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THE CAGE: A PARROT'S HOUSEBirds have complete choice over their lives in the wild and they have evolved by making wise decisions. Give your parrot the largest, most spacious cage you can; fill it with things that give them “places to go and things to do.” Outfit a cage like a house, with many different rooms, a wide variety of perch textures and sizes, lots of things to hide behind, a wide variety of things to shred, rattle, bounce on, figure out, and reach for in out-of-the way places. Try to put a new foraging toy in the cage every day, make it your parrot’s puzzle palace. Encourage independent play, and praise them lavishly for enjoying their space and ability to stay occupied. Our recommended MINIMUM cage sizes are:
* Parakeets, Cockatiels, Lovebirds, Quakers: 27w x 24d * Ringnecks, Conures, Pionus, Lories, Meyers, Senegals, Multiple Small Birds: 32w X 23d * African Greys, Small Cockatoos, Eclectus, Amazons, Small Macaws: 36w x 28d * Larger Cockatoos and Macaws: 48w x 36d We REALLY recommend the 64w x 32d or 80w x 40d cages for the larger birds!! Make sure the bar spacing is appropriate for the species. Place the cage in an area that feels safe for a bird, like a corner or alongside a wall; away from heavy traffic and vents. In addition to a parrot’s delightful house, they share their home with a flock - and that means your family. Make sure your bird has ample time out of the cage, so they have fun places to go. Perhaps a playstand for dinner; or an atom or boing hanging from the ceiling to encourage exercise. A safe outdoor cage is also a great idea, make sure it includes a partially covered top and things to hide behind to minimize fear if they see predators like hawks. Also ensure they can get out of the hot sun and have plenty of fresh water. Many birds savor the opportunity to take a shower in the rain. |