Homemade Bird Cage

Make a cage appropriate for the size of bird you own.

Birds and humans have had a close relationship since the beginning of time. Not only are birds an essential source of food, but also offer companionship. A bird's cage also offers the pet privacy and a place to feel safe. When a person has a pet bird, he may find that purchasing a custom cage is expensive, especially if he wants the bird to be able to fly in the enclosure. Tailfeathersnetwork.com states that you should build a birdcage that is appropriate for the size and type of bird you own or plan to adopt.

Things You'll Need

• 1/4 inch PVC pipes
• Wire mesh, stainless steel
• Wire, stainless steel or powdered-coated
• Nuts and bolts
• 2 pipe clamps
• Door latch
• Drill
• Brackets
• Sandpaper

Instructions

1. Choose a wire mesh and wire based on the type of bird you will house in the cage. "The Daily Puppy" states that you should get mesh that does not have more than a quarter-inch of space between the wires if the cage is for small birds like parakeets. A medium-sized bird should have mesh with a half-inch of spacing, and large birds can have mesh with an inch of wire spacing. Keep in mind when purchasing the wire for the cage that large birds, like parrots, have very strong beaks.

2. Make the cage's frame. Drill a hole at the end of four PVC pipes to make vertical sidebars. Attach PVC pipes to these and secure them with nuts and bolts at the tops and bottoms of each vertical sidebar to form a cube-like structure. The length of PVC pipe to use depends on how long and tall you want to build the cage.

3. Attach two PVC pipes to the front of the cage, in the center, as vertical support bars. Drill holes in the pipes and space the vertical front pipes so they help form the door area; secure the pipe with nuts and bolts. Measure the distance between the two pipes.

4. Make a birdcage door opening and doorframe. Cut some PVC pipe the same length as the distance you just measured in the previous step; cut four lengths. Attach two of these lengths horizontally between the PVC pipes in the middle of the cage to make the door opening. Use the other two for the doorframe. Cut two lengths of pipe that match the height you want the door. Drill a hole and bolt the pipes you just cut to the pipes at the front of the cage to form the top and bottom of the doorframe. The doorframe and opening should be tall enough that you can reach your arm in and out with the bird on it comfortably.

5. Cover the cage with mesh. Use the wire to loop through the mesh, and over and around the PVC pipe. Remember to leave space for the opening of the birdcage. Cover the doorframe with the mesh as well.

6. Sand down the ends of the wires and PVC pipes. This will help make sure you and your bird do not get scratched.

7. Attach the door. Use pipe clamps to attach the doorframe to the door opening. On the outside of the door, attach a latch to help keep the door closed.

8. Install brackets onto the sides of the cage if the supplies you purchased for your bird, like food and water dispensers, do not come with them.

References

• The Daily Puppy: Homemade Bird Cages
• Tailfeathers: The Perfect Cage
• The Daily Puppy: How to Build a Birdcage