How To Set Up A Parakeet Bird Cage

I have two cockatiels, and I enjoyed setting up our house with fun perches, bird trees, and a spacious cage for their enjoyment (and ours).

How to Arrange the Best Cage for Your Bird

So you've decided to add a bird to your household! Before bringing home your picayune feathered friend, know what he needs, and have things all set upwardly. He will settle into his new abode more than securely if he quickly discovers all his needs are provided. So the ii of yous tin can focus on the fun function: enjoying a new friendship.

A quick word about the cage: The discipline of selecting the best cage from all the possibilities out there deserves its own commodity, but I'll just say a few words. The most important feature of a cage is advisable bar spacing for the size of your bird.

How close should the cage confined be?

Parakeets (too called budgies) and cockatiels need ½ inch bar spacing, a small parrot like a conure or a Timneh African Grey needs ¾ inch spacing, and large parrots like an Amazon, Congo African Grey, or Macaw demand one-inch spacing.

This is a thing of safety, as a bird tin can go his head stuck in bars that are too far autonomously for his size or even escape birthday. Giving your bird time outside his cage is a very good thing, but you don't desire him loose without supervision, getting tangled in curtain cords, lost under the couch, or even squeezing through a hole in the screen.

When setting upwards your bird'southward space, consider what would go on him healthy and happy in the wild, then practice some adjusting to provide that in your home.

Perches: Where, What Type, and How Many

A bird is on his feet all the fourth dimension, even while sleeping. Kickoff and most of import, provide a diversity of widths and contours to perch on within the cage. This gets taken intendance of automatically in the wild since trees ever provide branches of many sizes. A bird's feet need the practice of adjusting to dissimilar widths regularly to keep the joints flexible, or serious human foot bug can develop. The plainly dowel perches usually included with the price of a cage are unfortunately the worst sort. Much better are perches that offer uneven widths and contours.

Employ a Pedi-Perch to Help Keep Nails Trimmed

Another effect is nail trimming. Birds in the wild wear their nails down with lots of climbing and landing on rough surfaces. Indoor birds need more than help to go on nails under command, and a pedi perch is platonic. Those pictured combine a rough surface to wear down nails and variable widths to stretch pes joints. The small size is perfect for cockatiels and parakeets, and the medium will piece of work for mid-sized to large parrots.

The large size is—well, very large. But the largest macaws would need a big. Pedi perches attach securely to the side of a cage and don't take upward too much infinite. Go on in mind that a pedi perch may not completely eliminate the need for occasional nail trims, but it will aid.

Rope Perches

One more type of perch should get some mention. Rope perches come in several widths and lengths and have the fantabulous holding of being flexible. They have a wire core and tin can be bent into any configuration: straight across the cage, a right angle, or zigzag.

The Placement of Perches Within the Muzzle

The cage should hold enough perches that each bird has a comfortable resting spot, merely not and so many that the space feels crowded. Call back that birds tend to prefer a high spot considering this feels safer. If a bird comes into a new cage with several levels of perches available, he will usually gravitate to the highest, and ignore the others. Unfortunately, he ends up getting less use out of his living infinite.

A good fashion to get a new bird comfortable using more of the muzzle is to initially prepare the muzzle with perches no higher than mid-level. Then, after giving him a few weeks to settle in and decide on favorite spots, add together a loftier perch. Since all of mid-level perches are now familiar and experience safe he won't abandon his one-time spots, and he will now have an extra perch.

Nutrient and Water Bowls

How many food bowls will the cage need?

A cage should have at least as many food bowls as birds, and preferably 1 extra. An extra bowl means each bird always has a choice of places to consume, and everyone feels more secure when they have choices. Birds' metabolism runs high, and they should consistently have access to food during waking hours.

Should the food bowl go along the floor or the side of the muzzle?

They experience nigh vulnerable on the muzzle floor (the ground is where predators lurk), so attaching food bowls to the sides of the cage is better than placing them on the floor.

Do the food bowls demand hoods?

Many nutrient bowls are fabricated with hoods to minimize mess and waste material, but the problem is some birds are agape to put their heads into a hooded food dish. From the perspective of a small creature always on the alert for dangers, this sort of bowl doesn't seem safe.

Ringlet to Continue

A Cuttlebone and Mineral Block

Both a cuttlebone and a mineral block supply your bird with needed nutrients and a chance to practice his chewing instinct. A bird's beak is ever growing, and an outlet for chewing helps wear it down. These items are quite cheap, and having both benefits your bird.

Toys for Birds

To choose swell toys, think about what birds like to do in the wild. Parrots have a stiff instinct to chew, peculiarly females, who need to chew through wood during nesting. Toys which give an opportunity for some skillful chewing and shredding are always popular. Birds also similar preening, both their own feathers and each others'. Toys with lots of loose strands entreatment to the preening instinct.

Ane toy birds always similar is a bell. Something nearly the sound the bell makes, and the opportunity to catch the clapper, is endlessly appealing. Many birds besides like to wear a bell as a hat. What this has to do with life in the wild is unclear.

