Talk Budgies Forums banner
Status
Not open for further replies.

Essentials to a Great Cage

68K views 1 reply 2 participants last post by  FaeryBee 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
This post was rewritten by FaeryBee 12/16/2019

Please note that if rope perches are used, you need to ensure your budgies are not chewing them.
Remove any cotton rope perch immediately if you notice any chewing or if the rope becomes frayed from the birds' toenails.

Toys containing cotton string are not recommended. Ingestion of cotton fiber can easily lead to crop impaction.

Dangers of Snuggle Huts, Tents, Fabric Housing, Rope Perches and Tasseled Toys

All members should have a second cage on hand for use as a quarantine/hospital/travel cage.
The excuse, "I don't have a second cage" when a budgie becomes ill or injured or needs to be separated from a cage mate due to aggressive tendencies is simply not acceptable.

The Cage
Cage size and bar spacing is very important.
Many people think they have a "huge" cage when in reality it does not meet
the recommended minimum for the number of birds housed in it.

Cage Sizes

Bigger is better - the more room your birds have the healthier and happier they will be. This is also true for budgies which receive a good deal of "out-of-cage" time.

The space between the bars on cages for budgies should be no more than 1/2".

Cage width is important as budgies fly laterally.

Round cages are not recommended as budgies need to have corners where they will feel secure.​

Perches
Having a good variety of natural wood perches of varying diameters is best.
Having only dowel perches does not provide good exercise for the feet and legs and can lead to pressure sores and bumblefoot
Plastic perches are not recommended.

Natural wood perches


Multiple branch perches




Safety Comfort Pedi perch
Note these perches should have a smooth side where the budgies' feet rest as well as a rough portion where the toenails hit to help keep the toenails "trim".


Grapevine Perch




Comfy Clam Perch



Calcium Perch


Manu Perch


Patio Porch


Rope perch


Rope perches should be used only with extreme caution.
If a cotton rope begins to fray from use, remove and replace immediately.

Dangers of Rope Perches

Remember using a variety of natural wood perches with differing diameters is key.

Placement of perches matters.
Try to place them in different corners, at different angles and or create a playground atmosphere with them.
It is best not to place perches above your budgies' open food and/or water dishes.

Avoid:
Never use Sandpaper perch covers in your budgies' cages. Sandpaper perch covers are a primary cause of bumblefoot in budgies.

You can, however, use a Safety Comfort Pedi Perch (shown in list above) in your budgie's cage along with good variety of natural wood perches.

Ladders

Natural wood ladder


Swings
Swings are a favorite of most budgies and there are many different types

Grapevine Swing with Wooden Beads


Wicker Wreath Swing


Mini Flying Trapeze




Kabob Swing


Airplane Swing


Toys
Toys provide physical and mental stimulation and exercise. Rotating toys saves money and helps prevent budgie boredom

Bells


Budgies can never have enough bells.
Many toys come with a bell attached


Make sure any toys with metal are budgie safe.
Stainless Steel is best.

Wooden toys


Shreddable/Ka-bob toys
Prepare to buy more, as these may be gone in a few days


Straw/Woven toys


Combination Toys -



Other toys include maze and knot toys, sisal and leather toys for chewing and foot toys.

Foraging toys
Designed to make budgies work for their food, these encourage physical and mental exercise helping to prevent obesity and its inherent problems.












Food and Water Cups
Many type and varieties of food and water dishes/bottles are available including:
stainless steel, acrylic, crock-lock and plastic

Keep in mind female budgies may use food dishes as a nesting site.
Choose a type dish that will discourage egg laying if it is being used in a cage with female birds.

Stainless steel


Plastic feeders
Keep in mind that over time plastic can scratch and harbor bacteria so if the dishes become too worn, it is best to replace them.







I use stainless dishes for water for my birds but here are some other options:

Water Silo


Water Bottle


Multiple dishes are recommended.
Additionally, when you have more than one budgie, you may need to have separate dishes for each bird.

1. Seed mix dish
2. Pellet dish (pellets only)
3. Water dish, silo or bottle
4. Vegetable dish

Budgies dishes (both food and water) should be washed daily.

Remember not to leave vegetables in the cage for too long as they may begin to spoil.

Cuttlebones and Mineral Block
Both should be provided in every budgie cage.









Cage Grates and Bedding

The bottom of your cage plays an important role when it comes to budgie housing, as well as budgie health.

Many cages come with removable grates.
Placing clean paper on top of the grates allows a quick clean up.
Additionally, by changing the paper morning and evening, you can easily use the bottom of the cage as a foraging area for your budgies and encourage them to use the entire cage rather than just the top-most portions.

Options for liners are newpaper, packing paper (newsprint) white kitchen paper towels, white butcher paper and commercially purchased cage liners.

I've discovered that for the Prevue Hendryx F040 and F050 cages packing paper (also called newsprint) is excellent to use as cage liners. I've changed completely from using newspaper to using only packing paper in my cages now. I purchase it in a 50 lb package and it lasts for months even when changing the paper in four large cages twice daily!



Avoid:
Corn cob bedding
Wheat bedding
Cotton bedding
These types of bedding promote bacterial growth as well as making it difficult to monitor droppings for changes in health.

Other Cage Accessories

Stands
Cages can be placed on any secure, spacious and flat surface or an appropriately sized stand can be used




Bird Bath








Seed guard/Cage Apron
Some people like to try to use "Seed Guards" on their cages.
I personally simply place sheets on the floor under the cage which make for a quick and easy clean-up.

.

Cage Cleanliness

Cage cleanliness is key to your birds' health.

If you wipe the cage, perches and toys down on a daily basis using either white vinegar or hot water, clean-up is quite easy.

Creating a great cage is fun while maintaining the cleanliness can be challenging.

The importance of maintaining a clean cage cannot be stressed enough with it comes to the health of your birds.

These are just some of the basic elements to ensuring you have a great budgie cage.
Budgies adapt to change well, so rotate toys and perches to provide stimulation.

Options are limitless
 
See less See more
50
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top