Horrible "new" cage

My former MIL called me, and said she has a friend who is elderly who had 2 huge parrot cages she wanted to give away. I was thrilled! So Reg and I went a couple of days ago to get them, and she had decided to keep one, but gave us the other. She explained that her 'too had died and she didn't need it anymore.
We went ahead and took it to make sure that NO bird ever has to live in it again. If she decides to get rid of the other cage we will take it as well and have 2 planters, since she said it is exactly like this one.
It was still set up from when her 'too was in it, with a swing hanging from the top with a metal bar to stand on, and the only perch was a piece of metal. She had kept the food crocks on the bottom of the cage. It has galvanized metal that surrounds the bottom, and is held together by wires of some kind in places. My heart breaks when I look at this cage that a poor 'too lived in for his whole life, no toys, nothing. There was a huge pile of poop behind the cage, and it is discoloured on the bottom from where the poop inside was stacked up.

We are going to paint it and use it for growing sweet peas next summer, and add some solar lights to it.

That will make a lovely home for PLANTS. A parrot, not so much... Thats so sad her too lived his whole life in there I guess we can only hope he spent most of his time outside the cage with his family and only slept in there or something. He must have been quite old when he passed then, because that style of cage is something of an antique!

That is just so so sad.... I'm so glad you took the cage so no other birds will have to ever live in it. A lot of people don't understand how much round cages can have such a detrimental effect on them psychologically... Not too mention the lack of room inside [emoji33]

Unfortunately April, he NEVER left his cage She said he was perfectly happy in there and she was afraid of him.
It totally looks like an antique to me as well, and Reg is sure it is handmade. She did not say how long ago he passed, but she is something of a hoarder so it could have been years ago. She lives in one house, and owns the one next door as well that she uses for storage.

Oh my! I can't even begin to imagine!

I'm sure it will look beautiful once you paint it and have Sweet Peas growing from it.

How awful of an cage.....It'll make a beautiful planter for sure!!!!

Man reading these stories of the crappy lives some of these animals have is seriously depressing. I can see why anyone that owns birds seems to discourage anyone else from getting birds. Its heartbreaking thinking about that poor bird just locked in his cage at all times...for his whole life

!! 'Wow' is all I'm going to say! I agree it will make a really nice unique planter, and will look beautiful with Sweet Peas.

jasper19 said:

Man reading these stories of the crappy lives some of these animals have is seriously depressing. I can see why anyone that owns birds seems to discourage anyone else from getting birds. Its heartbreaking thinking about that poor bird just locked in his cage at all times...for his whole life

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I've found a lot of people who don't know anything about parrots/birds in general are STRONGLY against keeping them as pets and think it's cruel. It's kind of hard to understand as a loving bird owner who knows other loving bird owners to imagine in what way they dream up our spoiled babies as being "abused". Looking at a situation like this, I can just imagine someone who doesn't know any better imagining *THIS* kind of setup being what the "average" parrot lives in and I can totally see where they find it cruel

Kiwibird said:

I've found a lot of people who don't know anything about parrots/birds in general are STRONGLY against keeping them as pets and think it's cruel. It's kind of hard to understand as a loving bird owner who knows other loving bird owners to imagine in what way they dream up our spoiled babies as being "abused". Looking at a situation like this, I can just imagine someone who doesn't know any better imagining *THIS* kind of setup being what the "average" parrot lives in and I can totally see where they find it cruel

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It sure doesn't help matters when we see parrots on tv or movies with no toys in a small cage. Just sitting there on one perch like Tweety Bird in the old WB cartoons (except Tweety would always find a way out of the cage didn't he?) With that, people not only assume that's the way most pet birds are kept, but also assume that's how they're SUPPOSED TO be kept!

Dogs are seen as "family members" of course, while birds are shown like a lowly vermin in a cage. No wonder so many non-bird people I find out are actually surprised to learn that they're smart, feeling, long lived, etc., and among the creatures with higher intelligence!

Oh Terry! Thank you for taking that cage so no other creature will suffer as the Too must have. Looking at the photos makes me want to cry. Living plants will look lovely growing there. So sad what some people consider appropriate living conditions for birds.

Oh how awful! What a nice home for PLANTS that will make! The poor bird! Ugh! You know I literally tell people "Parrots are not plants" and explain that if they just want something pretty to look at, feed, and water, they should buy flowers? And if they insist on having a pretty animal to look at and care for, it should be a fish? Ugh I am shuddering at the thought of the poor bird living in that horrid cage! I hope you end up with a matching set.

I hope I end up with the other one as well.
The woman I got it from does have a bird now, but I couldn't understand everything she said. It sounded like blue _ _ parakeet. So I have no idea what kind it is for sure.She said he talks up a storm and he also never leaves his cage. She also did NOT want me to come see it, and it is probably good I didn't because I am sure I would have wanted to run out of there with it. I did say that if she ever wants rid of him I would take him

It makes me so sad to see people treat them like they are decor, and are supposed to be happy just sitting on a perch and being thrown some seed every now and then.
I think y'all are right about how we see them on TV and in movies..makes me cringe every single time I see one. Seems like someone could get it right, you know?

Just the moment I saw it I thought - a perfect cage for sweet peas! LOL And you wrote the same thing! Hahaha! Or if you can even use it as a tomato cage or grow pickles in it But NOT for a bird for sure!

The only two shows I have seen a parrot being "properly" taken care of is Iron man 2 the cockatoo was NEVER in a cage in that movie (we aren't talking about the guys to stuffed it into a bag but the one who actually took care of it). And Sons Of Anarchy where the bird is in a huge cage, lots of toys and I've even seen it out of the cage in a few episodes. The worse I have seen happen to that bird is people smoking around it but to be honest thats more humane than the way most parrots are kept on tv shows and movies.

This is so sad... if she was afraid of the bird, why did she keep him... if she was afraid because the bird bit her, she could have found someone to train him...

I would like to see how your planter turned out. That seems good idea for that poor excuse for a cage.

poor bird, really sad some people are still so stupid about bird care.

Kiwibird said:

That will make a lovely home for PLANTS. A parrot, not so much... Thats so sad her too lived his whole life in there I guess we can only hope he spent most of his time outside the cage with his family and only slept in there or something. He must have been quite old when he passed then, because that style of cage is something of an antique!

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One of those cages was advertised on one of our local Craigslist sites several months ago.....it was advertised as a wrought iron yard ornament, but did say it was quite heavy, so there are other ones around.....

That will be perfect for plants! Maybe a flowering vine? But for parrots hm um maybe.. well... It could ... NO! I'm glad you got it so no people use it for their poor baby's!