(Part 3) Best birdcages & accessories according to redditors

This cage is an inappropriate size. You need one that is much larger.

Food and water should not be placed so low to the ground, where it could potentially get poop and debris in it.

She needs access to more toys. There should be a handful of different activities for her to do in her cage. Bells, forage toys, different things.

You need different perch sizes so that her feet can have full range of motion and she can stretch her toes. Flat surfaces included. (Example here)

When you find a larger cage, a more interesting set up will be easier to achieve. But right now this is pretty unacceptable, I'm sorry to say. If you are tight on money look at craigslist for unused bird cages. If not, buy one from Amazon. This is the size that I have for each of my similar-sized birds, green cheek conures: link here

I just wanted to add my own comments about the differences between macs and smaller birds specifically:

Training can be difficult for people that don't learn to be fearless in the face of a huge beak. They can and WILL learn to push people around with lunges, hissing, or open beaks because they know you are scared of them.

On that note, it gets really hard to ignore problem biting or screaming when you feel like your ears are bleeding.

Cage size. This is probably the place where I feel most strongly about x-large birds ownership. Way too many people think that they can get away with the minimum cage size for these birds (48''long x 36'' wide x 60'' tall). Many more people don't want to spend more than a few hundred bucks on a cage and so again, go with a minimally sized cage. Some more people try to justify this with "but my bird is out of the cage most of the day anyway" when in reality they work normal jobs like normal people. Finally others, see the word "macaw" plastered on a 30''x40'' cage and think this is actually appropriate.

A B&G macaw has a wingspan of almost 3 1/2 ft. Their head to tail length alone is 3 feet. That means any minimally sized cage will maybe allow the bird to open its wings and turn around in one spot. This is the equivalent of keeping a budgie in a shoebox or your quaker in one of these. Now try to add enough enrichment to a cage like this to entertain a small toddler for the 6-8 hours you are gone each day (I'm just assuming you work a normal, full time job here, correct me if I'm wrong). Good luck with that.

We tried to keep a large bird (eclectus not macaw) in a small apartment before. It did not go well. Big birds need way more space both inside and out of their cages then people expect.

Personally I will never get another large bird until I can afford at the minimum a walk-in indoor aviary OR a dedicated bird room. Both allow you the comfort of knowing your bird has enough space but is also out of reach of your worldy possessions.

Obviously, you are going to see people everyday that will try and say this is overkill. But I think our goals when it comes to parrot care should not be to just scrape by. To force our birds to tolerate conditions because we are feeling cheap or selfish.

So I'd say if you aren't ready to throw down at least $1000 on an appropriately sized aviary/enclosure, do not get a macaw yet.

EDIT: One last note! If you are really set on a macaw AND can provide an ideal life for one please, please, please consider adoption over buying a new baby. Macaws are easily one of the most common birds found in rescues because too many people cannot handle their care. And considering these guys can easily live 50+ years, if you are already older than 25/30 it is beneficial for all parties to start with an older bird. Beside, macaw puberty is NO JOKE and a post-pubescent adult with a set personality can make all the difference in whether or not a bird is a good fit for you overall. Finally, interacting with birds at a rescue can give you a taste of macaw ownership before you take the plunge.

There is nothing morally wrong with getting parrots from a bird rehab center. They don't breed for profit, just rescue and care for birds. By adopting from them, you are supporting them and making more room for other birds. So, as long as you can adequately take care of the birds, it's not a bad thing to do.

My understanding is that lovebirds are pretty similar to parakeets (which I have), so I could probably give you some information. There's no need to file their talons or beaks, as long as you have the appropriate stuff in the cage. Typically, the kinds of perches that come with most cages are rubbish. Birds need perches with varying widths and textures. Stuff like this or this is awesome. These textures and width variations keep the talons worn down properly, so that they do not need to be clipped. It also is good for their muscles, I believe. Give them lots of things to chew on, and that should keep their beaks in line. This way, you won't have to touch the bird to clip their wings, talons, or beaks, which could really scare the bird if it isn't used to you.

Feeding them the food in those bird food bags at the petstore isn't a good idea in the long run. It's not good for their health. Try feeding them fresh vegetables and fruit if you can, as well as the generic bird food. It's likely they won't like the fresh stuff at first, but give it to them fairly consistently and they may give it a try.

A cage is absolutely necessary, simply because you need to have a place to put them where you know they'll be safe. Like if you're cooking or have all the doors open for moving furniture in or out. The birds should not be loose in the house during those events. I'm not saying you should lock them in their cage all day, just at certain times when it's necessary. Also, keeping them there at night gives them a sense of security in that space. Ideally, you would have a room in the house that you know is bird-proof, where you would feel comfortable leaving them out unsupervised, but you should still have a cage in that room, as a safe haven for them, where they know they will always have food and water. When out flying, they typically like to have a few favorite places to perch. One of these should be the top of the cage.

