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can a cage be too big?

AnimalLove

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i have a dyi 160 gal set up. it has wire sides and top so it has great ventilation. i want a parakeet. I might get a pair later in the future but as of rn i just want one so i can have an easier time bonding with it. But as apart of my research i want to know if maybe that my cage would be too big? i plain to get a large full spectrum light to go across the top of it, and fill it up with toys, follage, perches, and of course space to fly around. its pretty easy to clean and its very heavy duty. ( it takes about 2-3 people just to move it) also one last question, could i make it a bio active set up? ill spot clean toys daily. But id love to be able to let my little one have access to live bird safe plants. Plus i think itll be awesome to make it a big beautiful jungle. Any thoughts? thank you
 

Destiny

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As long as you can access all parts of the cage for cleaning, I don't think you can go too large. Birds appreciate extra space for flight, especially small active birds, like parakeets.

I have a large terrarium for my poison dart frogs, so I am familiar with bioactive enclosures. Unfortunately, I do not think that a bioactive setup will work, even for a single budgie. Birds produce quite a bit of waste and it accumulates rapidly. You would need a room-scale setup to support live plants (indoor aviary) and even then, most of the research I have done indicates that dirt floors are a health risk due to parasite load.

Most bird keepers will use a disposable bedding or paper that can be easily replaced when soiled. My recommendation is butcher paper. It comes in large rolls and it is water resistant, so it hold up well. But any rolled paper or newspaper should work. I like to buy paper rolls that are the same width as my cage. Then I can simply cut a length to fit the bottom of the enclosure. It makes cage cleaning quick and easy.

If you desire live plants, I would recommend potted plants with pea gravel over any exposed soil. Parakeets are grainivores, so they love grass seed and live grass. You can grow grass or wheat seeds (or even bird seed) in a shallow tray and let the birds have it when it has grown out. There are also many other options for parrot-safe plants.

Also, if you are getting budgies, they are technically not jungle birds. Budgies come from Australia and their natural habitat is more desert than tropical jungle. Think bearded dragon habitat rather than poison dart frog :)
 
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kayosa

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The bar or mesh spacing needs to be 1/2 inch to be safe for a parakeet(budgie?)
 

Destiny

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This isn't really related to your question, but checkout this awesome picture of wild budgies in the Australian outback.

314F5E4E00000578-3451068-Tens_and_thousands_of_colourful_budgies_were_spotted_in_the_Aust-a-12...jpg

SOURCE: (www.google.com/amp/s/www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3451068/amp/80-000-budgies-form-tornado-waterhole-Australian-outback.html)

The linked article has additional pictures that were taken of a large flock near a watering hole during the dry season. The stark landscape and bright green birds make for a stunning contrast.

Budgies live in savannas, grasslands, open forests, grassy woodlands and farmland across many parts of central Australia. Budgies survive harsh conditions by living a nomadic lifestyle and breeding rapidly when and wherever they find favorable conditions. They will travel for miles to locate water or new sources of grass seed in the dry summer months. Flocks of budgies are usually much smaller than the one pictured here, but can grow to enormous size under the right conditions. Migration and breeding is dictated by the availability of food, rather than the time of year, so budgies will keep traveling if food or water is scarce and they will remain at one location and breed if grass seed is plentiful. They favor open grasslands near water.

Budgies_PaulWilliams-19.jpg

They are amazing little birds. And they will happily utilize all the space you can give them. Even if it is all of Australia. :)
 
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Destiny

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Is it a metal mesh or is it made from plastic?

Budgies might be able to chew through thin plastic mesh or screen material. They are much more industrious with their beaks, than lizards and frogs. Wood is especially attractive to them, but other material can catch their eye too. The spacing between wires should be small to prevent escape or getting stuck in the mesh, but the wire also needs to be thick enough to resist their beak.

Be sure to check that the cage will be suitable for chewing animals.
 

Feather

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is more mess. I used to keep frogs and anoles in it so Im sure itll keep a budgie just fine. thank you!
Absolutely do not attempt a bioactive enclosure for a bird, my dude. You're going to end up with respiratory infections. There's a reason the practice hasn't taken off in the bird-keeping community. Some amount of fungus is a given in bioactive setups, and that's a recipe for disaster. The two are not compatible.

 

Sparkles99

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What is meant by a bioactive set up?
 

Destiny

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What is meant by a bioactive set up?
Something like this:

20201116_130319.jpg

This my poison dart frog terrarium. It has live plants, a misting system, and a living ecosystem of invertabrates (mostly isopods and springtails), which act as a "clean-up crew" to process waste and breakdown decaying plant matter. Mushrooms sprout spontaneously from the moist wood and the plants produce flowers and grow rapidly. I monitor the habitat to ensure that temperature and humidity are within appropriate parameters but it requires very little input from me. I will spot-clean frog poop off the leaves, wipe down the glass when it gets cloudy and trim back the plants. Sometimes I add fresh leaf litter. But a bioactive setup is not "cleaned" in the traditional sense.

It is alive.

20200106_151359.jpg

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It is a common style for keeping invertebrates and poison dart frogs. It can also work for many other reptiles and amphibians.
 
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Sparkles99

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That's amazing! It's almost like a mini-ecosystem! I love the little mushrooms. Is that frog camouflaging itself or is it always orange & black?
 

Destiny

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That's amazing! It's almost like a mini-ecosystem! I love the little mushrooms. Is that frog camouflaging itself or is it always orange & black?
It is always that color. The species name of the frog is Dendrobates leucomelas, also known as yellow-banded poison dart frog or bumblebee poison frog. They are a great beginner poison dart frog - very bold and hardy. And they do well in groups, which worked well for this setup.

20190823_104651.jpg

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20191229_170701.jpg

Poison dart frogs rely on warning coloration more than camouflage, because they are quite toxic in the wild. Like a venomous snake, they want potential predators to be able to recognize them and learn to avoid messing with them. However, it has been suggested that the high contrast between black and yellow might help break up the outline of the frog, so it is harder to spot at a distance, especially when surrounded by bright leaf litter. So the color is a warning, up close, and the random pattern helps create camouflage from a distance. Win-win.

These are some of my other dart frogs:

20201117_064302.jpg

Green-and-black poison dart frog (Dendrobates auratus)

059 (2).JPG

Blue poison dart frog (Dendrobates tinctorius "azureus")
 

Blueberry

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If it’s a metal mesh you are using you have to be careful about they type of metal because if it’s not stainless steal your budgie could get metal toxicity.
 
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