Thinking of downgrading my bird cage...

[BirdyBee]

Hi, I have been thinking of maybe getting a smaller, easier to clean cage for my birds. Currently, it is 45×75×130cm tall. I can build my own custom cage.

What are some recommendations? Do you guys think it's ok to house them in a slightly smaller cage as long as they get a lot of free time?

More info: I have 5 budgies.

 

[Vampiric_Conure]

A slightly smaller cage should be fine as long as they're getting out of cage time .

 

[SailBoat]

Greater space is always a good thing and ever more important the longer the bird(s) are cage each day.

When considering a New Cage; Always consider a larger main access door as that is the real secret of easing cage cleaning.

 

[BirdyBee]

Greater space is always a good thing and ever more important the longer the bird(s) are cage each day.

Thanks. Considering that some days they don't even come out because of how busy I am, a smaller cage will not be a good idea.

When considering a New Cage; Always consider a larger main access door as that is the real secret of easing cage cleaning.

I think that is what I will do. I will make a stable cage with one or two large doors, and maybe a few small ones for food and water bowls.

A slightly smaller cage should be fine as long as they're getting out of cage time

Thanks for the advice. This is what I've been told. Longer time in cage=bigger cage, shorter time=smaller cage is ok.

 

[BirdyBee]

Is PVC wire ok for budgies? I don't have a lot of stainless steel, aluminum, high-quality galvanized(I heard that's ok if no other choice exists), etc. available.

 

[StormyPica]

PVC coated wire has a thin layer of plastic coating which is very easily removed and chewed on by our birds. Therefore, it is only a good choice for non-chewing birds, such as finches and softbills.

Source: Beauty of Birds

 

[Kentuckienne]

Cages are expensive, no doubt. But the cage is important. It must be made of something nontoxic, like stainless steel, powder-coated steel. Galvanized metal is coated with zinc to prevent rust, and zinc is poisonous. Some people say they have washed all the zinc coating off with acid, but then you are left with a metal that will rust, and that creates its own problems. Plus, the spacing between bars is very important and must match the size of the bird, so they don’t get their heads or toes trapped.

Why do you want to build a smaller cage? Is there not room for the bigger one? Since you have smaller birds, maybe you can try building a new cage out of other cages. Used cages, in good condition, could be taken apart and out back together in a different configuration. Maybe the bird can travel through a plexiglass tunnel (big enough to turn around in, maybe?) to a second cage where there is water or food or toys.

 

[BirdyBee]

Cages are expensive, no doubt. But the cage is important. It must be made of something nontoxic, like stainless steel, powder-coated steel. Galvanized metal is coated with zinc to prevent rust, and zinc is poisonous. Some people say they have washed all the zinc coating off with acid, but then you are left with a metal that will rust, and that creates its own problems. Plus, the spacing between bars is very important and must match the size of the bird, so they don’t get their heads or toes trapped.

I'd rather not use galvanized then.

I have done a lot of research on bar spacing and cage safety.

Why do you want to build a smaller cage? Is there not room for the bigger one? Since you have smaller birds, maybe you can try building a new cage out of other cages. Used cages, in good condition, could be taken apart and out back together in a different configuration. Maybe the bird can travel through a plexiglass tunnel (big enough to turn around in, maybe?) to a second cage where there is water or food or toys.

I was thinking about getting a smaller cage so it's easy to clean, but I can make a same size cage that is easy to clean. There is more than enough space for my current cage.

PVC coated wire has a thin layer of plastic coating which is very easily removed and chewed on by our birds. Therefore, it is only a good choice for non-chewing birds, such as finches and softbills.

Source: Beauty of Birds

I've seen wire made out of plastic, that is quite durable. My birds likely won't be able to chew it. They don't care about hard wood or plastic.

 

[Kentuckienne]

I don‘t know what plastic wire is. Can you post a picture, or a link? Plastic can be a problem because it is soft, so over time it will get scratches and small tears on the surface. Even if they don’t chew it, feet and beaks and nails will scratch it. Those places will start to harbor germs and be hard to clean. What is making your current cage so hard to clean? You might be able to make a homemade version of “Aviclean” or other non-toxic poop cleaner. If I spray Aviclean on poop, in no time it’s soft and wipes right up.

 

[BirdyBee]

I don‘t know what plastic wire is. Can you post a picture, or a link? Plastic can be a problem because it is soft, so over time it will get scratches and small tears on the surface. Even if they don’t chew it, feet and beaks and nails will scratch it. Those places will start to harbor germs and be hard to clean.

I'll try to get a pic.

What is making your current cage so hard to clean? You might be able to make a homemade version of “Aviclean” or other non-toxic poop cleaner. If I spray Aviclean on poop, in no time it’s soft and wipes right up.

It's the design. Some parts are hard to reach and require a lot of effort, like the corners.

I bought F10 to clean my cages.

 

[Cottonoid]

When I was looking for cages for Cotton, I found some sold for small mammals where the WHOLE FRONT opened up, like it was just two full door panels! How brilliant for cleaning! They only came in black though and I wanted white, but I wish more bird cages were made like that.