The cage should be large. One thing to remember, though, is that "tall cages are kind of useless. Birds will typically move to the topmost part of the cage and stay at that height. Instinctively, they prefer to be at the highest available location. So, a cage like this is, in all practical use, much smaller than it looks. A wider cage is better than a taller cage, as far as giving them space. A wider cage might mean that they could fly a short distance from one perch to another. A tall cage is basically a small cage. Also, you want the cage to have horizontal bars if possible, on at least two of the sides. Parrots are big on climbing, and horizontal bars, as opposed to vertical bars, are great for that.

I'm procrastinating right now so can't go into much more detail right now, but if you have any questions, just reply :)

I have a Happy Hut (aka the Snuggle Hut) hanging in the cage for my tiny parrotlet. She loves it. She climbs inside on cold nights and it gives me peace of mind to know that she feels safe and warm.

A vet who is able to do this surgery should have plenty of good recommendations for recovery. But here's what I found worked for my old cockatiel as he declined and grew less mobile (heart disease, a tumor, etc).

While he was still able to sort of get around his normal cage, I added this corner perch (there are also similar solid wood shelves or cloth hammocks) and this branch bridge, used horizontally as a long perch. I also found a crossed rope perch - it was an X with four ends - which I have not seen available again but worked great for getting around.

When he was further along, he moved into a "hospital cage" - really a clear Rubbermaid tub with holes that I cut into it for more airflow. He was far beyond flying at that point so in his case the top was open. Most holes were higher than he could reach, but I cut two just a couple inches up, and attached a rope perch through them. The perch sat just barely above the towel that lined the bottom, but it meant he could be in a perching position (foot-wise) without having any distance to fall. Later still, when he couldn't perch anymore, it was just the towel.

Anyway, sharing this in case any of this is useful (in reverse order from how I did it) as your bird recuperates! Best of luck to both of you!

Edit: links

You can use a bird cage. Here’s an inexpensive one as an example.

https://www.amazon.com/Prevue-Pet-Products-31996-Economy/dp/B01LNCYOD2

If you want to get fancy you can get one of those freestanding decorative reproduction Victorian birdcages and free up counterspace. :)

Taking a door off a kitchen cabinet could work as well.

Prevue Hendryx 3180 Pet Products Parrot Playstand, Black Hammertone https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000S13JIG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_5Kw1AbD3MWYVY

I just replaced the dowel rod with a thicker wood perch from the local bird store.

It is pushed against a table that two other smaller play gyms that I picked up for 30 each. Those are for my smaller birds.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01C5JJ82E/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1496601060&sr=8-2&keywords=corner+perch

She's fourteen and a bit arthritic and she absolutely loves sleeping on it. She also loves chewing on it.

Your bird will be fine without sleeping in your room. My cockatoo has her own bedroom where she sleeps every night. The room isn’t used for anything but that.

As far as birdy stations, I have one in my living room and one in my bathroom. She also has a small perch in my bedroom just for when I’m doing small chores in there and she wants to be with me.

You need to replace the perches that you have in that cage though. Perfectly round perches aren’t great for your bird’s feet. I’d go for perches like this instead. I’d also add more toys so when he/she is in the cage, they have plenty to occupy their mind. They need so much stimulation.

I wouldn't rely only on the perch to trim the nails. They will never do a good enough job.

Instead work on nail training. You can train your grey to accept you filing down her nails with a simple nail file. This will work to keep them from getting too sharp. It helps if you make it a routine, just do one nail a day over the course of 2 weeks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4xZ5ytrYNY



That being said, the concrete perches do help lengthen the amount of time you can go in between having to file her nails.

http://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Feet-Beak-Safety-Pumice/dp/B00243ZK0G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408376545&sr=8-1&keywords=parrot+nail+perch

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001W8S4M0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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This is a cage I have for my <1yo boy. Absolutely love it, we have another same style, but twice the height for the other two chins who are a bonded pair.

I only use aspen bedding, tried fleece once, but we didn't like it. Hope this helps!

That cage is a bit small. It's not very wide/deep, so it would make for cramped quarters for a wheel, bowl, and igloo. You would also need to add a shelf or something. The door looks very tiny as well, so cleaning it would be cumbersome.

For a little bit more This cage would be good, but you would need to cover the wire floor. You can get stick down linoleum tiles for pretty cheap. This cage would be a good option if you have adult boys, but it wouldn't be suitable for young rats or females, the bar spacing is too wide. You want something around 1/2" [1.27cm].

