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How to Find the Best Cage for a Cockatiel

Introduction:

Since your cockatiel spend a lot of time in its camp, it’s important that you choose a camp sensation who will make your pet comfortable and secure.

Steps

Step One

For the bird is important to have plenty of room for moving inside. So you should find a cage large enough enabling your bird to spread its wings without any effort or hitting the cage’s sides.

Step Two
Find a square cage which provides the bird safeness and the opportunity to nest in the corners.

Step Three
Avoid bird cages that are rounded where bars bend to the gathering at the center - the toes or the tip of bird are getting caught in this task.

Step Four
If you want a cage that could be easy to clean and looking nice, you should look for a cage with plastic bars.

Step Five
If you consider buying a block bird cage with welded wires that will be the less expensive option. But you should know that in this case you must use vinegar and water for cleaning the bird cage and removing all the excessive zinc to prevent the bird poisoning.

Step Six
Make sure bars of the cage are not more than 3 / 4 of an inch distant in order to avoid your bird’s head to be stuck between the bars.

Step Seven
Bird Cage door should be big enough so you may stick your hand, with the bird perched on it, inside the cage as it is not necessary your bird to hang down.

Step Eight
Bird cage is good to be equipped with several perches and toys to keep your bird busy and having entertainment. For the purpose of that the cage height should be at least 16 inches for establishing two levels for the perches.

Step Nine
We advise you to find a bird cage that is wider than high cage because birds are used to pass most of their time on the ground floor.

Step Ten
It is more comfortable for your cockatiel and of course more pleasant for the eye if the bird cage is provided with a grid on the bottom for keeping the bird away from its droppings.

Tips & Warnings
• Place the bird cage in occupied room where people pass along regularly, as cockatiels are used to be in the middle of a gang.
• Make sure the bird cage is placed out of direct sunlight and any drafts or smokes.

How to Buy a Bird Cage

Now that you’ve decided to give a home to a feathered friend, you must choose a bird cage. Take into consideration the safety, health and growth and development of your bird when checking out the available options. Choosing the right cage is not difficult when you follow these guidelines.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Step1
Purchase a relatively large cage for your bird. Make sure the bars of the cage are suitable for your type of bird. Smaller birds need bars spaced closer together to prevent their going AWOL.

Step2
Select a cage that is wide enough for your bird. Birds tend to fly around and not so much up and down. Taller birds need taller cages, but width should still be a factor in your selection.

Step3
Choose a cage made of stainless steel rather than plastic. Steel bird cages last longer and are more durable than plastic or cheap wire cages.

Step4
Select a bird cage that offers a pull-out tray for easy cleaning. Also make sure the door of the cage allows for easy removal of seed trays and water dishes.

Step5
Look for bird cages that have perches located near your bird’s food and water. Make sure the perches are suitable for your type of bird. Small clawed birds require smaller-diameter perches.

Step6
Bring your new bird cage home and let your feathered friend stretch his wings in comfort.

Travel Cages A Must Have!

This past year, I packed up and moved across country with a flock of five parrots. It was a three thousand mile trip, and a very eye opening experience! I learned the importance of a good travel carrier, and realized how many questions there are about appropriate carriers, so I decided to write a short article detailing the important aspects of a good carrier.

A travel carrier is an essential accessory for a bird owner. Whether it be car trips, road trips, or traveling by plane, your bird will need a comfortable and safe way to travel with you. Travel carriers do not need to be as big as your birds regular cage, but should be large enough for the bird to fit comfortably and move around a bit. Keep in mind the duration your bird will be in the carrier- for a shorter day trip, a smaller carrier is fine. For a longer trip that the bird will spend one or more days in, a larger carrier is recommended.

Types of Carriers

Depending on what type of travel you plan, there are many types of carriers available for your use. Airline approved carriers are a must for flight. Commonly used carriers include cat and dog carriers, modified to hold a perch and food dishes. There are bird specific carriers available, including collapsible wire carriers with grates and locking trays, or heavy duty stainless steel carriers available for those with big beaks. For shorter travels, there are hand held carriers that have a mesh front, suitable for smaller birds going on short trips that aren’t apt to chew. Whatever your desire, there is a model available that will suit you and your bird. I personally chose a wire knockdown model, that allowed the carriers to be stored easily when not in use. A great space saver!

