How to Choose a Cage for Your Parrot

A person's home reveals the personality of its owner. Many people dream of the home that is big, features all modern amenities and is located in a beautiful setting. Your bird's home should meet similar requirements to ensure safety and health of your pet.
Your bird's health and well-being depends heavily on the quality and cleanliness of her cage. The basic requirements for the cage are: it should be big enough for her to move freely and spread her wings within it; the cage bars should be the right size so that the bird wouldn't escape or get insured. Ideally the cage should encourage the bird to climb and play. Special toys, perches, and treat holders will help your pet stay active. Other cage necessities include food dishes and water bowls.
Choosing the right cage for your bird may be difficult as there is a wide selection of various cages that differ in style, size, safety features and color. So let's look into the differences of each style, the safety of each material, and the instincts and behavior of your feathered friend to help you choose the cage your bid will feel comfortable in.

  

Cage Styles

Typically cages can be divided into four types. Generally speaking, the type of cage you choose should take into account the size of your bird, be safe and comfortable, and feature special accessories that make cage maintenance easier.
The basic styles include:
Flight Cages. These cages also known as aviaries are pretty large in either width or height and provide enough room for a bird to move around.
Dometop Cages. This type of cage features an expanded, curved top instead of the traditional box shape. Such cages are perfect for active birds who like to climb or fly. It is also a good choice for housing several birds as such a cage won't occupy too much floor space in your house.
Playtop Cages. This is an excellent choice for active birds that like to spend lots of time outside of their home. Some cages even feature a detachable playtop so that you could easily carry it into a different room. As the playtop is placed on top of the cage when not used, it provides a great playland that doesn't need extra store room.
Classic Cages. These are traditional box-shaped cages, functional and stylish. The classic cage is also rather comfortable and relatively inexpensive.
In addition to these four basic styles there is a great variety of modern cages that are elegant and come with extra features to please any bird. To make up your mind consider matching the style of cage to your bird's personality, behavior patterns and preferences.

  

Cage Sizes

No matter what species of parrot you own each of the four basic cage styles is available in a size appropriate for your particular bird. The size of the cage is of great importance. A cage that is too small won't provide enough room for your bird to move, stretch wings and play. On the other hand, a cage that is too big for your bird may have inappropriately spaced cage bars that can cause the bird's injury if it tries to escape. Make sure your bird's head doesn't fit between the bars.
Safety Features
When selecting a cage for your bird make sure it has the following safety features:
Solid Construction. Cages should be strong enough to ensure the safety of your bird, whether it's just playing or behaving in a destructive manner. Opt for a cage with a welded design but never a wooden or plastic cage that could be broken with the time. Pass by those old antique cages designed mostly for decorations. Instead, choose a cage made of metal or even medical or surgical grade stainless steel.
Strong Latches. There are three basic types of cage latches, designed to prevent your bird's escape. Some cages features sliding doors while others come with swing-out doors. Cages with hinged doors often use a dead-bolt style latch. The cage you choose should have a closure your bird won't be able to open or break. Many bird owners are guided by the principle the more secure the latch the better and fit an additional cage lock to the cage latches.
Access Doors. The doors of the cage should let you reach your entire arm through it. This means that you will be able to reach your bird when she is in the cage and your pet can easily pass between the doors when needed.

Extra Features

You may consider choosing a cage with the following added conveniences:
Large Access Doors. Some cages have extra large doors or even entire front panels that open fully to make cleaning easier. This feature is especially useful in very large bird cages as it allows reaching all the corners of the cage without disassembling it.
Convenient Feeder Doors. It is very convenient to have easily accessible feeders in your cage. Consider purchasing a cage with a small individual locking door so you could daily clean and replenish your bird's food and water without opening the entire cage. This will help reduce the risk of your bird's escape to minimum.
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