Are you in the UK? Many of the Ferplast cages are a good option. This cage or the Jenny model is good, too.

Edit: I did not see that the cage came with shelves. I still feel the base is a bit too narrow, but going by other opinions, it could be a decent cage with a little work and a decent amount of play time.

Yes she should buy this for her chickens: http://www.amazon.com/Fowl-Play-Products-13100-15-Chicken/dp/B00IDMUFMU

:)

I use these and these. Both work great, both don't damage a bird's feet. Of course, my birds also have natural and rope perches too. They haven't needed nail trims, and my vet even commented on how great their feet look.

My only gripe with the safety pumice perches is that they can only be placed on vertical bars, and the black part is huge so it makes it difficulty to place it in certain places.

Seagrass is generally fine, it's the attachment parts (strings) that kill the bird. Which is why I would use a corner perch.

Metal https://www.amazon.com/Prevue-Hendryx-3100B-Corner-Shelf/dp/B000FHEUBI/

Wood:https://www.amazon.com/Prevue-Products-BPV3300-Laddered-Platform/dp/B004130RSM/

And a seagrass mat / tube / house.

Well I would say this is a good starter cage for up to 4 rats https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ferplast-Jenny-Cage-79-5-Grey/dp/B001MZYINC

I went with girls first but they tend to get mamory tumors when older. But the same can be said for boys of testicals. So it's not much in it.

As for where to get them, in the UK at least pet stores are terrible for rats, they're always cramped into tiny glass boxes with like 4 other rats and seem to always have bad temperaments, so I always go to breeders. Most breeders aren't in it for money here and do it for the love of rats and for show rats. So they tends to not be too much more then store bought rats (store rats £7, breeder I got my 4 girls and 3 boys were £9 each roughly. Some different breeds/coats/colours were a few extra quid more)

With regards to vets I would say the average trip to actually get a procedure done was about £60-120 including meds and a check up after. But saying that I literally just had my 3, 4month boys neutered yesterday and that cost £120. So £40 each isn't bad.

Anything else gimme a shout

Argh, the lack of doors for food dishes make me nuts! I've been looking at new cages and those 32x21 flight cages (like this) look perfect except that! What's the deal with that? There are a bunch of brands with nearly identical cages and no setup for food bowls.

It's also worth noting that those models tend to have a small door on the side near the top that's designed for breeder boxes. They don't latch shut. Should be out of reach for kids till they're old enough to know better, but birds seem to figure out how to pop them open pretty quickly, so most people I've talked to have to find a way to latch them closed.

https://www.amazon.com/Yaheetech-Parrot-Cockatiel-Conure-Cacique/dp/B018VLU7A2?ref_=Oct_CARAsinC_2975226011_0&pf_rd_r=9SX0BH186ATZVK6PAVNX&pf_rd_p=733a57f6-91b6-5ced-ba5b-85c234eeaf46&pf_rd_s=mobile-hybrid-6&pf_rd_t=30901&pf_rd_i=2975226011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

The bigger the better.

I recently bought one of these as a alternate cage for my 2 GCCs. There's a center divider that you can remove to make the cage a flight cage. For such an inexpensive cage, it was actually pretty sturdy.

http://www.amazon.com/Prevue-Products-F070-Hampton-Divided/dp/B00EQ28WX0/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1409466630&sr=8-4&keywords=bird+breeder+cage

While not a huge cage, this one is what I keep one of my cockatiels in. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00EQ28WX0/ref=ox_sc_saved_image_31?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

It's a fairly decent size and I'm also a fan of longer cages, especially since I've found she likes to run back and forth along the bottom. You can get with or without the stand but I prefer the stand. They're also stackable if you plan on some other birds later on.

Something like this one is a bit bigger but still fairly wide compared to others, and might also be a good option depending on what you're looking for. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00C332AOG/ref=pd_aw_sbs_199_of_11?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=TR3DDN23PHS076Q80P0G

http://www.amazon.com/Birdscomfort-Double-Flight-Bird-64x21/dp/B005ZDR2GM/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top - Here's the exact double flight cage we have for our two GCC's. It's about $100 less than the one you linked. Our birds spend a lot of time on top of the cage, we have more toys up there now than when the picture was taken.
I'm the person with a review and customer image on the link. - http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-media/permalink/mo3GJR4G6QA08EG/B005ZDR2GM/ref=cm_ciu_images_pl_link

As for a carrier one of the ones we have is http://www.walmart.com/ip/Suncast-Deluxe-Personalized-Pet-Carrier-with-Snap-on-Food-and-Water-Tray-Multiple-Sizes-Available-Dogs/9606593 - the small one.

