Covering a chewing cockatoo's cage

[cowbirdcat]

Hi, I'm new here. I joined to ask for other's experiences in configuring cage covers for birds who chew holes in the covers!

Sprocket, our 10-yr old Umbrella lives in the upper cage of a 2-tier really large cage (Buster, the who-knows-how-old adopted Festive Amazon lives in the lower cage).

We formerly kept the cages in a room that could be closed and lights turned off to put the guys to sleep, but that's not possible in our new house. We spent oodles of $$$ for a large fabric cage cover from Cozzzy Birds and Sprocket has basically turned it into black lace. We're now supplementing it with Queen size comforters purchased at Goodwill, but our boy is pulling out the stuffing now!

We're not sure what to do next, although I am considering the hospital-type overhead-hung curtain-on-a-track. It's also expensive to purchase the parts, I should add, but it should allow us to keep the curtain just out of Sprocket's reach.

If you have a fabic-chewing feathered buddy, how to do you cover your cage?

[kab6193]

Is there any way that you could attach something to the top and sides of the cage that is long enough to keep the cover off of the actual cage. Kind of like spikes all over the cage that will keep the cover a few inches above the cage bars so he can't get to it. It might be a bit cumbersome to begin with but I'm sure you could get used to it.
I don't really have any suggestions on what you could actually use for this but maybe some other creative person could give you a suggestion.

[Little Cricket]

I imagine you could do something like Kimberly said, depending on what the top of the cage is like. Maybe make a pave frame that is a few inches larger then the cage width and length wise, and have a cross in the middle of the square and just set that on top of the cage every night and put the cover over top so that it doesn't actually touch the cage.

[cowbirdcat]

I realize I should have mentioned the cage's dimensions, which add to the difficulty. It is 70" tall, 40" wide and 28" deep. If we add "spikes" or keep-aways of any sort, they raise the height of the cage and make it difficult to drape the fabic cover over the cage in all dimensions.

We purchased a super-sized (custom) cover from Cozzy Bird, and hoped that we could create a raise-and-lower-from-the-ceiling gizmo, but we've run into difficllties in creating a framework, in how to raise and lower the fabric, and how to tuck it away during the day when not in use. Our ceiling above the cage is only 7'.

I'm beginnning to think that the hospital-curtain effect is the only thing that will work, but I want to explore all other options before investing $$ into that system.

[Little Cricket]

What if you just strung two curtain hanging wires across the room instead of putting in something more elaborate, and hung a curtain from each which could just be pushed against the wall during the day? I imagine it would cost a lot less, although may not be as attractive.

You could also move him to the bottom level, which would make keeping the curtain away from the cage less difficult when you actually have to cover the cage.

[cowbirdcat]

FYI, more details about the difficulties of our exact room. Our dining room (where the cage is located) is surounded by a built-in banco (seating) ledge around the walls (it's New Mexico adobe style architecture), making it more difficult to surround the cage with a simple drapery pole - it would need someting like a bathtub shower curtain hanger apparatus, but I haven't been able to locate one large enough to surround the cage with the extra room to keep it from Mr. Sprocket's looooooong front center claw (isn't it amazing how long they can stretch to reach something they really want?).
I'm estimating I need about 7' (beyond the cage dimensions) on each side, since I have measured his extreme reach at 4", and I want to allow extra room for breezes moving the cloth.

[McDenny]

I do, my Conure chews the blankets I use to cover him. I just have store bought perches with the screw in thingies and I screwed them onto the outside of the cage instead of the inside. That way he can play on top of the cage during the day, and it keeps the blanket from touching the cage bars at night.

Does that make sense?

[Jojo's zoo]

Mr. Sprocket sounds like such a character!

[cowbirdcat]

Thanks for all the responses, folks!
Sprocket is indeed a character. We're going to bite the bullet and purchase a medical-clinic style ceiling-mounted track curtain cubicle. It will cost, but as always, if it lasts, we can mentally amortize the costs against what numerous regular covers would cost.
We're considering it part of appropriate home furnishing.

[Quiverful]

You should post some pics of your "clever" little guy! LOL

I have been fortunate so far that no one chews their covers. I know that a couple "bird people" have told me to use the cheapest thing for a cage cover...like a sheet or something..because birds love to chew their covers and you will be forever replacing them! LOL

The medical curtain things sounds like a great idea! You can even get a very pretty fabric that matches your decor.

[aabaltz]

what about building a curved " shower curtain rod" out of some pvc pipe and a bunch of 45 connectors?