. So i dragged my lazy bones out of bed to check on her and the other cat was quietly stalking her and she was looking at the cat all inquisitively, beak open to test what it was and I could have died! She has no fear of dogs or cats or monkeys! and just goes quiet when in danger! She gets so interested in the other animal that she doesnt realise her life is at stake!
I think once the aviary is complete I can double check there is no way of getting her out.
I never let her out of my sight these days!
I tried to chase them over the weekend with a whip and one turned and chased me and I ran! As for the bird, I dont think they will get the aviary open - I plan on padlocking it up tight and keeping the food in the sheltered area where they cant see it. and it wont be able to be knocked over because we are fixing it to the wall. They are looking more for an easy meal than having to break in. different troops behave differently. at our last house they would come inside the house and threaten us if we chased them and ransack the kitchen and literally sit there and eat until THEY were finished and wanted to leave, but in our new place they have never even tried to get inside the house. I might even bring her inside during the day which defeats the object of the aviary but her safety is first. The monkeys are there at least 2 or 3 times a week, sometimes daily. some days they pass through and other days they like to hang around for hours.
Sometimes I feel so sorry for that bird! We had just moved in to this house and I heard an almighty crash and the neighbours cat had knocked her cage over and was sitting on top of it trying to get her out. Now we solved that problem by wiring up the windows so that they can be open but the cats cant get in and the monkeys start! Poor bird, I think she has had more than 9 lives! She is so tame and fearless. One morning I put her outside and we were still sleeping and she was happily chirping away and suddenly went quiet. So i dragged my lazy bones out of bed to check on her and the other cat was quietly stalking her and she was looking at the cat all inquisitively, beak open to test what it was and I could have died! She has no fear of dogs or cats or monkeys! and just goes quiet when in danger! She gets so interested in the other animal that she doesnt realise her life is at stake!
I think once the aviary is complete I can double check there is no way of getting her out.
I never let her out of my sight these days!
We think caged birds sing, when indeed they cry...
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ellieelectrons
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- Location: Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
Re: Indoors or Outdoors
It's probably lucky she has no fear... for now... or she may be an extremely timid and frightened bird right now. Best wishes for keeping her out of harm's way. Have you considered just keeping her inside for safety's sake? I don't have wild monkeys at my house... but I get scared of even leaving our birds on our enclosed verandah.
Ellie.
Ellie.
Re: Indoors or Outdoors
She is now just over 2 years old and I feel awful because she spends so much time inside the house She LOVES being outside! As soon as I carry her outside her wings start flapping and she will leap off my hand onto her stand, do a few laps of honour for me and then drop her head down and wait for a tickle and a bath. She just thrives when she can be outside. Inside she is moody and noisy and aggitated even when she is out free.
As scary as the monkeys are they have never tried to kill her luckily. They want the apples and seeds more than anything else. But im sure if she bit one of them or moved around they would try. Most of the aviary will be covered and secure - the rest of open wire for sunlight and I have asked my father in law to keep the monkey problem in mind when building it. He used to breed Homing Pigeons (Is that the right name??) and built his own coops and aviaries with the same problem in mind. IN fact it was him who warned me about making it as secure as possible so I am sure he has done a great job
AND luckily she has that option of coming inside any time Do you all have problems when they molt and the mess they make?!?! She is in a carpeted room and my vacuum cleaner broke and the mess she makes is unreal! I even find little yellow feathers stuck to my dinner plate sometimes! ha ha!
She LOVES being outside! As soon as I carry her outside her wings start flapping and she will leap off my hand onto her stand, do a few laps of honour for me and then drop her head down and wait for a tickle and a bath. She just thrives when she can be outside. Inside she is moody and noisy and aggitated even when she is out free. As scary as the monkeys are they have never tried to kill her luckily. They want the apples and seeds more than anything else. But im sure if she bit one of them or moved around they would try. Most of the aviary will be covered and secure - the rest of open wire for sunlight and I have asked my father in law to keep the monkey problem in mind when building it. He used to breed Homing Pigeons (Is that the right name??) and built his own coops and aviaries with the same problem in mind. IN fact it was him who warned me about making it as secure as possible so I am sure he has done a great job
AND luckily she has that option of coming inside any time
Do you all have problems when they molt and the mess they make?!?! She is in a carpeted room and my vacuum cleaner broke and the mess she makes is unreal! I even find little yellow feathers stuck to my dinner plate sometimes! ha ha!We think caged birds sing, when indeed they cry...
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ellieelectrons
- Posts: 2708
- Joined: Mon Jul 19, 2010 1:17 am
- Location: Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
Re: Indoors or Outdoors
Ah yes... birdie mess! It's awful! We put disposable painter's dropsheets down on the floor under their cage area.... and that doesn't even manage to catch all of the mess... but it does make cleaning the floor a little easier.
Ellie.
Ellie.
Re: Indoors or Outdoors
I had one of those nets that goes around the bottom of the cage to supposedly catch dirt but what a waste of time and money! It's normally not too bad, just when they molt it gets out of hand! But that's why we love them right?!
