Perhaps one of the least endearing characteristics of our beloved pet parrots is their total disregard for their surroundings when they are eating. If your birds eat seeds you will regularly find seeds and hulls scattered all over the cage bottom and neighboring areas of your home. Many parrots seem to delight in flinging fresh fruit from their beaks, creating abstract patterns on nearby walls and causing extra cleaning chores for their owners.
Feeders Designed to Minimize Messes
There are some feeders on the market that may be just what you need to control the mess generated by your avian companions. They offer an alternative to traditional bowls that help minimize debris distribution. Let’s take a look at a few of them.
Small Parrot Feeder
This small feeder made of clear acrylic can be used inside your bird’s cage or can hang outside the cage’s door opening. It can be used with birds ranging in size from finches to lovebirds and is designed to catch seed debris for easy cleaning. The 5x5x4 inch (12.7×12.7×10 cm) box features a built-in, acrylic perch and easily attaches to your cage with two included hooks.
Medium Parrot Feeder
Here is another acrylic feeder that is designed for birds up to around cockatiel size. It measures 4.8x4x5 inches (12.2x10x12.7 cm) and features a 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) diameter wooden perch for your bird’s comfort. The feeder’s translucent green bottom is less confusing for birds than a clear one. Hooks are included to easily attach the feeder to the inside or outside of your bird’s cage.
Large Parrot Feeder
Using the same concept but moving up in size, this feeder is designed for use with birds the size of African Greys or small cockatoos. Its dimensions are 7 7/8 x8 x7 7/8 inches (20×20.3×20 cm) with a 3/4 inch (1.9 cm) diameter perch. It can be used inside or outside of your cage and will definitely cut down on the amount of clean up work in your daily routine.
Pros of Using a Caged Bird Feeder
- Reduced cage cleaning – You can save yourself time and energy by not having to clean up in and around your bird’s cage as much as before you started using a feeder of this type.
- Save money – While your bird is picking through its seed bowl searching for the one it wants right now, invariably other, uneaten seeds will end up thrown out of the bowl. Eliminating this waste will save money by requiring fewer seed purchases.
Think About This Before Getting A Caged Bird Feeder
- Feeder size – Make sure that the feeder you purchase is for your size bird.
- Cage door size – If you plan on using the feeder outside the cage, you must attach it to your door opening so it needs to be properly sized.
- Space in your cage – When you use this feeder inside your cage it takes up a considerable amount of space and may impact other cage accessories.
