Well done, Ferplast!

Five stars for a well-made bird cage

+++ = Rotary Feeders
+++ = Size 4 budgies with free flight option
++ = Material and Processing
+ = Can be dismantled
o = partly inferior components
- = Transport Packaging deeply flawed

For information on risks and side effects here the fine print:

After our old birdcage, a Ferplast "Canto", rather long in the tooth and has become too small for our 2 grown on 4 vultures flock, had finally produces a new bird home. The size was pretty easy to define: Once with us each night erupts a fight, who is allowed to sleep on the two swings and who to be content with the perches in Eulenwinkel must take, it was clear that the new cage has to have room for 4 swings. Too big, he should not be, so it is still to handle reasonably, z. B. when the vultures to be shipped during the holiday season to the in-laws. Great is not the choice in this segment and with Ferplast we were actually very happy. So the Piano 7 and the Piano 6 came on the short list. The Piano 7 was to us a little too large and thereby impractical or unwieldy (also in the details, for. Example, only a thrust Laude in the huge box). The Piano 6 seemed ago by the dimensions and otherwise to be quite passable. The purchase decision was us by div. Product discussions on relevant websites and through the review of MelGo (Thank you!) Easier here at Amazon.

So much for the starting position.

Transport damage:
After ordering the cage was delivered within two days by Hermes, the shipping container was not physically damaged. Unfortunately, nearly all plastic parts damaged or even shattered completely. The reason was that the items were indeed merged clean and wrapped in a sheet (see Figure 1), but this package was packed without insulation as polystyrene, cardboard or other transport security in a box. Our cage seems well on the way to have inserted a few rustic punches and was so become a total loss. However, I would make Ferplast not blame, because I suspect that the normal supply route via pallet shipping at pet stores goes. A single package will have not provided. Fortunately bought from Amazon: Free return and replacement. On the second attempt everything was fine.

Assembly:
The cage can be disassembled and consists of the following items (Image 2): base tray with two sand drawers (plastic), four side panels (black painted metal mesh), four plastic profiles as corner connectors, four plastic angle (plus an additional replacement) as a counter stabilizing the roof and the roof itself with a plastic frame and already an inserted metal grid. Construction is easy, four instead of two hands are advantageous. The roof is upside down on the floor, then plugged the first side portion of the roof and the corner profile fitted over the grid edge, then threading next side panel into the profile and insert in the roof profile, side part, etc. Finally, the profiles are stabilized with plastic brackets , Who wants to know exactly can also download the assembly instructions on the website Ferplast. Anyway, for Grobmotoriker to accomplish easily. The ready assembled cage supports herself and is remarkably stable (Figure 3). If necessary, the cage can be disassembled - I know but at first not know why I should do that.

Rotating Bowls:
Absolutely brilliant, the four rotary bowls type "Brava 2". Since the Ragazzi Ferplast have had really come up with something. You can fill the cups or remove, without resorting to the cage and without one of the inmates ausbüxt by loosening the lock and the bowl rotates outwards. Real well made as cribbed from predator cage at the zoo. Who's back wants to know exactly: On the homepage Ferplast are images and a description under Products> Birds> Accessories for cages> Feeders> Brava 2

Additional accessories:
The additional accessories is extensive (Figure 2), but in quality and design only average or slightly inferior to the relatively high purchase price. Two plastic perches, two water dispenser, two different bowls for hooking into the grid, a small mirror and two foxtail millet Holder. Laudable exception is the perch "Flex" you can build yourself a slot game out of sheer short plastic cylinders and ball connectors, with which you can build adventurous bent perches. That's funny. But we have not used by the supplied accessories for our cage expansion.

Interior:
For interior applications (Figure 4), we have used different thickness and curved fruit tree branches. Before the feeding bowls are just pine logs. Perches were fixed by me with 23mm washers, 10mm plastic washers and 4x30 tapping screws. Add to that four natural wood swings and a long natural wooden ladder. Of course, everything purchased separately or collected or homemade.

Fine-Tuning: stainless steel instead of plastic
(Caution: DIY - not included!)
After I was still packed the Bastelwut, I have the plastic inserts the Brava 2 bowls replaced with 75 mm stainless steel bowls. With a normal household drill and 100mm- and 300mm cable ties, the rotatable structure can be upgraded again. It can be in the final stage (Picture 4) or on the detail screens (Figure 5 & 6) clearly visible. I want to reiterate that this is self-made and purchased additional parts are, which are not included. Not that anyone is disappointed. Who is interested in the "blueprint", can indeed report on the comments.

Conclusion:
The cage is a thoroughly enjoyable product for max. 4 budgies with free flight possibility. The poor transport packaging is annoying but does not affect the functionality - as long as the part has arrived undamaged. Therefore, not the leads to the devaluation.

*********** *********** Update 06/11/2011

Animal Psychology or "Man thinks - the animal does what it wants"

Just over three weeks ago, we our gang foisted the new cage. Because our vultures can fly around freely all day in the room, we were able to exchange quite easily: Age cage away, new cage down. So far so good.

However, we had not reckoned with our little feathered friends. The course had immediately gathered that the room was a little "different" and formed the farthest Zimmereck a small, feathered heap. Us was already clear that they would have to first get used to the new thingy, but that it would so violently ...

Day 1 with the new cage initially consisted of shock, then made cautious Ignore. Of course not been stayed in the cage, although the beasts actually go every night all by itself to sleep in. Day 2 was then dedicated to the re plies of air superiority in the room. Our beautiful new cage with super stainless steel bowls and perches-Patentverschraubung was reviled. A curling with Leckerle and favorite toy was in vain. The night had to go back to spend in our tree expellees. Day 3 still not brought the decision. Although first overtures were made and a bold dare ever to land on the cage roof - it was well again.

In the evening of the third day the vultures were then evenly zwangsverfrachtet. Immediately revealed that four swings really are a good idea for the four terror birds, but everyone wants to always sit on the swing the other. The brawl was again in full swing - because it did not matter that this took place in a completely new environment.

For four days, the bullies had to stay in their new home, but it quickly became apparent that they deal with it easily. The cage is sufficiently strong and they soon got used to the new facility and went back to their favorite pastime: form small, feathery clusters and each other to go under tremendous noise at the clock. Speaking of piles: Sometimes I think a shoebox would also suffice for the four, as the successive sitting.

When we got on the fifth day opened the Käfigtürchen again, they remained yet an hour in there, then retreated but doing laps (you could tell that was missing them, the movement) and the evening were good to brawl around the swings back in the cage. Meanwhile, our vultures gang has already set to the new cage that one might think they had the old long forgotten. Luckily - that would have been 'ne nice bankruptcy if we had produced tugging the old cage again must.

Thank you for reading and for your patience!