When you are not home or when you can not supervise his activities, your bird will likely spend much of his time in a cage. From your bird's point of view, his cage is security, protection; a place to play, sleep and rest. For these reasons, it pays, in the long run, to purchase the biggest and best quality cage that you can fit and afford.

The height of the birdcage should be tall enough to accommodate the full length of the bird's tail. Your bird should also have enough room to turn around without running into walls, toys or bowls. Budgies, canaries and other small birds should have enough room to fly and hop around so they can get the proper amount of exercise.

The two most important factors when choosing a bird cage are the bar spacing and diameter. The spacing must be narrow enough to prevent your bird's head from getting wedged between them, while it should be large enough to prevent toes and limbs from getting trapped. The bar diameter must be thick enough so your bird can not bend or break through with its beak. Here is a guide to selecting the proper size cage for most birds:

Type of Bird
Bar Spacing
Bar Diameter
Min. Cage Width
Ideal Cage Width

Budgie, Finch, Canary
1/8”-3/8”
1-3 mm
14”
28”-30”

Cockatiel, Conure, Lovebird, Senegal Caiques, etc.
1/2”-5/8”
4 mm
18”
32”

Amazons, Greys, Medium Cockatoos, etc.
5/8”-1”
4-6 mm
24”
36”

Macaws, Mollucans, Cockatoos
1”- 1 1/2"
6 mm
36”
48”


When selecting a location for your bird's cage, keep in mind that birds thrive on social activity. The best place to keep your bird is a room where people gather. However, avoid the kitchen, near the television, or in the bathroom. Also keep the cage away form sudden temperature changes and drafts that may be caused by the outside door, a heating vent or a window.

Situate perches in locations that are not directly above the food and water bowls to minimize the chances of contamination. The bowls should be washed daily with a mixture of dish soap and light bleach and rinsed thoroughly.

Remember, when it comes to our feathered friends the sky is literally the limit, so bigger is always better when it comes to their cage.