 |
Kagesan Sand Sheets
by SoadFan
Over the years we have bought and used a number of sand sheets for our caged birds. At the moment we only have budgies but they deserve plenty of care and attention and so we like to ring the changes from time to time with what we buy. When looking for a pack of sand sheets we need to consider how they will work for our birds and the ... home they have.
As bird cage sand sheets are packed away and sealed at the time of purchase you can't really check out whats in the pack till you get it back home. Sometimes we go back to old favorites and sometimes we opt for something different. Kagesan Sand Sheets are something we have used on many occasions and they have proven to be of a reliable quality and sit mid range amongst the sand sheets we have bought for our birds.
**********************************************************
Kagesan Sand Sheets come in a number of sizes and shapes to suit different cages, from rectangular to circular. The smaller sized sand sheets are either 21cms by 35cms or 25cms by 33cms. The medium to large sized sand sheets are 28cms by 43cms and 30cms by 55cms. This gives plenty of options to get the right sized sand sheet to fit the cage you have and we have found the sheets can be cut to size if needed with sharp kitchen scissors. Different packs of sheets have different highlight edge colours on the outside of the packs to make identification easier when purchasing them.
In terms of price, you will pay more for the larger sheets of course, but even so prices remain competitive with smaller to medium sheets being around £1.20 and the larger sheets being priced around £2.15 per set. For the money you get 8 full sized sand sheets per pack in the smaller to medium packs and if using one sheet per cage every other day as we do, you should get up to 16 days worth of use from the sand sheets in just one pack. Obviously this depends on how many birds you keep per cage and the type/ size of birds you keep, as the more bird/ larger birds s in a cage, the more the cage needs regular cleaning.
**********************************************************
The sheets are covered in a sandy finished mineral coating which looks and feels very similar to the type of sandpaper sheets you might buy for a spot of light household DIY sanding. Using these sand sheets is easy as they can be simply laid flat into our bird cage. Once in situ they provide a good surface for our birds, which can help to keep the length of their claws down and also help to keep beaks in good condition.
Using the paper sheets in this way means our birds don't have to have their claws trimmed very often, which is something most birds complain about greatly with plenty of wing flapping and squawking, so is best avoided. We have found that using a decent sand sheet such as these serves three purposes for us and our birds. The sheets provide a hygienic floor to our birds cage, that also look more attractive and interesting to them. Plus as mentioned earlier the use of these sheets can help to wear down our birds claws/ beak during every day usage.
**********************************************************
We have fond that the Kagesan Sand Sheets work well and stay in one piece when soiled, which makes for easier cleaning of our bird cage. They are also abrasive enough without being too hash and of a decent thickness. In terms of price they are not too expensive when compared with other similar products. Kagesan Sand Sheets are something that has worked well for our birds so they get a 4 star rating.
Read the complete review |
 |
Happy Pet Bird Mirror Ladder
by SoadFan
The Happy Pet Bird Mirror Ladder was something we bought very cheaply as an addition for our budgies to interact with. Its a cheaply made small but interesting item, that can enhance a birds environment and takes less than a minute to put into place. Its another product suggestion thats been added so can now be reviewed.
The ... fun of the fair mirror ladder we bought is promoted under the Happy Pets brand and having bought a number of items from that range I have to say they do give off a truly budget look and feel. If buying this for birds such as budgies which is what we did, it does work reasonably well and can provide a bit of extra interest which keeps our birds happy and chirpy.
**********************************************************
Our Happy Pet Bird Mirror Ladder is a bright toned plasticy ladder with 4 rungs for our birds to climb up onto. Towards the top of the ladder there is a series of small coloured bead balls that sit on a central wire. These can provide a bit of added fun for the birds. Once sat towards the mid section of the ladder the birds can use their beaks to move the beads back and forth along the width of the wired area. The beads are in a variety of colours to give more interest.
The main point of note about the The Happy Pet Bird Mirror Ladder is that it has a small but adequate sized mirror, which provides the main fun for our birds. The birds do seem to be interested in their own reflections and can often be seen perched on one of the ladder rungs chirping away to themselves happily.
**********************************************************
In terms of price the Happy Pet Bird Mirror Ladder is a cheaper end product and we only paid £1.59 for ours. So far it has worked well enough, but I have to say it does feel of a cheap construction and is not something that I don't expect to last all that long as it has a sightly flimsy feel to the rungs and ladder sides.
We have found the ladder easy enough to clean if needed although when wiping the mirrored section we have noticed that it has clouded over a bit since it was first purchased. I feel this is due to a combination of the birds pecking at the mirror front and us washing and wiping it. Other than that the rest of the ladder is so far still intact.
**********************************************************
As far as the Happy Pet Bird Mirror Ladder goes, its a budget item that does work reasonably well but doesn't have a quality feel to it. Its easy to site the ladder over a lower perch to provide a simple set of steps up to the mirrored part. It has been something our birds have liked and so I have to take that into consideration when rating it.
I think it is an interesting addition to our birds environment, which they do seem to have taken to and so even though its a cheapy item it still gets 4 stars. I would recommend the Happy Pet Bird Mirror Ladder as its cheap to buy and if it fails at all it won't break the bank to replace, it also entertains our birds and so it does what it should for them.
Read the complete review |
|
|
Happy Pet Wooden Bird Swing
by SoadFan
This little Wooden Bird Swing is another of the items we bought to enhance the lives of our pet birds. Having kept a number of birds including our budgies that we bought this for, I have to say that some birds do take to swings more than others and our budgies have really enjoyed this cheap little addition to their home.
The ... toy is such a simple thing that of course we wouldn't have wanted to have paid all that much for it. As we found it on sale for £1.59 in a local store we thought that seemed about right for it. As it wasn't listed here a product suggestion was made, so as its now available to review here is what we think about it.
**********************************************************
When we bought the swing toy, it came in a simple clear fronted pack as shown here, which has various birds shown on a blue background. Its a distinctive design, which should make it easy to spot if you are wanting to buy one. The product is widely sold and can be found in may pet stores.
We could clearly see what were were getting for our pennies and thought that the simple metal frame with its rounded perching pole would be ideal to go in our birds cage. Its has a lightweight metal frame and attachment, which can be easily hung from the top of your birds cage in a matter of less than a minute.
**********************************************************
All you need to do is find a suitable place for it to go, so that your birds can jump onto it and swing freely, without hitting either the swing or themselves on anything that might cause harm. We have found that our birds really like this swing and they can often be found taking turns to swing on this happily chirping away at each other.
Although the product is not fancy or brightly coloured and also not made of anything that has any real style to it, our birds do like it and use it a lot. They like to flit from the perches across to it and are able to land safely on it, as the perch is about the right size for them to hold onto firmly. As the swing has been such a hit with our birds, I would think about replacing it with the same type of item should the need arise in future.
**********************************************************
When doing a clean on the cage and its contents its easy enough to take the swing out and give it a quick rinse and dry. I have to say that in order to avoid the metal deteriorating at all we have always dried the swing throughly straight after cleaning. By doing so we have avoided any damage to the product.
As an all round fun toy that many birds including ours can enjoy I have to rate this highly. Although its a budget priced product that may not last as long as a more expensive swing may last, it has been fine in the time its been in use with our birds. They have had plenty of fun and exercise using this and it has been a nice enhancement to their lives. With this in mind I feel this product ought to get 4 stars.
Read the complete review |
