Modifying Large Cage...

[Vasilisa]

I found a perfect large flight cage for my green cheek conure. I sent my boyfriend to pick up my find, only spent $50, and to my utter dismay I saw that the bar spacing is too big, around an inch spaced.

Why is finding a large cage for a small bird so haaaarrrddd?!

I thought for a moment about just completely building one,

then I thought maybe I could modify this one.

I can buy 12 x 12 or larger sheets of 1/2 inch spaced stainless steel grids. If I can fasten these safely, or even solder them, would this fix my dilemma? You think? It's not horribly expensive.

I could add to the bars, which are honestly sparse.

 

[Vasilisa]

Sorry I just found the section specifically about cages...

 

[SailBoat]

I can buy 12 x 12 or larger sheets of 1/2 inch spaced stainless steel grids. If I can fasten these safely, or even solder them, would this fix my dilemma? You think? It's not horribly expensive.

I could add to the bars, which are honestly sparse.

Well, when it rains, its pours, sadly just found you.

Please share the size of the cage you purchased and its general design, i.e.: its a rectangle with play top, its a dome top, etc... as each provide different issues to over come.

- As a general statement, most people think that they can simply add a few panels to the sides of the cage and all it well. In fact, all six surfaces have to have the panels installed. All surfaces represent a possible hanging surface.

- Holding the panels in place is a serious problem on several levels. Since the cage is likely Steel that has been powder coated. Although solder could be used, please understand that you are working with two very different metals and adding a third to hold them together. In addition, the process will damage the powder coated surface. That area even if it does hold will rust rapidly!

I could cover the list of problems that you will be faced with, that is going to get boring fast. So, I would recommend that you cost-out the Stainless Steel Panels first to see if you even want to proceed down that road. Also, remember that adding panels to a cage will increase your effort in cleaning it as they will only add more places for stuff to stick.

It is possible that you could have more money into this project than the cost of a new cage.

Contact: cages4less.com Call them and tell them what Parrot you have and what you want and see what they recommend. I have used them of a very long time and find them competitive and great products. Plus, cages and cage support products is all they do! With means that everything shows up and is for the same cage and the same color and etc, etc, etc...

NOTE: Wrought Iron is a stage in the making of Steel plate, bars, etc... It is an older term used to project a stronger product, since this step did increase the strength of Steel.

 

[Vasilisa]

The cage had a little rust on it so I was already planning to sand and paint it with ECCOS paint. I could seal the stainless too. It may my be so bad if I went a little bigger and tried to find 3/4 inch spaced thick stainless mesh.

When I get home in a few I'm going to measure and try to upload a photo

 

[Vasilisa]

It's DEFINITELY too big. Holy crap. 1 3/4 inch bar spaces.

2 ft 10 inches high

1 ft 7 inch depth

1 ft 9 inches width

I found stainless steel mesh for $15 per 4 ft by 1 foot....

Agghhh

 

[SailBoat]

It's DEFINITELY too big. Holy crap. 1 3/4 inch bar spaces (45 mm).

2 ft 10 inches high (34" (864 mm)

1 ft 7 inch depth (19" (483 mm)

1 ft 9 inches width (21" (533 mm)

I found stainless steel mesh for $15 per 4 ft by 1 foot....

Agghhh

That is a really odd cage! With the current bar spacing and its size, the only Parrot that could use it would be a medium sizes MAC for a 'Sleeping Cage' - maybe??? That said, none of my MAC friends would use it for anything.

I would take it back and explain that the wrong bar spacing is dangerous for your Parrot and hope the give you the money back.

By the time you get this 'thing' safe for your parrot and the doors /accent points operational you're not going to want it anywhere people will see it and that will only be bad for your Parrot.

Everyone gets caught in an error. Chalk it up to a learning experience and move on! Sadly, if you continue to put more time and money into it, at some point later on your will come to this concussion and you really do not want to be that person.

FYI: It appears to be a flat top style.

 

[Kiwibird]

Yikes! As Sailboat mentioned, the bar spacing of the cage does not equate with the size of parrot that would fit in that cage. I'm guessing that's an older cage and somebody once stuck a big macaw in there before more modern cage sizing guidelines became well known. Since it was only $50, take it as a lesson learned and don't dump any more money into trying to make it right. Just buy a cage that doesn't need alterations or build one from scratch to your specifications/needs (though it is typically less costly to just buy a cage new).

Personally, I think that cage needn't go to waste and could look nice if you spray painted it a fun color and used it as a nice cage for plants outside. You could even add a faux bird to it! A few other members who've ended up with old cages not appropriate for housing parrots have done similar projects to upcycle the cages for more appropriate, decorative uses. That way, no other bird ever need live in there and at least it could serve some purpose Here are some ideas from Pinterest. Really love the idea of succulents and candles (maybe battery ones?), that would look awesome!:

 

[Flboy]

As everyone is saying, you really do not want to try to modify this cage! It would end up looking like one of the Mad Max cars in ThunderDome! You would also have to deal with all the edges from the cut mesh.

 

[Vasilisa]

Crap..... !

 

[Kiwibird]

I just want to point out, given a cage will be one of the largest investments you make for your bird, it will be a lot better to keep your bird in it's current cage, even if it's smaller than ideal, for a few more months until you can save up to buy a large 'dream cage' than trying to alter this cage to be something it will never be. A bird who gets to come out a lot and is loved can cope with a smaller and less ideal sized cage a whole lot easier than a larger, unsafe cage.

Sailboat brought up birdcages4less.com and I got my birds cage through them too a few years ago. They were very helpful in answering all my pre-purchase questions and I have been very happy with the quality of cage I got from them. They have a lot of styles and some bigger cages with narrow bar spacing for smaller birds and a nice selection of colors in a guaranteed bird safe coating too (painting a cage yourself, no mater how safe the manufacturer may claim their product is, is always iffy):

https://birdcages4less.com/page/B/PROD/Aviaries/PA5739

https://birdcages4less.com/page/B/PROD/Aviaries/PA5699

https://birdcages4less.com/page/B/PROD/Aviaries/PA5719

I know green cheeks are smaller conures and am unsure of safe bar spacing for them, but if you can go up to 5/8" spacing, you could even get into cages like this (first one looks very similar to the one you bought, only smaller bar spacing)!

https://birdcages4less.com/page/B/PROD/Conure-Bird-Cages/PA5703

https://birdcages4less.com/page/B/PROD/Conure-Bird-Cages/PA5727

https://birdcages4less.com/page/B/PROD/Conure-Bird-Cages/PA5740

 

[Vasilisa]

Thank you guys so much for the advice!!! I took it and found this AMAZING cage. It's a lot bigger than the other, and has a play stand on top, and looks brand new and was super clean. I think it's powder coated. The lady had 7 Ecclectus parrots!!!! She said she just got a bigger one and didn't need this one anymore. $100! I'm so excited about my new feathered friend.

 

[Flboy]

Very sweet!