Bird Cages
Selecting
the Right Bird Cage for Your Birds
Birds
are very popular pets and their delightful personalities make them
very special to their owners. While your tame birds may spend a
great deal of time outside their cages, you still need to select
the proper cage these birds. They will consider their cage to be
their territory, their place to eat and drink, their place to sleep
at night, and their place to play when they are not interacting
with their human flock members. Selecting an appropriate cage that
will make your bird feel comfortable and safe is important. It is
also important to select a cage that provides easy access for cleaning
and feeding which must be done every day.
A general
fact that covers all types of bird cages is that the cage should
not be rusty or painted with any type of paint other than non-toxic
nursery safe paint. Most new bird cages are powder-coated baked
resin finish which is very durable and will not easily chip. Some
cages are natural metal finish but the metal is known to be safe
for birds. Some very large bird cages are wrought iron. Never put
your bird in a cage that might be finished with an unsafe paint!
It's worth the investment to buy a new cage rather than have a garage
sale "deal" kill your beloved bird.
The
shape of the cage is not truly important. Round cages are more difficult
to clean and difficult to cut paper for lining the bottom tray;
however, they do have an easier access to install perches and playthings.
That doesn't mean that a round cage shouldn't be used. You may find
you like them. Most bird lovers prefer a square or rectangle shaped
cage. Square or rectangle shaped cages are made in sizes that paper
towel will fit perfectly for lining the bottom tray.
Another
general rule for all cages is that the cage must be large enough
for the bird to fully extend both wings and have plenty of room
left to turn around comfortably. It should be tall enough to allow
the bird to have climbing room. You will need to have toys and play
things hanging in the cage for your bird to entertain himself when
he is in his cage, so the cage must be roomy enough to allow freedom
of movement without banging into things. Bigger is better; so buy
the largest cage you can afford with the bars spaced appropriately
for the size of bird that will live in the cage.
Bar
spacing should be close enough together that the bird can not stick
its head out between the bars. If the bars are spaced too far apart,
the bird could stick its head out, become frightened and hurt itself
before it figures out how to get its head back into the cage. Birds
have broken their necks trying to get out from between bars that
were too widely spaced. The bars should also be of a diameter sufficient
to prevent the bird from breaking the bars. A parrot in a cockatiel
cage will shortly make a new "door" by removing bars.
The bigger the bird, the larger the diameter of the bars must be
to provide safety and the more securely they must be attached to
the cage frame.
You
may wish to have a smaller travel cage for your bird. The travel
cage should follow the same rules on safety, but can be much smaller
than the bird's regular home. This cage could be used for rides
in the car, sitting with you outside, or as a hospital cage, should
the bird become injured and need to be confined while healing.
Types of Bird cages:
Parrot
Cages
Cockatiel cages
Small / Medium Parrot Cages
Large parrot cages
Large bird cages
Parakeet Cages
Finch Cages
Macaw Cages
Antique bird cages
Acrylic bird cages
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