Well, out of the minds of the Kenobi's comes the combatant of our Messy Buster (buster being my Boston Terrier). Buster has this habit of getting the dropping pans out of cages and cleaning them for me...GROSS, and scattering what he doesn't eat across the floor and all over the house. SO, my mom and I got this idea (ok, mostly me) to get large washers and drill a hole in the top of them, then screw the washer to the frame of the cage so it covers the pan...tada home made pan locks! I had to drill the hole on the washer just a wee bit bigger than the screw, but it works out great! The only one I'm having problems with is my little triple stack, I think I need a bigger washer. But needless to say I have Busted my messy Buster! Until he either grows some apposable thumbs or gets one of the other dogs to help him out.

Andie that is kind of funny about what Buster does. Boy is he going to be shocked when he tries with all his mite to get the pans out

The cage pans has been a battle for the last few months...and I couldn't quite get him over it...THEN he taught Killian how to do it...DANG IT...enough is enough. I tried zip ties (those are a pain because to clean the cage you have to cut them and then re-zip tie them, THEN I tried Duct Tape...YEAH RIGHT!!! Strapping tape worked too, but left the sticky gunk on the cages (and the dogs ate the role of strapping tape). I tried all sorts of clips and gadgets...but this is the only thing that has worked so far. I don't know why more cages don't have these already built in. I know some of them do, but not the HQ or California cages. How crazy is that?

YeaH! I had a smart comment to add to this post...but I've had a sudden CRS moment...but it had to do with Dust Busters...LOL...

Now I just need to put seed guards up on the edges of the drop pans to keep little puppies...AKA WICKET and Buttons from getting into the sides of the pans and eating the "STUFF" 1 trip to the doggie hospital for Wicket is enough, thank you very much!

BUT YEAH FOR ANDIE...she did it...lets home it works!

Our pets are always causing us to work overtime..Naughty naughty Buster....Glad you busted Buster's bubble....When Killian got into the action I guess it was time to take action... ....

I guess that is why I don't have but one pet, and that is my little green monster..Wheeew....This ole mare ain't what she use to be....Youth is on your side Andie...And you and momma have a lot going on.....

Boy, you aren't kidding...heheheh...

This little project will help my shop keeping immensly (sp). Every morning I would wake up to this disaster and have to work on cleaning up AGAIN, before I could move on with the days projects. So I was always chasing my tail...well now I'm docked and I hope it helps with my morning chores. We'll find out tomorrow.

Ricky loves to take the newspaper I cover the grate with and push it out of his cage. He remembers before we started doing this, there would be some of the good stuff falling through the bars of the grate, IE peanuts, seeds, and nutraberries, which he would later get. Now he goes down cleans the paper then hopes something fell through. Only way to check is push the paper out. It is so funny to watch him work that paper. It is not as easy as it would seem.

Thats a Great idea Andi....Curious to know what Buster thinks of things now...lol

Well, we have our first morning with our invention...and tada!!! Only mess on the floor is from the birds! WOO HOO I am so happy...I did a bit of jig this morning on my way to the coffee pot!

Andie,

It sounds like your dogs and mine are in cahoots! Not only does Skyy try to "clean" the pan for me when I have it out to clean, he also ate an entire bag of nutriberries...BAG AND ALL.

Oy.

My current cage for Gremlin has a lock for the pan so Skyy can't get it out, but I don't think the new one will. Might have to try your idea if Skyy keeps trying to "clean".

My dogs do this too seeds, treats...poo what ever. Winston used to toss his left overs out of the cage for Lyle. Every now and then I would give Winston a french fry and he would open it and eat the inside then push the "shell" off the table and then look to see if Lyle got it
...they are to fun!

And Buster was just sitting there dreaming up a new plan of attack!

LOL.. not just naughty birds but dogs too!! My Iguana loves to go over the rabbits cage and eat the food the bunny has kicked out of the cage.. Pets can be a pain!!

Yup...he figured out how to lift the seed catcher...dang dog!

Bostons are soooooooo full of personality.. I was just sitting here trying to imagine how this little bad habbit started.. Ive never heard of a doggie eating birdie waste... but honestly Id much rather him eat that them some of the other stuff I have seen dogs eat Id still have a hard time allowing kisses for a while.. ha ha... Great idea though!

smart lil buggers aren't they?? I am dog-sitting my parents Dachshund-Hope. She is a tiny little thing but will stay in my fenced area HOWEVER, my smartbutt Scooter who can open the latch from the inside can also open the latch from the outside and lets her out!!!!

my Dog also does this.. but he doesnt go after the pans.. my guys just throw it out for him.. he eats anything and everything on the floor around their cages poo and all eeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwww I call him my vacumn cleaner anyways cause when the kids are eating he's right under the table. I figured the pellets arent bad for him and they arent going to waste why not.