Setting up the Travel Carrier

Choose a perch that will provide firm footing for your bird. Stay away from slick woods like manzanita, and go more towards perches such as rope.I recommend perches like grapevine, cholla, or rope that will allow your bird to have a good grip. A perch should be installed towards the front of the carrier, to accomodate the birds tail and in case of a suddent stop, the bird will not be thrown forward, but will be able to lean forward and grab the front of the carrier. When choosing a toy for the carrier, choose one made out of soft material, or preferably a side mount toy so that it does not move  when the vehicle is in motion.

Getting Ready to Go

Your bird should be comfortable and used to his carrier before any long trip. Putting his favorite toy and treats in the carrier will help put him at ease. Once he is used to his carrier, its advisable to take the bird on several short trips, prior to the real trip. This will let you see how the bird reacts to the carrier, and also to the trip. It is not uncommon for some parrots to experience car sickness, like my greencheek conure. If your bird does exhibit car sickness, there are several things you can do to help ease the effects including: covering the carrier, trying the carrier in both the back and front (safely buckled in) seats of the car, and if all else fails, shredded ginger root prior to the trip will help ease any stomach upset.

Be sure to always secure your birds carrier with a seatbelt or other device. Like little children, a bird in a front seat could be vulnerable to injury if there was an accident and air bags were deployed.

Also be sure to bring adequate food and water for your feathered companion. It is recommended that juicy fruit, or an icecub, takes the place of water on a short journey, as the bird will still recieve necesarry liquids without worry of water spilling. On extended travels, your bird will need out of cage time, so a portable playgym or T-stand is recommended. There are several models available that break down, making it easy for you to carry.

Before vacation day, it is recommended that you make sure your bird has been properly groomed. While articles say that your bird requires a health certificate before any travel, this is largely untrue. If you are driving with your pet, you will not need to provide proof of health inside the US. If you are flying or traveling by other means, it is required that you have a recent (within 30 day) health certificate for all animals. If your bird is fully flighted, a harness for the journey is necessary to ensure your bird will not escape. I peronally chose to clip all my birds prior to travel, as I wanted to be able to grab them quickly without worrying about putting on a harness in an emergency.

Always keep safety in mind while traveling. Keep your bird in the carrier while the vehicle is in motion. Climate and altitude changes can affect your pet, so be sure to have weather conditions checked ahead of time. Its best to avoid crowds, and never let your bird out of your site. It is also advised to reserve your hotel ahead of time, so that you can be sure the place you rest is pet friendly. I found that Drury Suites Hotels were very accomodating and pet friendly.

It is also recommended that you bring along emergency contact numbers of both petsitters and your avian vet. Carry your avian first aid kit, in case of an accident. Documents such as proof of ownership, breeders name/address, medical records, and a recent photo of your bird is recommended. Some owners have taken a further step and also microchipped their avian companions. If you have done this, be sure to have the chips information in a safe place, and take it on your travels. The chance that you will need all this documentation and information is slim, however, the information would prove invaluable in case of an emergency.

Bird Cages, Bird Toys & Perches

One of the first things I evaluate with a problem bird is their cage. Where it is located, size, shape, and how it is set up. Many behavior problems can be attributed to having your parrot in improper surroundings. Their cage should be a safe haven for them with plenty of things to keep them busy.

Type of Cage

A good cage should be easy to keep clean, and it should not be round. The bar spacing should be appropriate for the type of bird that is housed in it. Whether or not you have a play top or a dome top is up to you. One of the best gifts you can give yourself and your parrot is a top of the line cage. When you skimp on a cage you just end up replacing it again and again. Do your research and get a cage that will last the lifetime of your parrot.

