How to Choose a Cage for a Parrot

A huge variety of parrot cages are available on the market, both in pet stores and online retailers. Most parrot cage are intended for medium size parrots including Aratinga Conures, Poicephalus, African Greys, Amazons and birds of a similar size. The cage you choose will make a major impact on your parrot's quality of life, so it is important to make an informed decision.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Research the species of parrot you own or plan to buy to determine its specific caging requirements. Information about cage requirements are available on websites such as Your Parrot Cage. See the Resources section for a link. Most parrot care books such as "Parrots for Dummies" by Nikki Moustaki, "Parrots: A Complete Pet Owner's Manual" by Mattie Sue Athan and "The Loving Care of Pet Parrots" by Rosemary Low also include this information.

2. Look for a cage that has a rectangular or square shape, and that is as wide as possible. Round and dome-top cages are harder to clean and attach toys to, and in some cases may present safety hazards.

3. Choose a large cage that will give your parrot plenty of space for playing and climbing. Bigger is nearly always better. At an absolute minimum, your parrot should have room to stretch his wings out completely without touching the sides of the cage. Ideally, he should be able to make a short flight from one end of the cage to the other.

4. Look closely at the construction of the cage. Parrots have powerful beaks and often chew cage bars. The bars should be stainless steel or powder coated. Avoid cages with a brass finish and those that are painted, or coated with PVC. The cage should be sturdy and have strong, thick bars that cannot be bent or broken by the parrot.

5. Consider ease of cleaning when examining the cage. There should not be any crevices or corners that would be difficult to clean, and if there is a floor grate, it should slide out easily. The cage tray should be made of a durable, easily cleaned material such as powder coated metal or acrylic. Avoid cages with a plastic bottom.

6. Examine the locking mechanisms on the doors. Be sure to check any feeding and nest box doors as well as the primary door. All cage doors should have a secure lock that cannot be opened from the inside of the cage.

Tips & Warnings

• Most mid-sized parrots do well in a cage that is at least 36 inches wide, 30 inches deep and 36 inches high.
• Typical bar spacing on cages for mid-sized parrots is 3/4 to 1 inch. If you are unsure of your parrot's requirements, err on the side of caution and buy a cage with 3/4 inch spacing.
• Avoid decorative cages, as they often are impractical, hard to clean, and contain unsafe materials.
• Never house a parrot in a cage made of wood, bamboo or plastic. Most parrots will destroy these cages in a matter of hours.

Resources

• All about cages
• Your Parrot Cage website

[caroloconnor]

on 11/11/2009 Excellent advice! Thank you for your article.
Carol