Cage for Visits with Family

katie_fleming

Active member
Oct 30, 2012
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Montreal, Canada
Parrots
Jasper (6yr old Solomon Island Eclectus Parrot)
Hello!

I'd like to buy a small cage to keep at my parents so when I go home to visit I'll be able to bring Jasper with me (btw, ETA about 3 weeks!!).

What would be the minimum I could get away with? I'm going to look for a used one as I don't have much money after buying him everything else, but I'm not sure what's the smallest size I could get away with?
 

weco

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Nov 24, 2010
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USA
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Nanday, suns, parrotlet, Patagonian
It's a bit hard to offer suggestions without knowing what specie of bird you have, but it's generally suggested that a minimum should be a cage where a bird can turn around in, with wings extended and not touch the cage walls.....
 

Kiwibird

Well-known member
Jul 12, 2012
9,539
111
Parrots
1 BFA- Kiwi. Hatch circa 98', forever home with us Dec. 08'
So long as he won't be staying for long periods of time, you can get away with a pretty small cage.

Something like this if you want a more permanent setup there-
Parrot Bird Cage - Bird Cage - Parrot Cages - Large Bird Cages - TheLAShop.com

And if you want a REALLY low cost option for overnight use or a few days, just look for a cage that his head and tail won't touch the bottom/sides of (basically, just fits). This is Kiwi's (similar size to an ekkie) travel cage, cost $5 at a thrift shop (and he was in it for 3 straight days when we moved cross country, no problems). Basically, it's a budgie cage, but a happy bird is fine for a short period in a small cage. Kiwi even goes down and plays in his travel cage of his own free will-
DSC_4132_zps116d48e1.jpg
 
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katie_fleming

katie_fleming

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Oct 30, 2012
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Montreal, Canada
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Jasper (6yr old Solomon Island Eclectus Parrot)
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That's awesome! Ok great, thanks. I'll keep checking on Kijiji and other sites that sell used items.
 
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katie_fleming

katie_fleming

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Oct 30, 2012
881
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Montreal, Canada
Parrots
Jasper (6yr old Solomon Island Eclectus Parrot)
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I found one that's 19 x 19 x 36 inches high would that work? I don't have my bird yet so I don't know exactly how big he is, but he's a baby Solomon Island Eclectus parrot :)

Please keep in mind this isn't for a carrier cage, I'll get one of those when I get my bird. This is for him to sleep in/be in a few hours here and there when I'm visiting family. Thanks
 
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Kiwibird

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Jul 12, 2012
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Parrots
1 BFA- Kiwi. Hatch circa 98', forever home with us Dec. 08'
Less the fancy stand, I believe this is the exact cage my parents kept at their house for watching Kiwi for short periods of time (like a week) when we went out of town-

Parrot Bird Cage Dome Top w Stand Wheel 20x20x57 0101 826 | eBay

I think the cage you're looking at would be fine. If it's just a few hours at a time (or sleeping) for a few days here and there, as long as he has a little room and some toys, it's fine. They don't go crazy being kept in a small cage for a few days or even a few months (not that you'd ever do that). It when they go years and years in a small cage with a poor diet and are never let out and have no toys that issues arise. The little travel cage we have actually has a sticker on it placing it as housing a bird hatched in 1980 (I chose not to remove it when I bought the cage and it's never washed off either). Bar spacing and dowel size tells me it was probably a cage intended for a med-lg size bird to LIVE IN back then.
 

weco

New member
Nov 24, 2010
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USA
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Nanday, suns, parrotlet, Patagonian
If your eclectus wanted to flap its wings in a 19" square cage, there's a pretty good chance it would lose some of its wing tip flight feathers or at the very least it would make the tip feathers very raggedy.....

Most eclectus will have a wingspan of 24" to 30" so you might want to look for something around 34" by 34" that would give it 2" on each side, when its wings are extended.....
 

drlisaort

New member
Nov 3, 2012
683
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Hollywood, Florida
Parrots
Oliver, Male (SI) Eclectus
I have a second cage for Oliver at my get-away-home and it's a tad bit smaller (or about half the size) than his at the main house. It has a top that opens up so he can get out and stretch when someone is home. I also have a second stand. Both do take up space but I'm there every month for four days so it's worth it.
 

Kiwibird

Well-known member
Jul 12, 2012
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111
Parrots
1 BFA- Kiwi. Hatch circa 98', forever home with us Dec. 08'
Both of those look nice as a "vacation home" for your bird:) I will mention if you go to look at that white cage, pinch those bars together and see if they have any give. It's hard to tell in a picture, but they look a little on the weak side for a bird like an eclectus. If YOU with your "weak human fingers" can bend the bars, then a parrot with a nutcracker on their face could bend the bars and snap welds if he so chose. A slight give is ok, but if you could put a crease in the metal kind of thing, it's probably not species-appropriate. Since you haven't even brought him home yet, you aren't going to know for some time whether he's a gentle bird or a rough one:) It may not actually be as pliable as it looks, but you should definitely check before buying;)
 
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katie_fleming

katie_fleming

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Oct 30, 2012
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Montreal, Canada
Parrots
Jasper (6yr old Solomon Island Eclectus Parrot)
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Thanks very much!! That helps a lot. Hopefully I can take a look at it next weekend to see. Many thanks for your help :)
 
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katie_fleming

katie_fleming

Active member
Oct 30, 2012
881
31
Montreal, Canada
Parrots
Jasper (6yr old Solomon Island Eclectus Parrot)
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