Placement

The cage should be placed in an area where you are sure your parrot will be able to view his surroundings safely without feeling threatened. You do not want to place a parrot directly in front of a window or in the center of a room. Our first response is to assume that they would enjoy the outside view or being right in the middle of a room so they can see everything. The truth is that this type of placement may be fine while your parrot is young. But once your parrot becomes sexually mature and aware that it is a prey animal, this type of placement will cause extreme stress upon him. Knowing this, a parrot should be placed against a solid wall, if this is not possible then the back half of the cage should be covered at all times. This will give him the sense of security that is needed.

Parrots do not live out in the open in the wild. They build nests inside of trees or in dense forest areas. So they may live and raise young safely. Therefore we should try to mock this type of environment by placing the cage in a more indiscreet area or our homes. One where they can take pleasure in their surroundings and not feel threatened. You will need also to consider your parrots sleep requirements. Does the placement of the cage allow for the proper amounts of undisturbed quite darkness? If not do you have a sleeping cage in another room? Sleep deprivation is a problem with many parrots I see. So if your parrot is not receiving at least ten to twelve hours of rest each night you will need to re evaluate his cage placement.

Do’s and dont’s for cage placement

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Don’t place directly in front of a window
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Don’t place in center of a room
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Don’t place right on the edge of a doorway
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Don’t place next to the TV that is watched late into the niter.
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Don’t place in the kitchen because of toxic fumes
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Don’t place in an unfinished basement
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Don’t place in a utility room
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Don’t place in the garage
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Don’t place them in your bedroom

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Do place them in a corner of the family room with a sleeping cage in another room
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Do place them in a frequently used office or sitting room
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Do have a bird room if you have multiple birds
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Do place in an alcove or visible dining room
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Do place them against a wall
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Do place them so they have a view of the entire room without putting them as a focal point.
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You want your parrot to be able to observe his environment so he learns to trust his surroundings.

Perches

There should be three different size perches in the cage. These perches should also different textures with at least one of the perches being a rope or Booda perch. The rope perch should be the one that is placed at the highest point for sleeping. Place this perch in a U shape in an upper back corner of the cage. This is especially important if you have a feather picker. It gives a sense of safety to the parrot, plus if they turn to pick, the rope is right there and they will opt to shred that.

The other two perches should be wood or one wood one of a different texture of choice. I would also like to add that there does not have to be perches in front of every food dish. We tend to make life just a little too easy for these busy birds. Make them work a little.

Cage Set up

Three different perches with the main wood one going horizontally across the middle. The rope perch should be in a U shape in an upper back corner. The third should be place just inside of the door so that when the door is opened the perch is brought out of the cage. By doing this you do not have to reach into the cage for step up commands that may be refused. When you want your parrot to come out you have him come down to this perch first, open the door once he is on it and request the step up. This is a must if your bird has aggression issues.

Toys

Now it is time to add the toys. You should have at least three working toys in the cage at all times. Working toys are toys that make them work for their treats or favored foods. The other toys should be things that are easily shredded such as soft wood, paper, and leather, preferably all of the above. Good toys have many different shapes and textures for the bird to explore and destroy. Your parrot should have a minimum of ten toys in his cage at all time. You should not be able to see the parrot easily when he is in his cage. This is his home and he should feel camouflaged as he would if he was in the wild.

Place one of the working toys in front of the U shape perch, with the other working toy towards the front of the opposite corner. Place one of the other toys directly on the side of the U perch so that perch is surrounded by hanging toys. This allows your parrot a hiding place to feel secure. Now take paper towels, shredders, newspaper, leather, or brown paper bags and fold them up and weave into the cage bars making a little square section on the side and to the back of the U perch. Again this gives a sense of security to the parrot. Plus if you have a feather picker it gives them another option to chew instead of their feathers.

Parrot Perches

Parrots when roosting in the wild are heard but rarely seen. They hide in the treetops away from the eyes of predators. When people walk up to your bird’s cage, you want to hear ? ?where’s the bird?? A parrot in captivity does not know that their natural predators cannot get to them in your home, so we need to provide them with the ability to hide or camouflage themselves within their home.

Parrots on display with few items to hide behind will develop behavior problems such as feather destruction, biting, and screaming as a result of feeling insecure.

