New cage for Edgar. Advice please

[KatelynDeanne]

The cage Edgar is in isnt neccesarily too "small" of a cage, I do think he needs more toys and things to play with. What concerns me is that the cage hes in is taller than it is wide. African greys are very heavy breasted birds so if he were to fall it would hurt him. Thats why greys do better in cages that are bigger wide than they are tall. Sounds like your on the right track though! Welcome Edgar!

 

[Imogena]

@Fuzzy could you tell me please about bowls in your cage? Are they somehow secured so Ollie cannot take them out? I don't see it in your picture and also the pictures in the shop are not that good. I don't see the details.

 

[Imogena]

Thats why greys do better in cages that are bigger wide than they are tall.

The problem is the cages available in Poland are taller than wider. I have only acces to Montana cages (among decent cages. I'm not talking about cheap small cages with zink). Montanas seem ok but high. I'm considering Montana Manahttan wich is 100 cm wide and 177 cm high. I've also read that African Greys like to climb.

 

[KatelynDeanne]

The problem is the cages available in Poland are taller than wider. I have only acces to Montana cages (among decent cages. I'm not talking about cheap small cages with zink). Montanas seem ok but high. I'm considering Montana Manahttan wich is 100 cm wide and 177 cm high. I've also read that African Greys like to climb.

Oh thats right, your in Poland. I understand it can be tough given your options there. Yes, African Greys do like to climb. They hang upside down too in their cage. Lucy does this specifically when she wants to come out. Lol

 

[Fuzzy]

@Fuzzy could you tell me please about bowls in your cage? Are they somehow secured so Ollie cannot take them out? I don't see it in your picture and also the pictures in the shop are not that good. I don't see the details.

Yes they are secure when the door shuts. There is a bar across the back to secure. The bird cannot remove the bowl. I'll take a picture of it for you later this evening.

I like the size of cage you are thinking of buying. I just go on the width and depth measurements.... you can't help height. I think they make tall cages to accommodate long tails.

 

[Imogena]

Yes they are secure when the door shuts. There is a bar across the back to secure. The bird cannot remove the bowl. I'll take a picture of it for you later this evening.

Thank you very much

I like the size of cage you are thinking of buying. I just go on the width and depth measurements.... you can't help height. I think they make tall cages to accommodate long tails.

This cage is quite resonable I think, besides the only one with good measurements and 2 cm spacing. I was considering bigger one with 2,5 cm, but:
1. I don't trust that every space will be 2,5 cm. Some could be bigger (even at the shop's webside they say that measurements may not be exact to the millimeters)
2. They are too big to fit in the space I have for the cage
2. Even if I did some redecorating and moved furniture, those cages are quite tall and deep. I would have troubles with getting Edgar from top of the cage (he likes to go there when he is outside). When I want to get him quickly he moves from side to side. With the cage we have now I don't have problem, it is not that tall. I can reach for him easily. With taller and wider cage I would. I'm not very tall person.

 

[Imogena]

Oh thats right, your in Poland. I understand it can be tough given your options there. Yes, African Greys do like to climb. They hang upside down too in their cage. Lucy does this specifically when she wants to come out. Lol

Edgar also likes to hang upside down. He does it when he goes from highest perch to get the pellets. And sometimes he hangs like this just for fun.

 

[Bokkapooh]

Non taken Appreciate honesty. Tank you for the opinion. For now I will put more toys inside because for the new cage I have to wait at least three months (delivery time).

You sound like a great birdie owner to your timneh!

I commend you for looking for honest feedback and wanting to do best by your little grey

Are you able to get boings and swings and things like that? More variety in toys would be a great idea. Foraging toys too. African greys are smart birds, I bet he'd love to put his big brain to use with foraging toys and puzzle toys.

 

[Imogena]

You sound like a great birdie owner to your timneh!

I commend you for looking for honest feedback and wanting to do best by your little grey

Thank you . Besides you just expressed your opinion which I was asking for. No personal attack, no patronizing. Just your thoughts given in polite way.

Are you able to get boings and swings and things like that?

I think so. Swings for sure. Boings... as soon as I know what they are. Sorry, I'm not familiar with this term.

