Access to Suspended Cages

[Viraba]

Hi Everybody,
I'm in the process of constructing a bank of suspended cages for lorrikeets/ tiels etc. Am using steel and have aged everything as well as painted out the frame/ wire etc with acrylic paint. I've come to the part of constructing the access doors etc and would like advise from those of you who have suspends as to what you would recommend when it comes to getting into the cages. I don't have the option of a safety walk on this occasion.

I've seen some with doors hinged from the top and opening upwards, others swear by sliders (like what's on the usual budgie cage except larger) and yet others have the standard side hinge. I've even seen ones with trap-doors built into the bottom of the cage !! (You can stand up in the middle of the cage that way !!

I'm yet to wire in the ends of these cages and would be pleased to get the benefit of any ideas/ experience that might be out there ??


Thanks heaps,

Viraba

[AussieBirds]

I have one suspended and I have a sliding door in it. However there are a lot of members here that will give you much more information what they use on their aviaries. ;D

[glow=red,2,300]John[/glow]

[hillcresttiels]

Hi Viraba i have a bank of suspended aviaries and being 900 mm wide i used a 600hx400 wide side hinged door with the rest of partition being use for a revolving feeder door . Agood tip is to use 25mm aviary mesh for the flooring with an aceess door cut out in the centre of the floor the offcut is then used for the door
you can view them at my web on

members.optusnet.com.au/~frankdl/ cheers Frank

[Viraba]

Thank's guys,
Frank the access door you have in the floor, do they extend across the full width of the cages or only part-way ?

What I've done on mine is where you have your revolving feeder doors I've constructed a feeding 'balcony' of about 30cm (h) x30cm (d). These extend along the front of the aviaries and are accessed via a hinged tin-plate top. This allows me to put food in & out of the cages without the birds actually seeing any 'open sky'. I'll try to get a photo. I've then constructed a similar access door to yours above this.

The reason for my question is that this access won't make it easy for me to get in to change perches or catch the birds so I was wondering about other options for the other end of the avairy or underneath it !

Thanks for your thoughts, much appreciated

Viraba

[josiedownunda]

In mine we actually cut a large square hole at the opposite end of the cage to the feeders etc and just covered it with the same mesh with wire U clamps holding it on. We very rarely ever have to use this opening but it gives great access to change perches and give it a thorough cleaning. We just cut the ties off and remove the wire do what we want to then replace it! With the clamps to hold it you can leave one side attached and release the other 3 making it a hinged opening. It is not there for everyday use but for those big jobs it is perfect!
Jo-Anne

[hillcresttiels]

Viraba whats best is what suits the individual needs, I prefer a cut out using existing mesh in the floor i wire one end (hinged end) and clip the other i use an opening 500 x500 mm in the centre of floor area I also find one of those cheap pressure washers under 100$ the best piece of equipment i have bought for cleaning the suspendeds I dont like to use feeding verandahs as its just another place for wild birds to perch and spread diseases cheers Frank