Birds Brand Wonderful Pets

Companion birds are tiny, fragile creatures compared to humans. But with an environment where he learns he has everything he needs, and condom and survival are goose egg to worry nearly, a bird's playful side comes out. You will find out just how smart and how fun birds can exist.

More than Information About Birds' Home Environments

Bird Trees, Perches, and Cages for Cockatiels and Parakeets
Ideas and examples of how to organize indoor infinite for companion birds. What to look for in a bird tree or stand, ideas for edifice one yourself, and things to think about when choosing a muzzle.

This article is accurate and true to the all-time of the author'due south knowledge. Information technology is non meant to substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, or formal and individualized advice from a veterinary medical professional. Animals exhibiting signs and symptoms of distress should be seen past a veterinarian immediately.

Charlotte Simpson on May 03, 2022:

Our cockatiel seems to beloved her new bigger cage simply hasn't figured out how to use the stainless steel bowls. They are deeper and don't have perches. Is she meant to just sit on the rims and stick her head down in to eat?

philip orr on June 27, 2022:

hi all, ive seen a growing trend of people using quondam wardrobes as refurbished cages., this is a keen framework for a cage and all you need to exercise is then take out the plywood in the frame and staple fencing wire onto the empty spaces. just thought id put that thought out in that location for people who don't know how to be a carpenter :P

P mccue on February 16, 2022:

My cockateil loves branches from my wattle tree or eucalypt or any other Australian bush. (Check first) It has been more successful putting these in her muzzle than any toy!

Chloe on January 13, 2022:

Thank you and then much for this website me and my family found an injured bird and we set up a muzzle of our own P.s we are just keeping the bird till it's healed and these tips actually helped the bird settle in and relax

tip: if your only making a bird cage temporarily utilise measuring cups through wire

Cathy on Nov 15, 2022:

Where tin can I buy one of those cages and what size and price are they thanks

Connor Colina on November 03, 2022:

would y'all know what site i could purchase this cage from? if you lot could link me to it that would be great, thanks

graceomalley (author) on January 24, 2022:

The brand is Prevue. I bought another muzzle of theirs recently, because we plan to add to our flock, and I've been very happy with the construction of both Prevue cages. They practise a practiced job making the feeding bowls sturdy, which is not always easy to find.

Breanna on January 24, 2022:

My Cockatiel already has a good sized muzzle and spends well-nigh of her fourth dimension on her tree perch anyway but I've considered getting her a larger cage somewhen (especially if I ever decide to get another Cockatiel) and this one looks perfect. I am trying to notice it online simply all the larger dome tops are more than 1/ii" bar spacing and I can't seem to find this detail one (with the two doors). Do you remember the brand/name of the muzzle past whatever gamble? Cheers!

Sue Hamlin from Northern California on December 02, 2022:

Skillful commodity! I have a parakeet and cockatiel, and everything you recommend is merely correct in my book. Swell, thorough job.

True cat R from Due north Carolina, U.South. on June 13, 2022:

Information technology's non that difficult. Simply then once again, mine are 'Redneck'. My measurements aren't perfect and Holmes from the Television testify would probably take a middle-attack when he sees my procedures! Simply the birds appreciate information technology.

This started out with Finches. Everybody stuffs them into tiny cages, but if y'all read up on them yous see how much space they need merely for basic happiness.

My cockatiel/parakeet/red rump parakeet cage is ~4'x~4'x~8' high.

graceomalley (author) on June 13, 2022:

Bedbugabscond - Glad this is helpful!

Cat R - I wish i knew how to brand cages - I would make my porch into a muzzle if i knew how. Maybe someday. Glad you liked the hub.

True cat R from Due north Carolina, U.S. on June xiii, 2022:

Been told that parakeets and budgies are ii dissimilar breeds. The budgie is larger and actually comes also in a majestic looking color.

I build my own cages out of forest and contend. Since I tend to overkill when it comes to muzzle size, I tin can beget to build a 'behemothic' cage for a 4th of what a larger cage would cost me.

I tried different decorations with mine, but especially the parakeets tend to eat a lot of things similar fake plants and stuff. Then I tried to find them things they love, can't consume and still look good.

Lots of practiced data in here! Great article!

Melody Collins from Usa on June 13, 2022:

Thank yous for sharing this. My best friends female parent had to become to a home and my all-time friends sister took her birds home. None of us accept whatever idea how to intendance for it, so this is very useful!

graceomalley (author) on June 13, 2022:

albela - Then sorry to hear about your budgies!

My birds have a lot of out of muzzle time - most of the mean solar day we leave the cage open, since we both piece of work from home, and we can keep an eye on them. Interestingly, the cage is still their favorite place. They like to perch on tiptop, or return to the inside of the cage for afternoon naptime.

albela rahi on June 13, 2022:

few years back i had budgerigars but they died shortly may be considering i couldn't give them a proper space in cage. That's what yous must consider first before keeping any parrot or a bird as pets. Like your wide-spaced muzzle..

thanks a lot grace.

albela