 

[Kodigirl210]

I know that you will want to avoid boings. They are made with the same material as rope perches over a steel coil. Since Edgar had no issues tearing the perches up, he would do the same to a boing and they are longer so more rope threads flying loose Stick with leather or if you can find toys made with stainless steel those would be good as well. Greys seem to love stainless.
Edgar should be fine in his cage for now. He shouldn’t get much larger and the Timneh has a much sleeker build. I sometimes think the CAGs weight is all in the chest lol. Due to that CAGs tend to fall like bricks. If you notice Edgar slipping and falling a lot you can put some towels on the bottom of the cage and then newspaper on top to catch the poop. It will give him a soft landing.

I think he will love his new cage when it gets in.

 

[Imogena]

I know that you will want to avoid boings. They are made with the same material as rope perches over a steel coil.

Ok. I checked Internet and I know what boings are. You are right. I will not buy them. Edgar had a few colorful rope perches . Each lasted about two weeks and during that time Edgar managed to create colorless mess. He pulled out so many threads that the whole rope lost its color, because everything was so mixed. So you can imagine how much he destroyed it. He has a thing for ropes. I wouldn't mind buying him new one every two weeks but I'm really afraid that he will tangle himself into this threads.

He shouldn’t get much larger and the Timneh has a much sleeker build.

I don't think he will get larger. When I got him three monhts ago he was 297. Now he is 310. His weight fluctuates. Sometimes he is 315, sometimes 308, but the average is 310.

If you notice Edgar slipping and falling a lot you can put some towels on the bottom of the cage and then newspaper on top to catch the poop. It will give him a soft landing.

Yes, I considered it whe I read about dangers of falling in this thread. For now Edgar is quite agile. He does some acrobatics inside his cage and outside.

 

[Imogena]

Ok, so to summarize. This cage is not so bad but bigger would be much better. For me it means that in the near future I will buy him bigger cage anyway but I don't have to do it right this instant. Although, knowing myself it will be sooner than later, because if I already decided, I don't see much point in waiting.
Too little toys inside. I've already put some more but I plan to buy some additional (either ready toys or some elements to make them). I also put one simple foraging toy which I made some time ago. It was in his cage, then I moved it to climbing wall to encourage Edgar to go there. Now he doesn't need more encouraging. The climbing wall is not scary anymore. I will get more foraging toys so I could change them from time to time.
I also will bake him some shredding toys (I made one accidentaly when I was trying to bake birdie bread and Edgar was very happy with it). Right now his shredding toys are rice cakes (natural rice and nothing more) but they are not that hard. I need some substitute for cardboard because Edgar loves shredding but unfortunately he got this habbit of eating pieces.
Thank you very much for your opinions and advices. I appreciate them very much.

 

[Fuzzy]

The three Montanas I have are all the Castell. I have just measured a few of the bars they are all around 2.5 and 2.6cm which I know would be fine for your Grey. My Amazons are roughly the same size as a Grey. Here is Bobbie near the bars of her cage (she has the smallest head and definitely couldn't fit her head between the bars):

This is how the food bowls work. When you close the doors there is a bar that keeps the bowl in place:

I am trying to lift the bowl up from underneath. This is as far as it will lift. I definitely couldn't take the whole bowl out. None of the birds have tried to lift the bowls out. I think because the bowls overlap the metal holder.

The older Montana cages had food bowls with nipples that you slot in and turn (Ollie's cage), and they still had the bar at the back:

 

[Imogena]

Thank you very very much for your effort @Fuzzy. Now I see the bowls. It was very important to me because I bought additional bowl for Edgar and just after I put it in his cage, he took it out. It was great play for him to take it out again and again. The three original bowls in his cage are secured in similar way as yours.
And thank you for measuring the spaces. In Edgar's cage some of the spaces also are 2,6 cm and his head doesn't fit. Now I see that I have some more options with choosing new cage. Before I opted for 2 cm bar spacing, now I see that they keep measurements quite well. That means I can choose from other models. This is very important information for me. I really appreciate your help very much.
Why, oh why the shop couldn't do such good pictures of the details? And why, oh why they couldn't put such pictures in the company catalog? I found Montana catalog in internet and was so happy that finally I get decent information and pictures. I got the informations but pictures... very small, whole cage, no details. Ehhhh, life.

