Definitely research. I would rather have shredded paper to clean than the bacteria growth, or the pellets lodged in the crop. Most birds pass them with no harm, but you never know if yours may be the one that they don't. Cedar shavings and birds don't mix. Regular pine doesn't inhibit bacterial growth, corn cob obsorbs a lot of moisture, but doesn't inhibit bacteria. Walnut shells, not only can you not check the stool as well, but there is a moth that lives very well in them that will infest everything else....

Na, I'll stick with paper.

 

Patti if you do the research you will find that paper is advisable.

 

I would not advise using anything else. As you will find while reading web sites, does the vast majority of updated articles.

 

He is tearing up the newspapers probably because the change in daylight and this is the time hormones kick in... I have three very hormonal birds here... all indications from changes in attitude to blood curdling screetches.

 

I would rather they tore up the paper than ME.... and those are normally well behaved cuddly birds... but this is the laws of nature and it passes.....

 

Please rethink the paper issue......

 

My greys always tear up the paper I put in the bottom of their cages but I learned early that shredded paper works just fine.  And mine do it all year round.  They just happen to be the shredders and water and food bowl dumpers in my family.  The Amazons don't dump anything, and they leave the paper in the bottom of their cages alone.  Go figure. 

Patti, Lixit quick lock bowls and crocks work well. They make several styles. There are several other brands, much more expensive, that work well, too.

Put in a web search for Lixit bowls and see what you think.

Another brand is Smart Crock. It is clear heavy plastic and also locks down.

I have another brand that is clear, but in fluorescent colors. I can't remember what the brand name is on these.

If you have a large pet shop nearby they will have some of these. I order online.

Annie

I didn't respond about the different bowls as I misunderstood what it meant .."I need to figure something out here about how to feed him instead of his play stand and his cage."  and thought maybe Fig would be getting crocks... but even those my big birds can throw around on/in a different location. Anyway I found a couple of sites relating to them.

 

I can show you pics of my bowls... (three different types) and all of them can be maneuvered to come loose and get thrown unfortunately... while others with a lockin mechasimn, can be chewed from underneath and then deemed useless...

 

 

 

can you see where there is supposed to be three links extending from that knob!! none now and I have 12 of those bowls left... don't have the extensions they fit into as those got chewed immediately... by Too's and Amazons.. 

This one has the indents/notches where the bowl fits in and once it's turned can't be pryed out of the holder... unfortunately mine failed to understand that part and they turn them till they line the bowls up and then dump them...

 

The others are somewhat like the Lixit (I can't find the remains but as long as there is plastic... bullet proof even) my big birds will destroy them... for water I had tried the bottles but between beaks and claws that was another waste of good money!!!!!!!

Kocham is the only one that will take his bowls out and throw them.  I have 3 types for him that work well.  One it the indistructa (?spelling?) bowl  it has a split that fits on the rail with the screw on cap that goes outside the cage.  His water is in it because he can not get it off at all.  the metal ring one like Etta's pic has his fresh food and he too learned quickly to spin it until it comes out at the indentions.  I put the holder upside down, there is a screw on it that will hold the bowl in so he can't pull it out.  the other is the twist like her first pic, he has torn up 3 of them. 

Sherry:)

I have one like Sherry was talking about - the cage bar fits the split, and then it screws tight.  The one I have is called a Crock Loc.  So far, neither grey has unscrewed it.  I got it at PetCo. 

I found a pic of the bowl - trust me, my birds can upend any bowl, but they've never unscrewed this one.

 

 

 

Mine chew the edges and the edges got so rough and chipped that I trashed those also

I have several like that one, Barbara, and also several of the Indestructabowls. Got them when I had the macaw.

My birds make no effort to remove them so I don't use the lock down screw.

Annie