Wire mesh is commonly used these days to construct all kinds of bird cages. In fact, one of the most popular usages of meshes the world over is in building bird cages and animal pens. This is because meshes present us with a very cost-effective way of building cages. One of the primary advantages of using meshes in the construction of bird cages is that much lesser material is required to build a unit volume of the cage. Significant cage strength and durability can always be achieved using a good frame and an appropriate grade of mesh.
There are many different kinds of Wire Mesh available in the market. They’re commonly classified according to their material, pattern, structure, gauge, and application. Almost any material that can be drawn into a wire can be used to make meshes. Simply put, a mesh is a bunch of wires woven or molded into a fixed pattern in order to form a barrier that fulfills a certain
purpose. They can be made from different kinds of material like metal, plastic, polymer-coated wire, etc. The purpose usually defines the choice of material during the purchase of meshes.
Which Wire Mesh Size is Best to Use?
While building a birdcage, Wire Mesh offers a very convenient way of covering open spaces. Mesh comes in various sizes and patterns. What you need to buy totally depends on what you want to keep in and what you want to keep out. In the case of tiny birds, the mesh pattern has to be small enough to let the birds feel unrestricted while at the same time keeping out harmful insects and other creatures. In the case of larger birds, meshes with larger gauges and wider patterns are required most of the time. The larger gauge for bigger birds is to prevent them from biting their way out or injuring themselves on the razor-thin mesh.
Wire mesh can be found in various material combinations. For example, galvanized wire meshes are ideal for outdoor bird cages. They do not corrode easily in humid outdoor conditions. Some bird owners in the tropics also outfit their cages with an added layer of mosquito mesh. This is to keep birds safe from mosquitoes and other poisonous insects that are commonly found in the tropics. Galvanized wire, Stainless steel, PVC coated and Powder coated are some of the most common types of mesh used in building bird cages. These wire materials are popular because all of them are corrosion resistant, don’t rust easily and tend to look good for a longer time.
Wire mesh is manufactured in rolls. In case you’re building your own birdcage, you need to find what dimensions you need and carry a note along so you can ask the dealer to cut and crimp it for use. In case you possess the tools to do it yourself, you only need to know the length of mesh you’ll require versus the breadth it’s available in. That way, you’ll have exactly the right amount of bird mesh to build your cage. It pays to buy a little extra too in case you goof up while cutting the mesh or need to make repairs later on. Never paint the wire mesh on a birdcage. It might look pretty in the short run, but paint tends to peel off and fall on bird food. Birds are known to fall ill after consuming paint flakes from meshes.
Stainless Steel Wire Mesh – Perfect Choice for Keeping your Birds!
If you have ever visited a bird sanctuary or a zoo, you might have seen different stainless steel wire mesh wherein the birds seem to happily fly around. Have you ever given it a thought of how this stainless steel wire mesh is made and how do the birds remain safe inside? Let us find out different types of stainless steel wire mesh.
Different Types of Stainless Steel Wire Mesh
1. Powder-coated wire mesh – Well, whether you find just one bird in a cage or plenty of birds in an aviary, the material used for both are the same. An aviary basically means a large cage where there are plenty of birds that fly from one place to another. Aviary is often known as ‘flight cages’. Nevertheless, it must be noted that these stainless steel wire meshes are made of pure steel and are glazed with powder coating.
The use of powder coating protects the birds from any untoward incident like rust. Powder coating protects the steel from rusting and the birds inside can enjoy flying without the fear of getting into any untoward incident. Moreover, one must note that if the stainless steel wire mesh is exposed directly without powder coating, the steel metal which is a combination of zinc, lead, tin, etc. can lead to metal poisoning for the birds. The powder coating must be of good quality which in turn will protect the birds from any harmful illness.
2. Wire Rope – There is another stainless steel wire mesh that is handwoven commonly known as stainless steel wire rope. The steel rope can be woven to make bird cages or bird netting and is best suited for zoos and bird sanctuary. They are handmade and hand weaved wire rope.
3. Stainless steel wire mesh with crimp lock – This is another type of birdcage where powder coating is not used. These cages come with crimp lock which uses high-grade stainless steel wire which will never rust, chip or corrode and do not accompany any toxic coatings. Parrots and other birds can easily use these cages for climbing without being injured.
Wire Mesh – Useful Tips
All the above-mentioned bird cages come in different sizes specially meant for small and large birds. We will provide you with some of the important points to be noted while selecting stainless steel wire mesh.
1. Screws – While buying a stainless steel wire mesh from any manufacturer, care must be taken to note that there are no screws or wiring which is not powder coated that can affect the birds in the long run. Most birds prefer biting and pecking the wire mesh while inside the cage. This is done to sharpen their beaks which otherwise they do it on the branches of trees. And since they are kept in stainless steel wire mesh, the birds use the wire mesh to sharpen the beaks.
2. Weather-resistant – This is another important point to be noted before planning to buy a stainless steel wire mesh. If it is meant for your home, then the weather-resistant option does not take place, but if you plan to keep a bird aviary at home or have one in a bird sanctuary than do ensure that these wire meshes are weather resistant so that the birds do not face any problem with the cage.