I would like to get artificial turf for the floor and perches in a mews for a red tailed hawk. Of course, it's not that simple. There is everything available from long leaf lawn turf to very short leaf golf green turf, even used turf from football fields.
I could sure use suggestions for what length would be advisable to use.
Thanks
Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will sit in a boat all day drinking beer.
I would like to get artificial turf for the floor and perches in a mews for a red tailed hawk. Of course, it's not that simple. There is everything available from long leaf lawn turf to very short leaf golf green turf, even used turf from football fields.
I could sure use suggestions for what length would be advisable to use.
Thanks
I only use long leaf for my T-Perch, I use coco mat for the block perches and neoprene for the bow perches. I use regular carpet for my mews floor.. With the carpet check it regularly to make sure mold is not growing underneath.
Similar to Steve , I use Longleaf AstroTurf / daisy Mat as my main perching surface in the mews .i also have a natural hardwood branch as one perch for feaking . My floor is 4" pea gravel covered by indoor/outdoor AstroTurf Carpet .
It is good to have an end to Journey towards, but it is the journey that matters in the End. - Ernest Hemingway
I would like to get artificial turf for the floor and perches in a mews for a red tailed hawk. Of course, it's not that simple. There is everything available from long leaf lawn turf to very short leaf golf green turf, even used turf from football fields.
I could sure use suggestions for what length would be advisable to use.
Thanks
I only use long leaf for my T-Perch, I use coco mat for the block perches and neoprene for the bow perches. I use regular carpet for my mews floor.. With the carpet check it regularly to make sure mold is not growing underneath.
How do you keep the carpet clean? I figure that with artificial turf I can pull it out and hose it off.
Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will sit in a boat all day drinking beer.
Similar to Steve , I use Longleaf AstroTurf / daisy Mat as my main perching surface in the mews .i also have a natural hardwood branch as one perch for feaking . My floor is 4" pea gravel covered by indoor/outdoor AstroTurf Carpet .
What length AstroTurf carpet? What is the purpose of pea gravel. I've heard of using the gravel alone, but my sponsor is ambivalent about it, even though he presently uses it.
Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will sit in a boat all day drinking beer.
I only use long leaf for my T-Perch, I use coco mat for the block perches and neoprene for the bow perches. I use regular carpet for my mews floor.. With the carpet check it regularly to make sure mold is not growing underneath.
How do you keep the carpet clean? I figure that with artificial turf I can pull it out and hose it off.
I position it in such a way that wait the bird mutes he/she mutes onto gravel. Anything on the carpet can be hosed of and then hung out to dry
The gravel is for air flow an drainage . The outdoor carpet is the stuff off the roll with the black backing - at The big hardware retailers . If you have your drainage set right you don't have to pull the carpet to hose it off . I have a 8x8 interior chamber for my mews , the carpet is cut 7'9" square to allow waste to flow into the gravel . I remove the carpet monthly to let sit in the sun for a few hrs to avoid mold or mildew growth .
Last Edit: Mar 12, 2013 20:16:37 GMT -5 by echotadog
It is good to have an end to Journey towards, but it is the journey that matters in the End. - Ernest Hemingway
I would Add : the Outdoor carpet / Turf I have on my floor wouldn't make for a good Perch material . They need a perch material that's not solid and allows maximum airflow to the pads of their feet . The thin "turf" would likely not allow ample air flow and you run the risk of it delaminating as the hawk Rubs its beak on it ; Causing the hawk to ingest the green plastic. I would stick to the Daisy Mat / Longleaf astro for most perches . It is rigid enough to allow maximum air flow to the feet and the material gives as the hawk lands avoiding bruising on the pads (and possible bumblefoot) . Using fresh cut hardwood branches works to as long as it has rigid bark and you change them out before they rot and harbor asper or mold spores . Remember in the wild they are landing on branches attached to trees that tend to sway or give as they land , reducing impact/ recoil on the pads . Your anchored Perch material will not have the same give , and can cause issues that likely wouldn't occur in the wild .
Last Edit: Mar 13, 2013 14:07:27 GMT -5 by echotadog
It is good to have an end to Journey towards, but it is the journey that matters in the End. - Ernest Hemingway
Post by Falcon Boy on Mar 13, 2013 15:19:23 GMT -5
For perches I like the daisy mats as well, but sometimes birds act differently to different perch surfaces. A daisy mat, in case you don't know what we're talking about, is just a door mat which can be purchased at walmart or something and has long green or brown turf on it, usually with a plastic flower (hence 'daisy) on it which is then yanked off before use. Like this: www.idealtruevalue.com/servlet/the-19431/17%22-x-23%22-Cocoa/Detail
Some people have had good success with coco mat as well. Personally, I prefer to have pea gravel floors with daisy mat covered perches. That has worked well for me. Having different perch surfaces is also helpful, i.e., daisy mat covered perch, rope covered perch, etc.
As for the floor, i'm not sure what i'd do if your sponsor doesn't like pea gravel. I personally don't like the idea of covering the floor with carpet or something because of the possibility of mold and things like that growing under it, but as noted above some people have had success with it by keeping it very clean and checking it often.
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