Cage Size

I always get asked how big a birds cage should be. My answer is always as big as you can afford financially and space wise. But really, there is a criteria we are after. Though birds should never just live in their cage, their cage needs to be big enough for them to function in it. Even if it’s “just a sleep cage,” it still needs to be a proper set up. I’ve written about “sleep cages” extensively on my website (link in my bio).

A cage should have some key features within it. First, multiple varied diameter and textured perches. Please don’t use the fowls that come with the cage. The average is at least 4-5 perches. Next, your bird needs to fully flap up and down without hitting ANYTHING. Super easy for a parakeet, but macaw people.. can your bird do this? Can it stretch and exercise in its cage with a 4FT wing span? Big birds need space too! Your cage should have ample enrichment that the bird interacts with, not just cage decorations. I have toys designed for foraging on my website! The substrate should be paper only. No bedding, no walnut shells, just good ole paper, best if it’s solid color and not newspaper, but newspaper will do. Why? So you can keep track of droppings for signs of illness. It’s also much more hygienic and safe. The last main point, is your cage high enough for your bird? Can they have 2 or 3 different levels of perching? Can you give a high roost perch?

As you can see Alfie in his aviary, he has room to be a bird! He can stretch and move without hitting into things. These standards are bare minimum, and we should expand it to provide high quality care for our bird. If you’re thinking of getting a bird, definitely keep this in mind when researching species. Alfie’s cage is 5ft square by 6ft high and I’m anticipating the day I move to a larger house to give him more room cause even that’s not big enough for him! But, it meets the requirements, he’s out often, so it does help hold us over