Tips on DIY cages

I'm hoping to be a new bird owner soon. The one I was hoping to get fell through but now that I've committed mentally, I'm going to start looking more seriously.

My question is about building a cage rather than buying one. I'm a welder by trade, and I assume steel is far better than wood anyway. I'm looking at about 8'wx5'dx6'tall (to the ceiling with 2' underneath for cleaning/papers etc.). Assuming something like a Macaw, how wide should the spacing be to allow strengh/security in the cage I'm planning on using 1" square tubing fir the frame as I already have a bunch of it.. Second, I am planning on an area that will be 1/2 in the sun with an easy area to be out of the sun. How well should I protect the glass and drywall (the ceiling), Will he/she dig through or shatter it without an edge to get a hold of? it? And lastly, for protection from rust/etc is powder coating enough?

Well I have never built a cage larger than a carrier for my birds. I am not saying you shouldn't do it, but some things I have learned:

Buying a ready build cage will be quicker, cheaper and more 'fool- proof' than building one from scratch.

Yes steel is the best material to use but it MUST be either stainless or powder coated. My cages are powder coated and stand up pretty well to the mess of parrots, but I have found that over the years, moisture has managed to claim a few spots (around water bowls and poop trays) and I am starting to see signs of rust which is a bummer. Stainless would probably be better, but stainless can be a little $$$. If you build your own you will have to give more thought to door openings, latches, the direction of the bars, cleaning etc. Of course you also have to consider all this with a bought cage, as they are not all 'bird-safe' (even though they claim to be) but it is a much simpler task.

You will need to protect the drywall as big birds will go through it in no time (so I have been told) and it really is not very healthy for them at all. The window should be okay, but you may want to put a screen in front of it or something so the bird knows there is something solid there.

not 100% sure on correct bar spacing, it will come down to specific species

So if you really want to put the effort into building a cage that is 100% 'bird-safe', which would require a lot more research, time and some serious 'labour of love' then go for it...but my recommendation (as much as I love DIY and love to encourage it) is still to buy a commercially available cage . Chances are even if you build it really well, it will have to be replaced within 5 years.

btw.. respect for being a welder, it takes some serious skill to do it 'well'. After all the time i have spent in workshops, that is still the one skill I manage to avoid practicing hehe. First time I tried years ago, I managed to make a bubble and blow it up in my face (I had a mask of course). But it crushed my spirits and put me off juuust a little lol.

I'm surprised more people don't build them actually, there doesn't seem to be that much there for the prices they charge for things like cages. For me its not about cost as much as I just like building things. I don't have a bird yet, so lots of time...

I think for me it comes down to being lazy and cheap, that and I don't have the skills it takes to actually plan out, cut and weld one, I search out sites such as craigs list, ebay classifieds ect for cages, usually larger ones in the $100-$200 range, retail for most of these would be in the $600-$800 range or more new, I've been pretty lucky so far as all of the cages that I went and looked at and bought were in like new condition, I still power wased and sterilized them though, for me it saves money and the hassle of buying one online, waiting for it, cussing over having to assemble it, then cussing some more when I get it assebled and discover I either forgot something or put it together wrong and have to redo everything, I can only imagine what my blood pressure would be should I ever try constructing one from scratch myself :11:

I think its definately possible. It would be great to be able to design your fids cage exactly down to every detail. Building it would give me great joy too, but its not really an option atm. You just have to consider the time, money and 'bird-safe' aspects a little more. If you have the time and you obviously have the skills, then go for it .