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Hello need info, I want to build a small aviary on my porch but everything I have read say's I need to use stainless steel wire I cant seem to find this is there anything else safe I can use, I have a Moluccan and an Cag and moving there cages back and forth is a pain any Ideas I wanted to start this weekend but not sure what to use also if anyone has pictures of theres to give me some ideas thanks

Lynn,

I just went thru the same thing. What we did just to make sure is buy any outdoor aviary from aviary connections it wasn't cheap, but wanted something nice. We had concrete poured in our front yard & I just set it up Wed. eve. I still need perches though.

It was a lot of $$$$$$$$ but it will be nice when thru & it went up with no real tools other than what they supplied.

Hi there,

GAW (galvanized after welding) wire is safe if used outside. Its been used for years without incident. Weather washes it down...rain, sun and also when outside parrots..including Cockatoos find lots to do rather than sit and chew on wire. We've used GAW wire for over 10 yrs....currently have around 150 cockatoos...mostly U2's and M2's and have never had a case of toxicity.

More concern to me is the size of wire....our personal aviary is 1x2" and the parrot welfare aviary is 1/2" by 2 or 3". The reason size is important is that it helps to keep predators such as raptor feet, racoon paws etc out of the aviary. Large wire is less expensive but birds sometimes end up paying the cost when a racoon decides to coax a curious cockatoo over for a look then grabs through the wire and kills it.

Also the gage is important since cockatoos have strong beaks. They should be in no lighter wire than 12 gage.

You can purchase square tubing at farm or hardware stores...or look into greenhouse frames and add wire. There is also the carport frame option.

Shauna

Thanks for the info if I choose GAW the avary will be on my porch covered from the elements will this be a problem? should I wash it down periodically with venagar mix Im thinking the same thing they will only be out there during the day so I cant see them just hanging on the sides chewing im thinking 1x2 would be good for both of them they wont be outside at night so shoulnt have to worry about to many critters..

Being protected like that I would go ahead and do the vinegar wash every 6 months or so. I know my guys use the perches...so if you have plenty of perches that can help. Even with that my guys hang on the wire some...they do at the parrot welfare aviary too but they don't chew the wire. We also installed a misting system which the birds enjoy and lots of branches hanging on the inside. Also some rocks on the floor they throw and move around and a large rock for a natural sort of perch play area.

Shauna

Do you use vinagar straight or dilute? Im in Florida I am trying to find aluminized or stainless steel I would rather use it but have had no luck any Idea where it could be purchased? So if I wash down the other Should I be OK I ve done so much reading about zinc im really scared but I want so much to build this for them.

For stainless steel wire do a Google search for "stainless steel wire mesh" You should find lots.....or talk to a local hardware or farm store supply store. They can get you GAW wire so perhaps they could get SS too.

I wouldn't use aluminum because if ingested aluminum could possible hurt kidneys...and aluminum is very soft.

Vinegar/water wash.....with a stiff brush. I don't know proportions...sorry. I think if you do a Google search the information is likely out there because breeders have done it for years.

Shauna