What's the point...

[secuono]

...of a tall cage?
My conure has a cage that is 40in inner height and the 20in bottom half, he never uses. I really see no point in having tall cages, I could easily make a second cage from one half. It makes far more sense for me to turn the cage on it's long side than have it vertical...
So, why? Or is long better than tall and we just missed that?

And I mean he ~never~ uses it. Unless I have the bottom door open and cleaning the wire, etc, he is never ever in that whole section. I've moved toys, perches and some foods down, but he ignores and poops all over them instead.

Thoughts, experiences?

 

[Jtbirds]

This is a common debate really, if he doesn't use it then maybe a smaller cage. Really height is needed but such a long cage he wil go right to the top of course just how it's are. So if he enjoys it I'd le him keep it, but if he just seems to not use it to its full capacity maybe you could downsize him?

 

[MonicaMc]

Well, birds do fly horizontally... and many do prefer being up higher (it has it's advantage points)... so it makes sense to get a cage that is wider than it is tall.

When I used tall flight cages, the birds often used the middle part and up. Bottom wasn't used nearly as often... but then I put their dishes near the mid part of the cage. Some people have put the dishes at the bottom of the cage, forcing the birds to use the bottom.

 

[gemini84]

I had a similar issue with my birds and their cage. But they slowly started going to bottom and now they love it

 

[Jtbirds]

One thig I do to get my parrots moving around more is place food dishes with treats and perches down low and they see the food and go forage for it, then once they start going down there I replace to food dishes with foraging toys so they can start playing and eventually they just get to the point the move around a lot more and make use of the whole cage.

 

[ConureCrazy]

If you have a conure maybe you can get a large flight cage? My fids have them and they love it!

 

[Jtbirds]

All my birds that are like conure size and down have flight cages. Other then my Senegal he has a different playgym top cage that he likes. So my blue crowned conure, yellow collard macaw, Indian ring necks, red bellied parrot, and two canaries all have big flights for themselves.

 

[Merlee]

I think if you put something lower than normal for your bird to get involved with, the bottom portion may be useful.

 

[Oedipussrex]

A lot of birds like being high up, so i also think that perhaps a wider cage suspended or on a tall stand to make it higher might be better. But It also depends on the type of bird. Galahs and Corellas are ground foragers, so if you put grass , paper, or toys and things on the bottom of the cage to play with and sift through they will usually have a lot of fun down there.

 

[Kiwibird]

I think it depends on the bird and it's individual needs/preferences on which is better. Kiwi isn't flighted, and actually uses the height in his cage, since he loves climbing (more branches at different levels). He uses every inch of his cage, he even likes hanging like a bat from the top and scrounges around on the bottom. A wider and shorter cage wouldn't be so good for him, since he wouldn't have as much variety for climbing. For a flighted bird, I can see the benefits of a wider cage so they can stretch their wings, and depending on the size of the cage and bird, possibly be able to take small flights in it too.

 

[WannaBeAParrot]

have always had food/water at bottom of flight cage. also keep a ball, foot toys, and a hide-out down there. he plays with them all. but sleeping is always up high.

anoter cage of his (at grandma's) is wide bu only 18" high. he really likes it for all space on top and floor toys.