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I now have 13 lovebirds, 7 of which I've hand-raised. I don't plan to give any of them away, so I've got to start thinking about their future with me.
Right now I have them spread out among six large birdcages, and I've been considering having an aviary built for them.
I figure if I build an outdoor aviary, I'd need some way to heat it during the cold months here in New York. But what I'd really like is a combination indoor/outdoor aviary, so that my birds will still be with me indoors most of the time, but able to safely go outdoors for fresh air and a different environment to experience. But I don't know how an indoor/outdoor aviary might work -- is it something that has access through a window in the house, like what some people have for their cats?
These birds give me absolute, indescribable joy, so I'm willing to do whatever it takes to be able to comfortably keep them -- both for me as well as for them.
Rachel, from my experience it does get down to the occasional teens during the winter here in North FL. My lovebirds were kept in cages within screen enclosures with plastic roofs. I never had to take my adult birds in during the winter but I would attach rolled plastic (like you buy to protect plants with when it freezes) to the outside of the screened walls to prevent cold wind gusts. I don't know what type of porch or covered area you may have up there in NY. Afraid I don't have any pictures to share, but I will help you with advice if you need any help in the overall design/implementation.
Rachel, from my experience it does get down to the occasional teens during the winter here in North FL. My lovebirds were kept in cages within screen enclosures with plastic roofs. I never had to take my adult birds in during the winter but I would attach rolled plastic (like you buy to protect plants with when it freezes) to the outside of the screened walls to prevent cold wind gusts. I don't know what type of porch or covered area you may have up there in NY. Afraid I don't have any pictures to share, but I will help you with advice if you need any help in the overall design/implementation.
Thanks for any and all advice! I don't have a porch or covered area that I could use -- if I go for an outdoor aviary it would have to be free standing, with electricity run from the house to warm it. I'm thinking more and more that this might not work. I don't mind having all the cages in my kitchen/dining area -- it's a pretty big area and the cages are all in front of a double window.
I'll give this some more thought and maybe bring it up with you again. You're a good friend, Tom!
Thanks for those links, TerraDown! Some of those aviaries are really gorgeous! I can easily picture having a hot tub in there and relaxing with a glass of wine while my birds fly all around like a tropical rainbow! LOL
Wow you have a real talent for handling/caring for nature,one that is not easy to come by!
Good for you
Rachel had a crash course in handfeeding and passed with "flying colors" (pun intended). Necessity is the mother of all invention. Seriously, nothing like having a crisis to force you to learn how to do it.
Thanks for any and all advice! I don't have a porch or covered area that I could use -- if I go for an outdoor aviary it would have to be free standing, with electricity run from the house to warm it. I'm thinking more and more that this might not work. I don't mind having all the cages in my kitchen/dining area -- it's a pretty big area and the cages are all in front of a double window.
I'll give this some more thought and maybe bring it up with you again. You're a good friend, Tom!
Heat isn't the only potential problem in winter. You'd have to build it to withstand ice/snow loading. That means some serious structure!
We are building an indoor/outdoor aviary with a pipe that goes through the wall so the birds can come or go as they please. When it gets cold, we will stuff a sock int he pipe. It will have a closable screen to keep bugs out at night. We will see how it works. Worst case we remove it and have to patch a hole in the wall.
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