All too often people think of a bird cage as a place to confine their bird with food and water that happens to provide a safety zone away from any dangers that might be encountered outside. Yes the bird's cage does do all of that, but it should be thought of as a place for comfort, where he cannot only drink, sleep and eat, but be able to exercise, and play with a variety of toys. Since the average pet bird spends the vast majority of their time confined to the 4 walls of his cage, it is very important to provide him with a cage that is large enough to easily provide all things that contribute to his health, safety, and over all well being.
A pet bird should never be left outside of the cage when no one is home. Leaving the birds cage door open or leaving him out to roam around or putting him out on a play stand when no human is around is inviting disaster. Yes, some parrots will confine themselves to a play stand or on top of their cage when left un-attended, but because they by nature have the instinct to explore, it is imperative you protect them from harm by not leaving them outside their cage without supervision.
A properly sized cage will provide, along with it's amenities, ample opportunities for your feathered friend to get all the exercise and play he needs with a minimum of three toys. The perches should vary in thickness for proper foot and leg support, and of course provisions should be made for food, water and a place to rest.
So, how big a cage should you get for your parrot? Bird care authorities have published minimum sizes that a bird cage should be for each bird type and recommended bar spacing as well. Several things to keep in mind , is you may have a Budgie that is much more active than an average one and might need a larger than minimum size cage.and in similar fashion, you might have a Blue and Gold Macaw that is larger than average and require more space. Also take into account that food dishes, water dishes, perches and the minimum of three toys every bird should have in the cage take up space as well.
If you have a cage now that is too small or are looking for your new birds first cage, use the recommendations on minimum size and actual bar spacing below:
Bird Species Min. Cage Size Bar Spacing
Budgies,Parrotlets,Lovebirds 18X18 Inches 1/2"
Cockatiels 20X20 Inches 1/2" or 5/8"
Poicephalus,Conures,Ring Necks 22X24 Inches 5/8" or 3/4"
Caiques,Timnehs,Pionus,Jardines 24X24 Inches 3/4" or 1"
Small Amazons,African Greys 32X23 Inches 1" or 1 1/4"
Mini Macaws,Cockatoos,Amazons 36X24 Inches 1" to 1 1/2"
Lage Macaws,Large Cockatoos 36X48 Inches 1" to 1 1/2"
If your bird was not listed, find one of similar size and use that as a guide.
What Size Bird Cage Do I need For My Parrot?
July 22nd, 2013
