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| Parrot
Cages |
CAGE
SIZING
A parrot begins to relax in a new house when it finds its cage comfortable
and spacious. Size your parrot cages so that your bird has plenty
of moving-around space. There should be space for toys. The smaller
the cage, the more out-of-cage exercise the parrot should get. Parrot
cages come in a variety of designs, suited to the needs of individual
parrots.
Species |
Bar Spacing |
Perch Diameter |
Finch, canary, parrotlet, parakeet,
lovebird |
1/2" |
3/8" to 3/4" |
Cockatiel, conure, lory, senegal |
1/2" to 3/4" |
5/8" to 1 1/4" |
African Grey, Amazon, macaw, cockatoo |
3/4 to 1 1/4" |
1" to 2" |
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BAR
SPACING
Bigger is better as long as the spacing between the bars is narrow
enough to prevent injury if the bird tries to escape. The bird's
head should not be able to fit between the bars.
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CAGE
DOOR
The door needs to be large enough to comfortably put your hand through,
catch the bird, remove the bird, and replace the bird. The latch
on the door needs to be escape-proof also as the bird is going to
have a lot of time to find a way to open it.
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CAGE
LOCATION
Place the cage so the bird perches at about your chest level. Lower
than that (especially if placed on the ground) and the bird will
be anxious and feel vulnerable. Do not place it higher than your
chest level as 'higher' means 'superior' to birds. In the wild,
the more dominant birds perch on higher branches. Keep the bird
in a sunny, draft-free area. If the bird is more social, keep it
in an area of human activity. If the bird is less social, it may
be happier in a quieter area of the house.
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CAGE
COVERING
Cage covers are used to signal to the bird that it is bedtime and
he should be quiet. A cover made to fit the cage can be purchased.
An old sheet or pillowcase will also work to cover the cage at night.
A cage cover should not be used as punishment or for extended periods
of time outside of sleeping hours. For larger birds that are used
to handling, many people prefer to have a separate cage in a quiet
room for nighttime use. Providing a quiet, dark area for sleeping
is very important since sleep deprivation can result in health and
behavior problems.
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PERCH
Birds spend the majority of their time standing on their feet so
good perches are essential. A variety of types and sizes should
be supplied. It is often recommended that each cage have a concrete
perch, a natural branch perch, and a manmade perch. Choose a perch
size appropriate to the size of the bird, examples are listed above.
Concrete or mineral perches: A concrete (mineral)
perch gives the bird a spot to groom his beak and nails. These may
also be called grooming perches.
Branch perches: Natural tree branches are better
than the wooden dowels normally supplied when the cage is purchased.
Because of their uneven shape of branches, the bird is not always
putting pressure on the same part of the foot when he stands.
Manmade perches: Untreated cotton rope is great
to use for perches. It can be tossed in the washing machine for
cleaning. Monitor it closely so the bird does not eat any of the
strings or catch a toe in a frayed area.
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CLEANING
1. Remove the bird from the cage.
Keep her in a safe place, away from any open windows or doors.
2. Remove any toys, perches or food dishes from the cage.
3. If the cage has a detachable bottom, remove the bottom and dump
any loose droppings in the trash.
4. If there is no detachable bottom, carefully turn the entire cage
upside down over a garbage can, and gently shake out any loose droppings.
5. Put both parts of the cage in the shower, and run very hot water
over them to remove excess soiling.
6. Use a bird-friendly, non-toxic cleanser to scrub the cage and
the cage bottom; use a brush, sponge or plastic scrub pad until
all soiling is removed.
7. Rinse the cage in hot water in the shower, and allow all excess
water to drain off the cage.
8. Dry the cage with a clean, dry cloth. If you're working with
a two-part cage, reassemble it.
9. Clean the toys and perches. Remove excess soiling by holding
them under hot running water, then scrub them with the bird-friendly,
non-toxic cleanser. Rinse in hot water and dry with a clean, dry
cloth.
10. Return the toys, perches, food dishes and bird to the cage.
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TIPS
You may need to wash out your shower after using it to clean your
birdcage.
If you're having a hard time scrubbing the cage clean, try soaking
it in soap and water or a special bird debris remover.
Try stacking several layers of paper tray liners in the cage; when
the top one gets dirty, just remove it to reveal a clean one underneath
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