# Safe Metals and How to Stop Budgie Chewing?



## l_ship96 (Apr 11, 2021)

Hello,

I think I have sussed the reason why Peeko has been getting ill.

He is not too bad now but I can see his tail bobbing again and he sometimes looks a little fluffed up and is pooping a bit weirdly again. Now he has always chewed the bars of his cage, even though he has plenty of toys - bells, shredding toys, foraging, natural, and he loves and plays with them, he is obsessed with chewing at the bars and his food bowls because he can see his reflection in them. I have noticed that the hatches around the food bowls have started to rust and I am considering getting him a new cage.

His current cage is a liberta, tall ish but also quite wide and has white bars which I'm not sure how they are white if any coating is used or anything. I have suspected some poisoning before because of this but when I mentioned it to my avian vet, who is good, he said that the chances of heavy metal poisoning from his cage or toys is very slim. However, I have noticed them rusting and his perches always have metal bolts on which seem to rust quite fast, although I replace them regularly. I deep clean everything once a week with hot water and vinegar and dry naturally. And I think the poisoning from the rust would explain the vomiting. Also a lot of his toys have metal attaching to his bells too like his swing. It's inescapable unless I remove all his bells and replace with natural only but he loves his bells so much I'd feel awful doing that. He loves to chew at any clasps, anything metal he can find - sometimes he'd rather play with the metal parts holding a toy than the actual toy itself.

So, if I buy him a new cage, what kind would you suggest that would be less likely to rust or last longer (in the UK)? And perches? Do they all have metal bolts on or are there other ways? Is there anything else I can do to stop this happening? I may put him in his smaller cage (with his nebuliser to help the breathing) until I can get him a new one.

Thank you


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*When anything in the cage is corroded or rusted it needs to be removed and replaced right away.

You can purchase Stainless Steel bells to ensure he has bells to play with.

Could you please post a picture of the cage with the accessories as they are at this time?

I will start looking for appropriates cages for you and will post suggestions when I've done some research.*


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Generally, the paint used on cages is what is called a "powder coating".
Powder-coated bird cages are usually safe, as long as the coating has no chips or damage that exposes the underlying galvanized wire, which contains zinc. It is very hard for a parrot to get the powder coating off - especially a parrot as small as a budgie.
However, if the paint starts chipping off after several years, then the cage needs to be replaced or stripped down and repainted with budgie safe paint.* 

*Is this the cage you have now except in white? *
*Liberta Flight Cage*

*Granada Flight Cage*

*Stainless steel bell*


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## l_ship96 (Apr 11, 2021)

FaeryBee said:


> *Generally, the paint used on cages is what is called a "powder coating".
> Powder-coated bird cages are usually safe, as long as the coating has no chips or damage that exposes the underlying galvanized wire, which contains zinc. It is very hard for a parrot to get the powder coating off - especially a parrot as small as a budgie.
> However, if the paint starts chipping off after several years, then the cage needs to be replaced or stripped down and repainted with budgie safe paint.
> 
> ...


https://www.jollyes.co.uk/liberta-g...&ranSiteID=pfxNKSnglIM-9h5PgckwdNtQZNJVaO0N0w this is the current cage I have as it was the biggest I could afford at the time but I could afford a bigger one now. This is also one of the shops I sometimes buy from. Thank you, I do try to replace things often, I just worry how much a problem it is if he is always chewing at the bars and all as well. I will get a picture of the food hatches rusting later when I can, it is mainly only the latches on the outside at the moment but the bars around that side are his favourite place to chew ( I have only had the cage about a year so I don't think it should really be rusting yet?)


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Peeko may have a mineral or other nutritional deficiency which is causing him to chew the metal so obsessively.
This is something to bring up with your Avian Vet.

I agree it seems a cage should not be rusting after only a year.
The one you linked doesn't look like the sturdiest of cages so getting a new one is probably a good decision at this point.*


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