A Complete Guide to Choosing a Bird Cage

If you have never tried getting a bird cage before, then the process of choosing the right cage can be very exhausting and challenging. For this reason, we have created this guide to help you when buying a new cage.

So what are the things that must be taken into consideration when selecting a bird cage? Let’s discuss each one of them below.

The Internal Living Space

The internal living space is among the most important things that every bird owner should take into account. The reason for this is that your bird’s overall health might be affected with a very limited cage. Naturally, birds prefer to spread and flap their wings. So if you have a cage with a restricted area, it might be very difficult for them to do so.

When a bird feels confined, it might also develop an attitude, which you wouldn’t really want. Therefore, we highly suggest you get a bird cage of the right size at the very beginning.

Obviously, if you have a large bird, then you must also get a cage with a spacious living area. As a general rule, the internal dimensions must be at least 150% bigger for another bird to fit inside the same cage.

The Style or Design

Another thing every bird owner must look into is the design or the look of the cage. For sure, everybody wants to get something of excellent quality, but still looks great for the flock. With that, it is recommended that you consider the colours of both the cage and the bird. If given the chance to decide, find a cage that complements the colour of your bird. If you choose something of the same hue, then it would difficult for you to see your bird inside the cage.

If you still have sufficient funds or budget, you can consider using stainless steel for the cage. While it looks great physically, it also contrasts the colour of majority of the birds. Aside from that, it is also easy to maintain.

The Shape of the Cage

As stated, the living area is an important factor when choosing a bird cage. Thus, the more spacious the living space is, the better. Due to this fact, most people would opt for the cage with a dome top. But then again, when you purchase this type of bird cage, there wouldn’t be any sufficient playtop for your birds. In order to offer some sort of entertainment for them, you might need to get a playstand.

On the other hand, if you choose to get a playtop style cage, your birds will definitely have more room for entertainment. In fact, most of the time, you can just leave the door of the cage open so that your flock can just fly up the cage and play.

The Brand of the Cage

Nowadays, you can notice a variety of bird cages manufactured by different brands. Although some of them haven’t kept up with the strict standards of the market, others are able to be a step ahead of the rest. Because of that, it might be a challenge for you to find a manufacturer or a brand that is capable of producing great quality bird enclosures.

Although you can trust those bird cage manufacturing companies that have been in the business for several years already, you can also try the new ones that are slowly making their way to the top. But whatever you choose, you must always ask what materials they are using in their products to be sure there won’t be any problems in the long run. You don’t want to put your bird’s life at risk because of toxins brought about by their cages.

Cage Bar Spacing

Above all, the most essential factor you should consider when choosing a bird cage is the bar spacing. Even if there isn’t a set minimum bar spacing width, keep in mind that there is a maximum. If it is too wide, your bird can escape easily, causing injuries to itself.

So how do you know if the bar spacing is enough for your birds? Well, if you have small birds, such as canaries, parakeets, finches, lovebirds, parrots, budgies, or cockatiels, the ideal bar spacing is around1/2” to 5/8”. For medium-sized birds like quakers, lories, pionus, senegals, mini macaws, smaller amazons, smaller African greys, and cockatoos, the recommended bar spacing for a cage is ½” to ¾”. Lastly, for larger bird species, such as congos, Hyacinth macaws, toucans, and African Greys, the suggested bar spacing is ¾” to 1”.

A bird cage is more like a haven where your birds will spend most of their time. So it is just necessary for you as a pet owner to provide an enclosure that is safe and comfortable. Even if these bird cages come in varying sizes, shapes, and designs, it is never right to buy one just for the sake of having a temporary shelter for your flock. Be wise in choosing and consider this guide before buying.

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