Question about a bird cage

Jarklor · 4/15/13

I have a cage called vision L12. The bottom of the cage has a part to put the bedding and horizontal bars as a floor. Should the bedding be filled up to the bars or higher?

Also, is a 29.5 x 20 x 30 a good size cage for a cockatiel?

waterfaller1 · 4/15/13

You should not be using "bedding" in a cage. Use newspaper or similar. Bedding can cause mold, and causes a person not to want to clean daily, as a bird cage should be. Do you have a link to the cage? I wouldn't put a tiel in anything less than a flight cage, which is like this
Amazon.com: A&E CAGE CO 32-Inch by 21-Inch Flight Cage and Stand, Sandstone: Pet Supplies

Jarklor · 4/15/13

Well, it's about the same size. I even have a second level added to my cage. The stuff I have for bedding isn't really "bedding." It's a mixture of materials to make the bird's poop not stink.

waterfaller1 · 4/15/13

Bird's poop should not stink. If it does there is a problem. What kinds of materials? How often do you clean the cage? Do you have a picture?

Jarklor · 4/15/13

Here is a link: Vision 2 Model L12 large Bird Cage (Hagen) - Product Reviews and Prices - Shopping.com

i havn't cleaned my cage because I just got my bird yesterday.

blackivory · 4/15/13

That is an awful cage for a bird.

Tangle Elf · 4/15/13

Most birds prefer width over height. It allows them room to move. The dimensions on that cage are 29 1/2" (74.9 cm) x 15" (38.1 cm) x 36 1/2" (92.7 cm). 15" deep is not enough. If you can, I would seriously consider returning it and getting a flight cage or other cage with similar dimensions. Another issue with that cage is that the bottom will be hard to clean and will hold in moisture. Bird cages need to allow for good air flow. As someone else mentioned, you should not have bedding of any type. Flat sheets of newspaper are file to catch poo, but that's it. Even rolled or shredded newspaper will trap moisture. The problem with moisture is that it allows mold to grow and the spores can get into the bird's respiratory system and grow.

We all learn a lot when we first bring a bird home. Please post a picture of your current set up and we'll try to help you make it better. One of the things I noticed in the picture is those plastic perches. Regardless of what cage you get, you're going to need to buy new perches. The ones that come with them do not have enough variety to keep their feet healthy.

Jarklor · 4/15/13

This was the bigest cage at all the pet stores in our city.

waterfaller1 · 4/15/13

Most of us have them shipped... for free.

Maybe you can save and get an upgrade in the near future. Congrats on your new friend. :hug8:

GlassOnion · 4/15/13

Hi there.. I have two tiels and I can tell you that 15inch deep is too small..

Many of us buy our supplies online, much cheaper and you are supporting good businesses. Toys, food, cages, everything is cheaper online. Please look into a flight cage, that is what I have. Tiels have very long tails, making them almost as long as an African grey or an amazon despite their skinny figure. They really need a bigger cage

also, please consider newspaper. You can monitor any health issues by looking at the poop and its free, easy to clean. It's best to change the paper daily. Bird poop doesn't smell unless there is a health issue.

GlassOnion · 4/15/13

Bird Cages - The Best Selection Presented by BirdsComfort.com has a nice flight cage.

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wonderb · 4/15/13

That cage has 0.81" bar spacing, which is too wide for a tiel IMO. That's over 3/4" and most sites recommend a maximum of 5/8" for a tiel.

Tangle Elf · 4/15/13

Have you looked at craigslist?

Clueless · 4/15/13

I rescued 2 amazons and was told to get the biggest cages I could afford. I went the craigslist route and got nice cages. You would need to make certain no rust is on them and clean and disinfect them and dry them before you use them.

Jarklor · 4/15/13

It's only a baby right now, so for now my cage is fine. But later, I'll look into investing for a larger cage. I was told several times by many people and sites that the minimum is around 20 x 20 x 20 x. I thought that geting a bigger cage would be fine.

It's funny because at one of the places I was at, I saw a full grown amazon parrot in an 18 x 18 x 18 cage. And a Makaw in the one cage you guys recommend.

moonchild · 4/15/13

The thing about those Vision cages is that the dimensions you find listed are including the base. Measure that cage, and I can tell you without a doubt that it is less than 18" deep (unless they have changed the design). The height and width are okay but the depth is very much lacking. I have seen Vision cages in person plenty of times, and I think they are okay for a budgie that gets lots of time outside the cage but definitely not a tiel.

Plus, they are overpriced! For the same price or only a little more, you could get a flight cage. Then you wouldn't have the issue of the irregularly shaped base either (they are very easy to lay down newspaper in without having to cut it down to size).

moonchild · 4/15/13

Jarklor said:
It's only a baby right now, so for now my cage is fine.

Also, you say your tiel is a baby but how old is it? Once they are fully feathered they are generally at their full size. As previously mentioned they have very long tails and large wingspans and if they have a night fright their wings will bash against things in a small cage. 18" x 18" x 18" is supposedly the bare minimum size but I think it's way too small unless they are only going in the cage to eat and sleep, or they can come and go as they please. Even then I would be worried about them sleeping in something that small because of the possibility of night fright-related injuries. Though that can also be minimized by providing a night light.

JosienBB · 4/15/13

Jarklor said:
It's only a baby right now, so for now my cage is fine. But later, I'll look into investing for a larger cage. I was told several times by many people and sites that the minimum is around 20 x 20 x 20 x. I thought that geting a bigger cage would be fine.

It's funny because at one of the places I was at, I saw a full grown amazon parrot in an 18 x 18 x 18 cage. And a Makaw in the one cage you guys recommend.

Most pet stores don't care about animal welfare, and rarely know what they're doing. They only care about making a quick $. That's why I really do not support the sale of live animals in pet stores. A full grown amazon in a 18 x 18 x 18 cage and a macaw in that small of a cage in my opinion would constitute as cruelty, unless it's being used as a travel cage.

waterfaller1 · 4/15/13

Jarklor said:
It's funny because at one of the places I was at, I saw a full grown amazon parrot in an 18 x 18 x 18 cage. And a Makaw in the one cage you guys recommend.

I do not know what site that was, but we have no reason to tell you the wrong size . Those numbers are way off. A macaw wouldn't even be able to spread it's wings in a 32" cage without touching either side. Toys, foraging, food, not to mention a macaw needs 1" bar spacing,. and much thicker bars or they would snap it like a twig. Think of it this way, you are taking a bird that would have the endless sky to fly and endless acre after acre to forage, play, eat, raise their young, socialize, etc, and you are asking it to live in a cage. At least we need to give them some room to move around.You asked if the cage was big enough, and we gave you our honest opinion.

Jarklor · 4/15/13

I appreciate all of your guy's advise but based on all of the cages other owners have, I'm doing much better. The width could be better. But honestly. My bird seems very happy with his/her living space. (I don't know if it is a boy or a girl yet.) I think that getting a ginormous cage is really ment for people who are intrested in multiple birds and breeding. Plus, once my bird gets used to his environment, I'll take it out more often. Based on your recommended measurements a Makaw cage would be around a whopping 5 ft in all directions. You guys really dozed off upon my main question. Is it okay if the floor of the cage has metal bars? Or does it need to have some sort of other surface to walk on?

Question about a bird cage

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