Housing-Pet Bird Cage

The main things to consider when selecting a pet birdcage are your pet bird’s size and personality. Why personality? If your bird is mechanically inclined like a cockatoo or an escape-artist like a conure, you’ll need a pet birdcage with more security. For a bird that loves to climb, a pet birdcage with numerous horizontal bars is essential.  The bigger the cage, the better.

It can be risky to purchase a birdcage manufactured out of the USA, because the rules governing the use of toxic metals may be less stringent than in the United States. However, many cages are manufactured overseas according to the specifications of United States cage companies. Do your research!

Moving your pet bird into its new birdcage is fun. Arranging all the toys is exciting.  The placement of your pet bird’s cage inside your home is just as important as the cage itself. The birds should NEVER be kept in the kitchen, because cooking fumes, extreme fluctuations in temperature, open pots of hot liquids on the stovetop, and other hazards are very common. Place the cage out of the direct sunlight, and away from the exterior doors to protect from cold blasts of air and to prevent the bird from escaping. Make sure the cage is inaccessible to kids and other family pets. Be aware of electrical cords since pet birds can get shocked if it bites into the cord. Fish tanks can be very dangerous too. Learn more about setting up your new bird cage

Your bird spends the majority of their time on their feet, so safe and comfortable perches are very important. The perfect perch is easy on your bird’s feet, appropriately textured, fun to use and chew, and easy to clean up. Be sure to provide several perches of different diameters and textures to ensure proper exercise and foot health.

Perch Placement

Once you got the right perches, consider where to put them. If the food and water dishes don’t already include perches, place one in front of them for easy access. Never place perches above the dishes. Try to arrange the perches so your bird’s tail won’t touch the side of the cage when she’s sitting on it. Vary the perch height and location, and make sure your bird can easily move and fly throughout the cage with the perches in place. The perch diameter is crucial to the health of your bird. Your bird’s foot should wrap around approximately 2/3 of the perch – their toes should never meet or overlap. If perches are too small, or all have the same diameter, your bird might suffer foot irritation and possible injury or infection. Offer perches in several diameters.

Keep Those Perches Clean

POOP on perches is unhealthy for your bird. Clean them regularly. Use a scouring pad on natural wood branches, cement perches, and clean the plastic perches with a brush. Avoid scented disinfectants and those containing pine oils. Natural branches can be cleaned and placed in an oven at 250° for 10-20 minutes to kill any microorganisms. Learn more about maintaining perches

Toys are an essential part of your parrot’s health.  Unused toys in the cage are the same as no toys in the cage. Experimentation will give you ideas to provide exactly what your pet bird needs. Toys should be fun, educational, challenging, and satisfy a bird’s instinctive needs. Bird toys can fill the void that a caged bird feels with limited space and little social activity. They exist to be chewed on and reduced to little splinters. A demolished toy is one that has been thoroughly enjoyed.  Some toys cost a lot and it may be hard to afford to experiment with expensive toys that your bird might not like. Try some things from around the house to experiment. Here are some suggestions:

• A paper towel or paper bag. See what they do with toilet paper or paper towel tubes  The bird might prefer shreddable items.
• See how your bird reacts to an old t-shirt. They might like fabric toys.
• Go to the hardware store and buy a couple of small untreated wood scraps, and watch the gnawing begin!  MAKE SURE THE WOOD IS NOT TREATED WITH ANY CHEMICALS.
• Fold a favorite treat up inside a nonwaxed paper cup to teach them to forage.

Once you get a feel for the types of toys your bird likes, look into the different types of toys that are available Try to get a feel for the activities your bird prefers.