Sorry to hear of the multi-species stresses you're having I found this post very interesting though as I adopted an eastern rosella myself a few weeks ago. He's called Joey (but used to be called Rio too )

I may be in the minority here but my opinion is that the best solution would be to get the bird rehomed with someone who has more time to spend with it. If your son always works long shifts then to me it doesn't sound like he'll have much time, even when he gets his own place, to give the rosella what it needs. They're intelligent birds who need lots of stimulation & company, toys to play with, lots of flying time outside of cage etc. They're not considered good pet birds but better suited to an aviary because of the love of flying amongst other reasons. A rosella stuck in a cage all day with no-one interacting with it would be a very unhappy bird imo.

I always line the bottom of the cage with newspaper. What kind of cage does your son's bird have? Food bowls halfway up or low down? I don't end up with any food outside of the cage but have a cage with perspex inserts round the bottom where his food bowls are. I got some replacement perspex really cheaply here:
3mm Grey Gloss Acrylic Sheet, 5mm Gloss Grey Acrylic Sheet items in Plastics Suppliers store on !

Would it not be possible to make a screen of some kind out of perspex (or similar) - to go around the cage & prevent cats from getting too near? I'm thinking folding room divider type screens but realise these could be too costly a solution if it's only going to be a temporary thing for you.

To be honest I'm going through the opposite to you really (so sorry if i'm not much help!) - really missing having a cat but worrying now if I got one how my Joey could still have his out of cage time without being injured or worse by the cat. (Obviously I understand you're going to want to protect your feline babes first though!) I'll watch this thread with interest & hope a solution is found for you soon, good luck.

Hi Tinder things are a bit better today only having ot say no letdown as they climb the cage it is just Mikki who has been on top and that was only once, I am not sure what kind of cage it is but the person who sold the cage said it was fine for him it is about 5 foot 3 high and pretty wide his food is in the middle where. His pot are on swivel doors he is very spoilt he gets every food and treat going including chillies which he loves the cage did come with a surround to stop food coming out but it is metal and very sharp with 2 just starting to walk babies ( grandchildren ) so it cannot stay on we put the cats out the passage while Rio comes out to fly and I go out as I am afraid of him. Rio is a crimson rosella he was green and red when Rob got him and now he is blue and red.Rob loves that bird to bits so finding him a new home is not an option I think yesterday things just got a bit too much I am happier now the cats are settling down with him just as the lady in the bird place said BUT I do not think I will be able ever to put my hand in the cage with him or stay in while he has exercise. Thank you for your advice it was very helpful a rep coming your way

Viv xx

Oh it's really good to hear things are not getting you down so much today Viv & thanks for the rep! Hopefully the bird lady is right and the novelty for the cats will soon wear off lol. Crimson Rosellas are beautiful

I have a bit of a problem myself at the mo in that it's really hard to get Joey back in his cage once he's out! He's nowhere near tamed yet and will go back in his cage to eat & rest but then bolts for the exit whenever I try to close his cage! This can make me a bit peed off at times (especially when I have to go out!) but i'm hoping with time & patience he'll realise if he goes back in it doesn't mean he's gonna be locked up in it forever!

He's not aggressive as in biting or anything but just quite timid still & very flighty - especially with my husband who he's really not sure about yet. Has your son managed to hand tame Rio or do any training type stuff with him? I only ask 'cause everything i read says Rosellas are very hard to tame, don't like being touched etc.

I think i know the type of cage canopy you mean. I'm not sure what to suggest to keep the mess in with that as mine's a different type altogether. Mine doesn't have a canopy but has slots to fit the perspex into. Maybe ask in the bird forum here? I've heard of people removing those metal canopys just 'cause of the amount of room they take up so maybe someone will tell you what they use instead.

Anyway, best of luck!

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"The animals of the world exist for their own reasons. They were not made for humans any more than black people were made for white, or women created for men."

Hi Tinder Rob has been putting his hand in the cage from day one so he knows no different and Rob says he was a baby when he got him so I guess that has helped but he moved from putting his hand in the cage to stroking his chest, and from there he went on his hand but rob has been bitten once when Rio did not want to go back in his cage but usually Rio just goes back and eats and that way Rob knows he has had enough. He even let's us know when he wants to be covered over by sitting on the bars as if to say I am tired. he is very intelligent he makes electronic noises lol i am not sure how old he is but he had baby green and red plumage when Rob got him in may he is now blue and red when I get some time I will put a pic on of him when I put some on of the kitties

Viv xx

He sounds more intelligent than me lol

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Black with white around his private area



Black Tortoiseshell




R.I.P Patch my well behaved boy dog
R.I.P. Abby and Rebel my beautifull litter sister cats

Me too lol he is a bright little fella

Viv xx

Thanks for that Viv. Rio sounds a right little character The electronic noises bit made me laugh...then i remembered how nuts Joey goes when he hears: a) the microwave beep and b) the phone keypad tone.... so maybe it's a weird Rosella thing lol. I'd love to see some pics of him when you get chance and of your beautiful kitties too of course

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"The animals of the world exist for their own reasons. They were not made for humans any more than black people were made for white, or women created for men."