Extremely temporary. His cage was supposed to be in on Friday (the day I got him), but the UPS fuck up the delivery leaving me no choice except to use this cage.

This is the cage that should be in Monday or Tuesday UPS incompetence notwithstanding.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IK5PH5O/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thank you! I have this playstand. The price is ridiculously good right now, about $40 cheaper than when I bought it. This is not meant to be a plug, it's just a ridiculously awesome playstand. It's a bit big for my babies so it would probably be perfect for large parrots (grays, amazons, cockatoos).

Just FYI! :)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00609BNDS/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=donnasauve-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B00609BNDS&linkId=a572029e6cb2d52ff81088ae4b27d100&th=1&psc=1

What about this one?

Thanks! They have a play stand that is plastic, and they do use it (Olive more than Clover), but they also like to be on me. :P

And one of these and some bitches

I've thought long and hard about getting one too but the risk of my baby's feet burning or something worse is just too much for me to consider it. I just keep my heat up so it's higher than 65 degrees F indoors. I have a cozy corner blanket type thing in my parrot's cage. (https://www.amazon.com/Prevue-Pet-Products-BPV1161-Assorted/dp/B005FTNVJI). The little tent things also have high risks of injuries so I didn't go with one of those. He LOVES snuggling up into it and getting all cozy when he sleeps.

Your bird looks fine. Pigment can fade from feathers, especially on young birds, if they're rubbing against things a lot, so if he's in the corner of the cage, it may just be from rubbing against the bars up there where he's sleeping. Each bird sleeps differently. You might try putting a perch up there in that corner or a corner platform.

I'm not a fan of tents because they can cause injuries. I had a pair of GCCs that really enjoyed sleeping in these tunnels - I just drilled a hole in the middle of the tunnel's edge on one side and then used one of the nut/bolt combos from an old toy to secure it in place in the top of the cage.

Vision cages are a massive pain to clean, as you have to take the whole bottom off and the tray is an odd shape for putting newspaper in. They are also quite small, especially for their price. If you get a cage like this, move the food dishes down low, and get a seed catcher for it, it shouldn't make a huge mess.

Everyone has given great advice already. I wanted to add on and say do NOT get your conure one of these sleeping tents. They are really dangerous. They'll pull on the threads and get caught or ingest them. This seller on etsy makes safe sleeping tents. I bought one for my conure and it's great.

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Some other important things:

Paint is lethal so if you have your house painted, your conure will have to stay elsewhere.

Aerosol sprays are also lethal.

Candles are lethal.

Basically, anything with fumes are dangerous. Birds have very tiny lungs so you have to remember this.

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Lastly, do not cook with teflon.

I'm not sure on the cage, I got it off Craigslist. It's one of big brands I believe, something flight cage. I can try to find it for you later.

edit: this isn't the exact brand, but it's basically identical in size and features: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D4WW64Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_8WArzbE4KMQWZ

This first one would be my most recommended but is a bit higher in price and I also included the second cage because parakeets should really have a minimum of 18x18 and the depth of the cage you posted is less the 14 inches. The second cage I included is 21x21.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016XVM9YY/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_ONySBb4WMADWB

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IK5PH5O/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_1JySBbSPBWH66

They look like this.

We have a green cheek and she likes something that looks like this or like this. It is the ultimate bird magnet -- walk by it and she is sucked off your shoulder.

We bought one of these bird playgrounds and she spends a lot of time on it too.

She also likes:

• chopsticks
  
• popsicle sticks
  
• small wrappers, like a cough drop comes in
  
• hair stuff like ponytail holders and bobby pins
  
• small beads or bracelets
  
• earrings
  
• keys (useful distraction since they're always at hand)
  
  

I suggest this for a sleeping spot. The ones you find in stores (like these) can be hazardous or deadly. The only downside to the one I suggested is that birds sometimes like to chew the seagrass mat, but fortunately you can buy replacement mats. I put a decoy mat in my bird's cage and she seems pretty content chewing that instead.

Prevue Pet Products Frisky Ferret Cage with Stand 486

The strangest of all is this chicken swing an actual swing for my pet chickens, but that is over the stated limit at 29.99, so my official entry is this cute kitty making obscene gesture coffee mug because it cracks me up...

More like this one.

Cockatiels look small when folded up, but remember that they have extremely long tails and a wide wingspan when they stretch their wings. The cages you posted are 20x20, I can guarantee you that when you add perches, toys, food dishes, etc, your Cockatiel will have barely any room to move around without hitting his tail on something or be able to properly stretch his wings.

Also, the cages with tops that open are extremely dangerous. If that single dowel holding up the two panels fall down, it's a death trap for the bird sitting on it. I've heard of some horrible stories of the cage shutting down on a bird's neck or ribs.