THEIR HOME - CAGES:

PLEASE buy a good cage! This is not an item which should be "scrimped" on. You should consider safety (material and paint used if not buying stainless steel), safe and functional locks and feeder systems and of course, size! Buy a cage recommended for the type of bird you have chosen. At "minimum" your bird should have twice his "fully extended" wing span in all directions and larger than that is BETTER! Unless your bird will spend most of his days out on a play gym or other type of stand, the cage will be his/her home! Bar spacing (the amount of space between each cage bar) is a very important feature to check.. Find out what bar spacing is recommended for your type of bird. Look for a pull out tray and grate! Many of the older style cages have "removable grates" but these must be pulled out through the door and are a hassle to clean. The newer cages with pull out grates are much easier to clean. A grate in the bottom of your cage not only offers your bird an additional area to explore and play with foot toys but also keeps them from walking through large quantities of droppings which will collect in the tray. It also keeps them from ingesting whatever you are using for tray liner material. Stainless steel cages offer the best route for non-toxic, long lasting homes but their pricing may not be in the average person's budget.. Today we have numerous safe choices available to us with the technology of safe powder coating. Basically, these cages are sprayed with a non-toxic paint (over steel or wrought iron bars) which is then baked on to offer a chip resistant, rust barrier. Check with the store or distributor to be sure that the paint used on the cage you want to purchase is "bird" safe. Try to buy a cage, which has as few crevices/openings as possible..these areas become breeding grounds to airborne bacteria and pose a problem with cleaning. Zinc is toxic to birds and even though you will see hundreds of brass, galvanized wire and non-specific metal cages, please do what those who have learned from experience do; purchase a safe powder coated, acrylic or stainless steel cage. Also, beware of pretty scrollwork and ornate designs...they are beautiful but will cost you precious time to care for and clean! The web offers hundreds of sites to purchase cages and for those who can afford the luxury of custom made cages, (much more accessible to all of us), there are many new businesses available to build that dream home! Many bird lovers offer their birds a large, day cage and a smaller, sleep cage. This gives the bird a variety in locations and perhaps allows the day cage to be in a spot close to a window (for natural light and viewing pleasure during the day -make sure sun is not beating in all day and there are areas of shade!) and in a small sleep cage in the evening at bed time which may be covered and set in an area of low activity, away from drafts and lights at bedtime. It is the consensus of opinion that it is wise to cover your bird cage at night. This offers the bird privacy, a shield from drafts (air conditioning or windows in the cold weather) and allows the rest of the family to continue their routines after birds' lights out! Many cover three sides and leave the front open so that the bird may investigate any strange noise or activity during the evening. Invest in safe, stainless steel and plastic (heavy-duty) food bowls, and stainless steel locks for feed doors and main doors, and stainless steel quick links (to hang toys). Do not use twist ties to attach toys or lock doors. Hardware stores sell great stainless steel dog, leash type fasteners (not the pinch type but the type with push knob button to open and close) which work great and come in a variety of sizes to secure any door which may be slid open or pushed up and open by your bird. Do not underestimate their intelligence...if there is an easy way out of the cage, be assured they will find it and may be injured in the process.

CAGE LINERS:

There are many types of liners available. Cob and litter type materials could impact your birds' crop if ingested. Plain black and white newspaper (do not use colored pages as they may contain toxic ink) are the most inexpensive, readily available liners. Remove daily or at least every other day to assure your birds cage is free of waste build up. Check with your local newspaper office if you question whether the black ink used on your local paper is safe. Do not use cedar, redwood or pressure treated wood shavings, as they can be hazardous if ingested. There are several types of wax paper type tray liners available today; they keep droppings from drying out completely and can be purchased pre-cut for standardized tray sizes.

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