Choosing your Bird Cage

It is true that at times birds must be restricted, however, permanent confinement is unhealthy for birds selected as pets. The prime purpose of the appropriate cage is to improve the physical and emotional security of the bird at all times. A bird that feels safe emotionally and physically makes the best pet. Here are some tips for you

You will enjoy your pet bird more if it is outside the cage when you are at home.
However, all birds should be confined to cages whilst their owners are away to avoid accidental injury and other misfortune. An unsupervised pet bird allowed the run of the house will eventually get into trouble. Not only can they be terribly destructive to the home itself and its furnishings, but there are objects in the home that are harmful directly and indirectly to pet birds (mirrors, windows, walls, pot plants, electrical cords, lead, zinc and copper etc). Birds resting on open perches are usually content to stay there and will usually take flight only when frightened in response to sudden movement or loud noise. Unfortunately these impromptu flights are taken without a flight plan and birds usually wind up crashing into walls or windows. Traumatic injuries from these "encounters" can be life threatening. Under your supervision it is unlikely your bird will get a fright.

When you are not at home it is best to have you pet bird inside a cage.
The location of the cage in the home is important. Some birds thrive in areas of heavy traffic where they receive lots of attention, whereas others prefer solitude and privacy. The kitchen and laundry must never be used to house birds as they promote fungal infections.

The door of the cage must be very large.
The cage is both the outside and inside facility of the bird and is divided into an inside resting/sleep area and an outside fun area. A large door is a necessity as it gives you access to your pet bird in a non-threatening way making daily contact with it a routine procedure. Birds do not tolerate being held but do enjoy jumping onto a hand. When unattended the pet bird is returned to the inside for its own safety. Daily contact outside the cage is important for the emotional health of the pet bird.

The security offered by a well-designed cage promotes the proper training of the pet bird.
Under the correct guidance the pet bird can be trained to do almost anything. Toilet training and homing are the most basic requirements for every pet bird. Training must start from a very young age and is based on food rewards at first. After a while, it is purely the joy of pleasing its owner that motivates the pet bird. Homing and toilet training starts from day one by positive reinforcement i.e. give a treat or praise the bird when it poos on top or in the cage.

Training is best done in the late afternoon and on the finger or top of the cage.
Short lessons are best (2-3 minutes) in the late afternoon in a quiet room. Reward your bird with a food treat or praise at the end of each lesson.

The type of perch is very, very important.
Captive birds spend most of their lives on a perch so the correct perch arrangements are extremely important. The perches should be placed at the same height and as far apart as possible to stimulate exercise between perches. If perches are at different heights ensure they do not overlap. Also allow enough clearance between the perch and the end of the cage so the bird can turn freely and not damage its tail feathers.

Native eucalypt tree branches of varying widths make the best perches.
Round dowelling or round branches are given to parrot birds, because they have two toes forward and two back, whereas oval perches are best for canaries and finches which have three toes forward and one back.

Eucalypt branches must be given to Australian birds (especially budgerigars) from a very young age.
Australian parrots love to chew on eucalypt branches. The eucalypt oil inside the bark is a natural health tonic and the chewing activity keeps the bird occupied for hours on end. In the wild, our native birds are very active in the morning and evening, but spend most of their day resting in the trees and chewing the branches.

The floor must be free of any covering.
All parrots love to chew and especially when they are unwell. often ill birds chew and eat the floor coverings that often leads to a blocked gizzard. This is a very serious condition and can be avoided by leaving the floor free of sand, grit, paper or sand paper. it is much easier to monitor the health of your pet bird when a clean floor reveals each new day's droppings. The droppings reveal so much about the changing health of birds and are one of the first signs of illness.

Beak and Nail (claw) clipping.
Caged birds live in a very geometric world in contrast to their wild counterparts. most of the surfaces with which they routinely come in contact (perches, cages bars etc,) are very smooth and regular. Consequently the claws and beak of the pet bird tend to overgrow and the surfaces of their beaks also tend to become rough and irregular. In their natural environment this is not a problem because of the wild birds' increased activity level and their daily encounters with tree bark, rocks, and other abrasive surfaces. A fresh eucalypt branch in the cage each week keeps the beak in good trim and natural perches will help keep the claws short. Sandpaper perch covers do not prevent nail growth, but do cause irritation and excessive wear of the soles of the feet and must not be used.

Hygiene.
The greatest enemy to your pet bird is moisture in the cage that allows bacteria and fungus to breed and harm your bird's health. The diseases related to moisture are common problems easily controlled by water cleansers and cage cleaners as part of a health programme.