I had budgies as a child, 5 of them- I swear those birds could poo out the side of their cage and against the wall! They used to be in the kitchen on top of an old deepfreeze that we were not using at the time. When we wanted to use it again and opened the door the rubber lining had disintergrated from the seed and feathers etc! My poor parents! And all i wanted growing up was a Ringneck and they refused to let me have one for that very reason! Now im living out my chilhood dream with my beautiful baby
I had budgies as a child, 5 of them- I swear those birds could poo out the side of their cage and against the wall! They used to be in the kitchen on top of an old deepfreeze that we were not using at the time. When we wanted to use it again and opened the door the rubber lining had disintergrated from the seed and feathers etc! My poor parents! And all i wanted growing up was a Ringneck and they refused to let me have one for that very reason! Now im living out my chilhood dream with my beautiful baby
We think caged birds sing, when indeed they cry...
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ellieelectrons
- Posts: 2708
- Joined: Mon Jul 19, 2010 1:17 am
- Location: Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
Re: Indoors or Outdoors
I have dried fruit smatterings all over our wall and sliding glass door. I removed the curtain from there because they made such a mess!
Some of the posters to this forum still live at home with their parents... and they talk about how hard it is to get their parents to let them have the bird in the family areas of the house... I can really understand that... because of the mess.... I guess, they just need to get their IRN to win them over with their winning personalities!
Ellie.
Some of the posters to this forum still live at home with their parents... and they talk about how hard it is to get their parents to let them have the bird in the family areas of the house... I can really understand that... because of the mess.... I guess, they just need to get their IRN to win them over with their winning personalities!
Ellie.
Re: Indoors or Outdoors
Luckily for me my fiance doesnt seem to notice mess...I think he is worse than the bird so he has no room to talk! He does however feel like he lives in a zoo! Our place is small and we have the bird and 2 dogs and soon a litter of puppies on the way so who cares about the birds mess?!?!
We think caged birds sing, when indeed they cry...
Re: Indoors or Outdoors
That's the way, make sure you have so many messy pets that one more doesn't matter right? LOL!
I've been called 'birdbrained' before, but somehow I don't think this is what they meant. say:hah-nay
Re: Indoors or Outdoors
correct! Although this last week our board of trustees sent us a memo saying that we are only allowed 2 pets where we stay and that if we are caught with "new additions" to our family without consent then they will have the right to remove them! 
to me, the bird is not a "pet" like a dog or cat and causes no nuisance. she is MUCH quiter than my neighbours conure and they have 2 dogs as well! so i humbly replied to the email and asked what i could do about it and they have given me permission to keep them all HOORAY! because I could never choose between my dogs or my bird on who to rehome We think caged birds sing, when indeed they cry...
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ellieelectrons
- Posts: 2708
- Joined: Mon Jul 19, 2010 1:17 am
- Location: Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
Re: Indoors or Outdoors
Phew! Good job! Well done!
Ellie.
Ellie.
Re: Indoors or Outdoors
HUGE relief! I cant even tell you! Ive just built an aviary and spent so much cash on getting things perfect and imaine if they told me i had to find her a new home I would be devastated
I would be devastatedWe think caged birds sing, when indeed they cry...
Re: Indoors or Outdoors
My aviary has finally arrived! YAY! and im So happy with it! it took her a while to go under the sheltered part but now she is going in and out all the time and is just loving being outside. Although on new Years we had torrential rain and fireworks so she spent the night safe and sound inside our house in her smaller cage.
The monkeys have not been a problem as yet but the day after i got the aviary a watched a HUGE snake kill a rat a few meters from her cage and i was terrified. I have never seen a snake or a rat in our yard before!!!! so we will be mounting it on the wall this weekend so that no snakes can get in.
here are some pics
The monkeys have not been a problem as yet but the day after i got the aviary a watched a HUGE snake kill a rat a few meters from her cage and i was terrified. I have never seen a snake or a rat in our yard before!!!! so we will be mounting it on the wall this weekend so that no snakes can get in.
here are some pics
We think caged birds sing, when indeed they cry...
Re: Indoors or Outdoors
Please do excuse the scruffiness of Homer - she is going through her molt at the moment! ha ha! actually, since she has been in her aviary i have seen a faster improvement of her feather growth, maybe because it's cooler outside than where she has been inside until now.
We think caged birds sing, when indeed they cry...
Re: Indoors or Outdoors
Oh wow I bet she's happy!
I've been called 'birdbrained' before, but somehow I don't think this is what they meant. say:hah-nay
Re: Indoors or Outdoors
She is VERY happy! I had to bring her inside a few nights ago because of very heavy rain and she was NOT happy with me She screamed her head off non stop for hours in disgust at me taking her out the aviary!
She is however just loving to chew the wood...I said all along that wood wouldnt be a good idea but everyone else who always knows better told me I was wrong! Oh well, I guess as she destroys things we just fix it! Because we love her!
She has never had a nesting box before though and she seems scared of it! i know it isnt her breeding season now though so maybe in the next one she will want to nest even without a partner. I just want her to live as natural a life as she can and she LOVES being outside so I think this is about the happiest she has ever been! And she was So scruffy from her molt when she moved in and it was incredible to see how quickly she transformed this year in comparison to before.
She is however just loving to chew the wood...I said all along that wood wouldnt be a good idea but everyone else who always knows better told me I was wrong! Oh well, I guess as she destroys things we just fix it! Because we love her!
She has never had a nesting box before though and she seems scared of it! i know it isnt her breeding season now though so maybe in the next one she will want to nest even without a partner. I just want her to live as natural a life as she can and she LOVES being outside so I think this is about the happiest she has ever been! And she was So scruffy from her molt when she moved in and it was incredible to see how quickly she transformed this year in comparison to before.
We think caged birds sing, when indeed they cry...