Budgies free-roam, but how to stop mess and mice in their cage?

Without knowing the size of the cage, it is hard to give advice. If they have a large flight cage where they can easily move around and exercise, then that may be enough. Adding in some fun toys to explore, moving dishes and toys around or rotating them out, offering treats to chew on, etc can all help increase enrichment and make things more fun for your birds. If they're kept in very small cages, then looking for a playpen that can fit in the room or on top of the cage may be nice for your birds to climb on or play on. However, finches tend to explore more and may want to fly around, so it is best to make sure they are only let loose in rooms where they can easily be caught again and cannot fly into windows, doors, or other dangerous objects that can cause injury or death.

If they are just in your home exploring you can leave their cage door open and they will go back for food and water on their own when they feel they need it. Keeping them in the same room as their cage may help get them used to getting back to it, or you can coax them back with a favorite treat. I would not recommend letting them fly around freely outside, especially if there are wild birds, as this can transmit illness, or lead to injury.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It would be safer and better to leave them with your friend in the cage. While they may get a bit stressed, they are likely going to get used to it and it is safer than letting them loose in a house without supervision. They are likely going to be just fine inside of the cage. Have a good day!

Having a playpen or something your birds can rest on while out of the cage is a good idea. Also making sure they can get back into their cage for food and water (and to close it when you're ready for them to be back in) is also best. You may also want to have a bird net on hand to catch them if they aren't super tame and won't go back into their cage. Clipping wings can help make them easier to handle and catch, and if you are unsure how to do this, having a local vet show you before allowing them out and about is best. Making sure the room doesn't have any harmful objects such as fans, open windows, cooking items, etc is best to avoid injury to your birds. If there are sharp objects or things they could be injured on, removing them before allowing your birds out is best.

Thanks for reaching out. Sound like you have a full house. 1. Birds will often bond together but continue to work with them in a quiet environ, offering treats to win and re-enforce trust. Toys, the radio or tv, can all assist with boredom. Setting up foraging toys so birds need to spend time looking for food. 2. There is no such thing as too big a cage. 3. Heating rocks are rarely approved for use, as they will eventually become faulty and get too hot, potentially damaging the animal. A heat lamp is recommended. 4. The bunny's litter box should be spot cleaned daily and full clean weekly. If you can smell it you waited too long. Good luck.

Birds do need a lot of room to fly, as well as a lot of attention; birds are in general a great deal of work and it is a big investment in time and money. Many people who have parrots allow them to perch free on top of the cage, or on other perches throughout the house. Be prepared for destruction--all birds use their beaks to explore (read:destroy) their environments, and the larger the parrot, the larger the beak! Also, many of these birds live longer than humans so it is important to have a plan in place for your children or others to be able to inherit and care for these birds after you are gone. Some parrots would be inclined to harass your rabbits, but I think actually attacking them is unlikely.

Birds can be fun pets to have around the house, but I have to say that they are all high-maintenance. They require daily feeding, cleaning bathing and appropriate enrichment in order to keep them happy and healthy. If this is not provided, then you may end up with a miserable/sickly bird with no feathers. Vet bills can be very expensive when birds get sick, because there are limited veterinarians that are knowledgable and skilled with avian medicine. Providing as much space as possible is best for a bird. I think I have an idea of the type of cage you want, but this is not a very suitable cage for anything other than a small bird (tend to have shorter life-spans than bigger birds). Even then it's quite small for a bird, because birds are born with the expectation of having unlimited space. You will also have to consider the noise. If your place is small, then I'd assume you have close neighbors. Birds are generally very noisy and can easily make some enemies in close quarters. Unfortunately, there is not a pet bird that completely meets your criteria, but if you are determined to get a bird, then a Budgie would likely be the best option. Below are a couple of links with some more information about Budgies and caring for birds. http://www.budgerigar.com/ http://www.budgie-info.com/budgie-care.html I hope that helps and all goes well.