CAGES
The minimum size I would recommend for a Congo or Timneh African
Grey cage
would be approximately 24W" x 24D" x 34H". A cage Approx 24 x
36 x 36 is a
terrific size and has room for toys.
The minimum size cage I would recommend for a macaw
is 42W x 30D x 48H playtop - a dome top cage is taller.
A cage with a playtop is great especially for a young macaw so they have access to
food and water when out of their cage. They are not likely to not go inside to
eat
once they are let out until they learn how to go in and out of their cage and there
is
no way to put out water and food on the top of a dome top cage.
Also a dome top cage is quite tall and I can assure you once a baby macaw gets on top
of a dome cage and decides he/she does NOT want to come down you will have you
hands full trying to get he/she down! This includes the dome top cages that
open
at the top where you can put a perch. In fact I do not like those at all.
As frequently as I tell people a dome top cage is not a great idea
for a young macaw
I get emails about young macaws not coming down from the dome top. How does
that saying go? You can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink!?
I DO NOT advise getting a Macaw cage for a
Congo or Timneh baby bird.
A Macaw cage is designed for a Macaw NOT an African Grey.
The distance from the top to the floor of the cage is far enough that
a young Grey can injure itself seriously if it falls from the top. Loosing
grip
and falling is not uncommon for a young bird. The bar spacing is
usually 1 1/4" which is too large in a macaw cage for a Grey. Bar spacing
is measured from the *center* of one bar to the *center* of the next bar.
I also Do Not recommend ROUND cages. In my opinion they
should all be
used for plants not birds! The sides go round and round and there is no
end.
There is no corner to get cozy and take a nap. Just not a cage I would use
for any bird and definitely not a Grey.
The cage should have a bottom grate that is positioned so that
the bird cannot
retrieve dropped food from the catch tray. It should also have 2 or 3 food dishes.
One for dry food, one for wet foods and one for under the water bottle to catch
any dripping. This bowl should be emptied and cleaned daily to avoid bacterial
infections.
Just remember your bird will be living in this cage for a very
long time so this
is a very important investment. Take the time to look at them very closely for
not only the safety and comfort of your bird but the ease of cleaning, feeding
and care.
I use indoor/outdoor carpet cut to fit the bottom tray instead
of newspaper or litter.
I cut 2 for each cage so I can use one while I hose off the soiled one.
Caution: DO
NOT use indoor/outdoor carpet if your bird can reach it
through the bottom grate of the cage!
Some other cage links:
Animal
Environments' Cages
California Cages
A good resource for information
Gillian's Desk
Gillian Willis is a pharmacist and toxicologist.
She is considered an "expert" in matters of poisoning and toxic substances.
PERCHES
Perches can be purchased or you can make them yourself
from tree branches.
Before using any branches from your yard please check this site to make sure
they are not toxic to birds. Gillian's Desk
Concrete perches are available to help keep your bird's nails
trimmed. If you use
these please make sure there are other perches in the cage. Although these
help
keep the nails trimmed they can cause stiffness and irritate the foot because they
are cold and rough. Do not place the concrete perch as the highest perch (sleeping
perch) in the cage. If you find your bird spending too much time on a concrete
perch only put it in the cage every other week.
Soft rope makes a good sleeping perch. Comfortable and
soft on your bird's feet.
Most all my birds prefer rope perches to sleep on. Caution:
If a rope perch becomes
frayed, replace it. A bird's foot could get tangled in it and cause serious injury.
WATER
African Greys and Macaws love to make soup in their water
bowls.
To avoid the possibility of bacteria from this I prefer water bottles by LIXIT.
All of my babies, both African Greys and Macaws have learned to use a LIXIT
water bottle before they are weaned. If you buy one of my babies PLEASE
have a LIXIT water bottle waiting in it's cage when it arrives at your home.
Most birds will convert fairly easily to water bottles.
Just attach the water bottle to the cage just above the water dish.
Because they are so curious the will begin to play with it
and before long they will be drinking from it
and then the water dish can be removed.
There are other kinds of water bottle but this one is the only
one I have found
that when a bird is out it cannot either chew a hole in it or remove it
from the cage and drop it to the floor shattering it.
Plastic water bottles are a waste of money
if you are getting it for a Macaw or a Grey.
LIXIT water bottles
Medium for Greys and Large for Macaws
Can be purchased on our Cage Accessories page
TOYS
Both Greys and Macaws love a variety of toys, from Acrylic toys
to wooden toys.
They enjoy hanging from ropes and more challenging toys that hold treats
that they have to try to manipulate to get the treat out.
Don't over load their cage with toys but instead just keep a
couple
in the cage and change them every week. Some people say you should put
a new toy in the room near the cage for a week or 2 before putting it
in the Grey's cage because they think the Grey will freak out.
I add and change toys often when my babies are small
so they get used to different toys and change.
I also move them from a tub to a play pen to a small cage
to a larger cage etc. They have learned that change is not a bad thing.
If you keep your Grey in it's cage in the same place from the day
you get it and then 6 years later move the cage, Yes, it will get upset.
Check out our Toys & More area
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