A parrot's cage is its home. The duration of time the parrot spends in the cage should influence its size. A parrot housed in a cage for its entire life will require a larger cage or an aviary, whereas a bird who sits on a stand all day may only require a small sleeping cage. A bird needs to be able stretch its wings and turn on its perch without hitting the sides of the cage minimum. It's tail needs to be able to move around without getting damaged on cage bars or other items (especially important in large tailed birds like macaws). Ideally you want your parrot to look tiny in it's cage.
Purchasing your new parrot cage-
The best size cage is the one you pick first, your favourite as you won't have any regrets later on. Cages do rust and need replacement about every one to two years when rust is seen. To prevent rust when cleaning the cage, allow it to dry in the sun completely before returning items into the cage. An example of incorrect cage choice is below. The cage on the left was purchased for $300 from a local pet store, as the parrot grew the cage became too small and also it began rusting in just six months. The right shows the second cage purchased outlay was $200 online, cage is triple the size and suitable for two parrots. The cage on the left when filled with toys become crowded, whereas the right allowed for living space and toys.
Suitable bar sizing is vital- too large risks escape or injury and too small can be flimsy and easily broken by a large parrot. Some guidelines can be found here- http://www.bird-cage.com/how-to-select-a-bird-cage
Square cages allow safety and security for birds. They have corners to hide, whereas cylindrical cages provide nowhere to hide. If you have more than one parrot, it is always best not to let them walk over the top of each others cages- as this can increase fear in birds within the cage or even risk toe loss in some cases.
Setting up you new cage-
Parrot cages need perches for the bird to stand on, perches should be natural rough branches. All smooth dowel branches that come with the cage should be removed. Smooth perches do not exercise their feet and they can cause issues such as bumble foot (ulcerative pododermatitis) infections or even pressure sores. Most parrots rip up their natural perches so selection of safe woods is vital (some can be found on this website- http://www.eclectusparrotbreeders.com/parrot-safe-plants.html)
The cage needs to suited to the bird, birds that don't fly around or the cage is too small for them to fly around may need more perches and ladders. Birds that fly around in their cage may need less perches but more open space. Easy access to feed and water bowls is a must, and no perches should be over the bowls (as then the food becomes contaminated with faeces). A handy addition is to zip tie a small Y shape plumbing pipe joiner to the side of the cage (not big enough birds can fit inside). This is an easy place to secure safe natural foliage (you could purchase a cap for the bottom and fill with water so foliage lasts longer). Safe foliage can be found here- http://eclectusparrots.net/safeplants.html
Toys need to be set out so that they don't crowd the cage. Additionally, if a parrot doesn't play with a toy it should be removed or replaced as it just takes up space. Rotating toys every day can keep interest. A collection of 6-7 different toys including mostly foraging toys are very useful as part of your preparations for bringing a new parrot home. (or you could make your own DIY toys seen in a post above)
Grates should be kept clean, as they are directly in contact with the bird. Cleaning the grate and tray daily is vital. Newspaper provides a suitable tray material that when changed regularly takes very little time. There are other options such as rice or paper kitty litter, and even printing paper but these tend to cost more money and are a little hard to remove each day. Not having a grate causes your bird to walk in its faeces, which isn't good for their health. It is best to keep the clean grate in place always. Having the tray with no materials covering makes cleaning very difficult. An additional tip- wait until tray is dry until replacing newspaper or it will stick and become difficult to remove.
You need to watch how your parrot interacts with its cage- Does it seem to stay in one place? Does it hang from the side all the time? Does it appear difficult for it to gain access to the feeding bowls? The adjust to improve its design.
** Always bring a current image of your cage with you to Avian Veterinarian appointments as this helps the vet to help you***
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