Weave paper products and shredding toys in the cage bars and around the upper back corner where the rope perch extends

Three perches of diverse size thickness and texture (at the minimum) are required to stimulate and exercise your bird’s feet. The main perch should be a hardwood dowel or Manzanita running horizontally, in the middle of the cage. Perch two, a rope or Booda ?U- shaped? perch for sleeping should be placed in the upper third of the cage near a privacy corner. Beyond offering a sense of security, the rope provides a shredding alternative to feather pickers.

Introduce a third texture for perch three. Sandy, concrete, Plexy-glass; diversity is important here. Unless birds are in flight, they are on their feet. Humans will shift posture while standing to seek comfort. Bird’s feet must consistently be challenged for foot health. Nature doesn’t make life easy for prey birds, you needn’t either. Making the birds work for food keeps them challenged. Perches don’t have to be placed by food dishes. More perches provide more ?challenging? opportunities

Often over looked but essential is the cage door perch. A bird ?coming to you? on a perched fastened to the inside of the cage door, encourages the bird to come to the door perch before opening the door. With the bird on the door perch, open the door ? say, ?Step ? Up? while extending a firm hand. This allows you to retrieve your feathered companion from their cage without entering their territory.

Bringing branches from the backyard may seem practical and economical, but harmful parasites and other menaces may unknowingly be brought in as well. Woods such as Apricot, Cherry, Peach, Prune, Plum or Nectarine belong to the Prunes species, and contain cyanogenia glycosides, which releases cyanide if ingested.

Apple, Arbutus, Ash, Aspen, Beech, Cottonwood, Crabapple, Dogwood, Elm, Fir, Hawthorn, Larch, Magnolia, Mulberry, Pear, Pine Poplar, Redwood Sequoia and Willow are safe but must be introduced with caution. Branches should be boiled to kill any parasites before installing in a cage

Suggested perches, for various birds (perch diameter sizing.)

Suggested perch diameter sizing. It’s OK to go a little smaller or larger. Basically don’t get perch a bird too large that a bird’s foot can’t grab comfortably and may cause a bird to fall. Conversely too small a diameter may allow a birds foot to wrap all the way around and cause pain or injury to it’s own foot.

• Smaller birds like Finches or Canaries: 3/8 to 1/2 inch
• Small birds like Budgies: 1/2 to 5/8 inch
• Small Conures and Cockatiels: 3/4 inch
• Larger Conures and smaller Amazons: 3/4 to 1 inch
• African Greys and most Amazons and some smaller Macaws: 1 inch
  to 1 1/2 inches
• Large birds like Cockatoo or medium Macaws: 2 to 2 1/2 inches
• Large Macaws like Hyacinths: 2 1/2 inches or more

Hardwoods - Most cages come with at least one hardwood dowel perch. An additional hardwood should be introduced such as Dragonwood or Manzanita Perches. These woods offer not only durability but usually have uneven surfaces with knurls and knots. The varying diameter of these branches cause the birds feet to constantly adjust, thus providing needed exercise.

Rope can be in the form of a perch you attach to you cage like booda perchs. It can also be just rope. You can attach rope with w simple knot (never tie knots in chain please) It’s soft on a birds feet and also gives them something to tear up with their beaks

Concrete, Sand, Terra-Cotta can help nails and beak trimmed you feathered friends nails and beak trimmed. Your bird will scrape it’s beak much like rubbing a knife blade against a sharpening stone. The feet should be able to not completely wrap around the perch so nails are dragged over the rough surface keep them from getting sharp. Some perches are actually made of concrete but we prefer Sandy perches for their abrasive surface and manzanita core. The natural wood core gives the perch a more nature feel. They won’t necessarily let you skip nail trimming but can keep points blunt

PVC is found in everything from the dash of your car to vinyl windows and no wonder. It’s resistant to scratches, temperature change and will take just about any abuse. a perfect material for parrots! It’s also pretty easy to clean because of the non-porous surface. The drawback to the smooth surface of PVC is that a bird may literally slip off. It’s not uncommon to get a new PVC accessory and see this occur which can be cured by simply rubbing emery or small grit sand paper along the length of the perch. If your looking for a PVC product to perch you bird on check our or line of Ortho Bird