 

[Kodigirl210]

That’s what makes forums great. Especially as large as this one is. Your bound to run into someone who has run into the issues that you are having. I know Edgar is a very lucky birb.


Sheesh it really hates the word “into”

 

[Imogena]

That’s what makes forums great. Especially as large as this one is. Your bound to run it to someone who has run I to the issues that you are having.

I love it here. And I cannot even say how much I appreciate that so many people are ready to sacrifice their time and effort to answer my questions. I only hope that one day I will be able to give others the help I'm receiving now.

I know Edgar is a very lucky birb.

Thank you This means a lot.

 

[Fuzzy]

Thank you very very much for your effort @Fuzzy. Now I see the bowls. It was very important to me because I bought additional bowl for Edgar and just after I put it in his cage, he took it out. It was great play for him to take it out again and again. The three original bowls in his cage are secured in similar way as yours.
And thank you for measuring the spaces. In Edgar's cage some of the spaces also are 2,6 cm and his head doesn't fit. Now I see that I have some more options with choosing new cage. Before I opted for 2 cm bar spacing, now I see that they keep measurements quite well. That means I can choose from other models. This is very important information for me. I really appreciate your help very much.
Why, oh why the shop couldn't do such good pictures of the details? And why, oh why they couldn't put such pictures in the company catalog? I found Montana catalog in internet and was so happy that finally I get decent information and pictures. I got the informations but pictures... very small, whole cage, no details. Ehhhh, life.

I am very happy to help. Montana cages are expensive so you don't want to make a mistake. Another thing I like about the Montana cages is that you can have the bottom grill in or out. The bird can't fit through the space if you decide not to use it. Any other details you want to know and I am happy to take photos for you.

 

[Imogena]

One more question, sorry. What do you think about this one? Dimensions: 100x60x128 inside. Iron powder coated. Bar spacing 2 cm the vertical bars (two walls) and 2,6 horizontal bars (two walls). It is very similar to what I have now (the same producer), but my cage is smaller. The cage is good quality, my concern is: the widenes is not that big (60 cm versus 77 cm in Montana cage), horizontal bar spacing (if they keep measurements is ok, if they don't some of the spaces could be too big). If I would buy this one, I will check the spacing and in case something is wrong, I will return the cage.
As for the prize, it is more than half cheaper than Montana cage and I could have it in a week time instead of three months.
Sorry for bothering you so much but it is really very important to me.

 

[Kodigirl210]

I don’t believe the difference in depth is that big of a deal. If Edgar were a CAG & going to gain 200g then I’d be contemplating the extra space. There are three things I would be concerned with on this model:
1. Does it have bars underneath the top tray. Sometimes to save on costs the manufacturer uses the top tray to create the top of the cage rather than actual bars with the tray resting above the bars.
2.What is the thickness of the actual bars because it looks like it may be only 2mm which may be thin enough for Edgar to bite through.
3.The cups don’t look like they are much better than what you have now. In fact-in addition to not being secure enough they appear smaller overall.
As long as you are able to verify that are bars under the top play place, the cups can’t be pulled out & the bars are thick enough to not be bitten through, I don’t see any reason Edgar wouldn’t be happy!

 

[Imogena]

1. Does it have bars underneath the top tray. Sometimes to save on costs the manufacturer uses the top tray to create the top of the cage rather than actual bars with the tray resting above the bars.
2.What is the thickness of the actual bars because it looks like it may be only 2mm which may be thin enough for Edgar to bite through.
3.The cups don’t look like they are much better than what you have now. In fact-in addition to not being secure enough they appear smaller overall.

Ad. 1 it has bars underneath the top. .
Just out of curiosity: if it hadn't have bars, why would be bad? Because Edgar could move somehow the top tray?
Ad. 2 Thicknes of the bars is 3,5, and the bottom has 4 mm. My current cage has 3,2 mm bars.
Ad. 3 The bowls are 11x8 cm. They are secured. In Edgar's current cage they are secured as well. My concern was about additional bowl I bought and wanted to put in the cage.

It is Cezar cage from Zooplus.