Cage checkover.

[budgiesmum1953]

Hello everyone,
Just a little input about something that crossed my mind earlier. I'm sure I read somewhere on the forum to make sure that cage bars are secure and it reminded me of something that happened many years ago, back in the late 1950s to be exact! We had been given a lovely budgie, cage and all accessories as its owner was emigrating and had to leave the bird here in England. I was only about 6 at the time and this was my first pet budgie and I loved him to bits. Being our first little bird I suppose we must have been inexperienced, and thinking that his cage was fine because he had lived in it for some years, didn't realise the dangers of bars that are a little further apart in some places. Well I came down after bedtime one morning to find that he had pushed his head through at the top of his cage, between two bars and couldn't free himself. After living with us for a number of months it was devastating to a little girl to find this little fellow like this. So PLEASE everyone check that your cages are in good order, as I imagine that they will be, it's just that I thought if I shared this with you and if only one person found a similar fault that they might have missed before it just might prevent a similar tragedy.
Jan. XXX.

[Enna]

My bars are all 1/2 inch apart. We have 1 bent bar bot i don't think it will matter much. ill try and fix it later. Most cages today are made so bars are even or i should hope so. Most cages have been like this though. With today people are more informed about birds. We have even got avian vets now. Big upgrade to out avian friends But i will say this is a great warning for anyone new to getting birds to see

[budgiesmum1953]

I agree that the cages are so much better nowadays. I seem to remember that the cause of what happened wasn't the actual spacing but the fact that the cage must have been quite old and in places bars had spread open a little wider here and there. Being so young I wouldn't have known that there was any danger but now I would destroy a cage like that with a sledge hammer. I suppose that it's more of a warning for anyone who might be given a cage, bird, etc. that it could be an idea to check it out for any potential hazards.
Jan. XXX.

[Bea]

Definitely something to watch out for. Be careful when arranging perches that they don't bend the bars out of shape.

[Lace]

O how terrible!! But yea, good cage check overs are always a good thing. Everyone should always check them for safty and for any potential hazards, such as Rust, Paint chipping, Bent bars, some bars missing, and i even beleive it nessary to whip downt he bars ot he cage every week or so.

[sarah1987]

Hi all
Ive just checked my cage over and the bars are 1 inch apart i think the cage is meant for a cockatiel or small parrot and ive only recently moved the budgies into it as i thourght the cage is bigger than there other one and they will be happier in it but i might change it back as i have saw angel sticking her head through the bars, on there other cage the bars are 1/2 inch apart if i change it back will it affect there breeding at all
thanks

[budgiesmum1953]

Hi sarah1987, yes please be wary of those spaces. I'm pretty sure that they recommend bar spaces of 1/2 and no larger for budgies. Because a budgie seems to have 'sticky out' bits on either side of the head and just below their cheeks, I believe that it's how the skull is shaped and you can feel it when you give them a neck tickle. So if they push their heads through a gap hard enough it will go through OK but they can't get it back, with disastrous results. Like a child pushing his or her head through railings and the ears trapping them. I'm so glad that you checked your cage out.
Love, Jan. XXX.

[Meghanxx4]

hmm i geuss i cant get a parrot cage then because parrot cages are usually so big so i thagut that would be perfect for a like 5 ot 6 budgies if i just gotr one huge parrot vage but i think in parrot cvages the abrs are a bti wider apart.. i dunno i can check at petstore...

But yes good alert! i have no budgeis now but im getting some in january or sometime soon in next few months and ill have to replace a few of my cages since theyve been left outside in the rain and rusted... so ya.

[sarah1987]

Hi sarah1987, yes please be wary of those spaces. I'm pretty sure that they recommend bar spaces of 1/2 and no larger for budgies. Because a budgie seems to have 'sticky out' bits on either side of the head and just below their cheeks, I believe that it's how the skull is shaped and you can feel it when you give them a neck tickle. So if they push their heads through a gap hard enough it will go through OK but they can't get it back, with disastrous results. Like a child pushing his or her head through railings and the ears trapping them. I'm so glad that you checked your cage out.
Love, Jan. XXX.
Thanks for that jan i will change it back just to be on the safe side
love
sarah xxx:)

[Bea]

hmm i geuss i cant get a parrot cage then because parrot cages are usually so big so i thagut that would be perfect for a like 5 ot 6 budgies if i just gotr one huge parrot vage but i think in parrot cvages the abrs are a bti wider apart.. i dunno i can check at petstore...

But yes good alert! i have no budgeis now but im getting some in january or sometime soon in next few months and ill have to replace a few of my cages since theyve been left outside in the rain and rusted... so ya.
You can get some awesome parrot sized cages that have 1/2" bar spacing for birds like budgies and finches. :) You just need to look around a bit more.