AVIAN
Successful Cage Set-Ups
Vicki Ronchette highlights the importance of setting up a bird’s living space to suit
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individual needs and preferences
hether or not you are bringing home a new baby bird, a rehomed adult bird or just want to upgrade your current bird’s cage, it is important to put some thought into your cage set up. There is a lot to consider when putting together a bird’s cage. This not only includes the size and shape of the cage, but what it is made out of, how you will outfit it and where it will go in your home.
Cage Size
cure the bird. With smaller birds a wire cage will work, but larger birds can easily bend the wire and need something sturdier. Some species such as cockatoos can open locks and remove screws, so if you have a bird like that, be sure you have made sure the cage is secure. Finally, make sure that your cage is constructed of safe material and coated with appropriate paint. Rust is dangerous as are certain types of paints and coatings. Because birds climb around with their beaks they can ingest particles or get sick from metal toxicity. Some cages come with a play area built in at the top. This can be a really nice feature as it allows the bird out-of-cage time and an additional place to play and hang out.
If you have done any research on how to select a cage for your companion parrot, you have no doubt read that “bigger is better.” While this seems to make sense and is frequently true, it is not always the case. Not all birds are comShape, size, location and Perches fortable in a large cage or enclosure, how it is outfitted are all Most cages come with a couple of especially if they have a handicap or in- important factors to consider when setting dowel perches. Dowel perches are fine jury or are used to living in a smaller up a bird cage but should not be your bird’s only opspace. I recently downsized my lineotion. Natural branch perches are readily lated parakeets’ (aka linnies) cage beavailable and should also be offered. cause they were not at all comfortable Rope perches are excellent and are a using the entire bottom half of the good way to create pathways for your cage and never went down there. bird to travel around their cage. Be sure I have built my birds a spacious outto always check rope perches for frayed door aviary off of my bird room to areas (that can catch a bird’s claw) and enjoy some outside time, but getting replace them when they start to look them used to that space and openness shabby. has proved to be challenging. In genPlatforms are also a good perching eral, the more space you can provide option. Platforms made of wood, cork the better, but keep individual needs in and even stone can be purchased. Most mind too. of my birds enjoy perching on their platYour cage should have enough forms and I have them in all of my birds’ room for the birds to move around cages. The more birds in a cage, the and spread their wings easily. For small more perching options you need to birds it is ideal if there is room for © Can Stock Photo/LarryPowell make available. them to fly. When choosing a cage, When putting in your perches be sure not to put them above make sure that there is also enough room for toys, bowls, enbowls or other perches as they will quickly get pooped on with richment items and a variety of perches. As a general rule, wider your bird sitting over them. Place a couple of perches high in the is better than higher as this gives the bird room to move easily cage as birds like to find the highest places to sit. Because I like back and forth. to “station train” my birds to go to a certain perch when asked, I Another thing to consider when looking at cages is the bar spacing. It is important that the bar spacing is appropriate for the make sure that there is always one perch set far away from the door so that I can station the bird there while I open the door type of bird you want to put in there. In general the smaller and do things. species like budgies, lovebirds or linnies should have ½ inch bar spacing because anything larger would make it possible for them Toys to put a head through and possibly get injured. For the slightly You will want to outfit your bird’s cage with appropriate toys. larger birds like cockatiels or small conures, usually 5/8 inch or Even if the bird seems uninterested in toys keep trying. It can ¾ inch works well. For larger species like macaws or the larger take a while for some birds to feel comfortable and safe playing cockatoos you would be fine with 1 inch. Of course, you also have to make sure that the material itself is strong enough to se- with toys and it may take time for you to figure out what types 50
BARKS from the Guild/March 2016