(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best birdcages & accessories

Welcome to the world of parrots. I'm sure we all wish we knew a bit more when we started out.

Phoenix Landing recommends a minimum cage size for budgies as 27"w x 24"d. Note that height isn't listed as width is the more important factor. You can find various budgie cage set-ups here. Unfortunately most cages marketed for budgies are too small for such active little birds. Upgrading your budgies' cage when you can would be a good idea.

A variety of perches with different diameters and textures are best to avoid bumblefoot. There's a great presentation from Phoenix Landing on Perches and Playstands that goes into the details and shows many options. The small bottlebrush perch from Amazon is popular with our birds since the bark can be chewed off. Perch placement is a lot of trial and error. See how the birds are moving about and make sure the perches are clear of droppings from above. Ditch the dowels when you can.

Swap out the litter on the bottom cage for black and white newspaper, plain brown paper, commercial cage liners or other safe paper. Plus it'll make it easier to monitor their droppings.

A seed only diet isn't great for birds, but you're on the right track with offering them safe new foods. Introducing a good quality pellet to their diet is a good idea. There are many different strategies for converting birds from seeds to pellets: UC Davis VMTH, Drs. Foster and Smith, Roudybush, Zupreem, Harrison's, etc. Do monitor your birds closely to make sure they are still eating and not losing weight.
Some ideas for fresh foods to add can be found here. Seeds can be soaked or sprouted for better nutrition when offering them to your birds. Commercial pet store seed diets aren't usually great candidates for soaking or sprouting though. Some of the better seed options include Sprout People and TOPS.

When it comes to toys, think enrich, but not overwhelm. Each bird will have their own preferences, but in general budgies tend to enjoy anything they can swing on, shred, or make noise with. Cork and balsa toys like the ones found here are good examples. MakeYourOwnBirdToys.com has helpful videos on their YouTube channel. The vendors listed in the sidebar have a nice selection of toys too. Setting up the environment for a happy bird and good behavior takes thought and effort. Avian Enrichment gives a nice overview on parrot care and Kris Porter's Parrot Enrichment for keeping the energy focused on appropriate behavior.

The Gabriel Foundation in Colorado offers an online Beyond Bird Basics class for $40 that's a great overview on parrots. Greyhaven offers a free welcome home e-book. The behavior advice leaves a bit to be desired, but it's overall a nice resource. It's best to get established with an avian vet while you have healthy birds. It'll give you a great chance to get a lot of your questions answered and learn where to take your birds if you an emergency situation after hours.

Two excellent resources for behavior are, Dr. Susan Friedman of Behavior Works and Barbara Heidenreich of Good Bird Inc..

Good luck and enjoy your budgies!

We got our lovely girl from a rescue. We originally went for an african grey but after several visits she just won us over. Definitely go with a rescue that allows you to meet and learn about their birds, it is such a huge factor. Baby personalities will change, but an adult bird knows who they are.

We got the absolute largest cage we could afford, which is taller than my 6'3" husband, though we really wanted to get this awesome massive corner cage.

Many cockatoos are absolute woodchippers, our girl included. Our little goffin's only likes easy to shred paper and cardboard though, so it depends on each bird. These toys get EXPENSIVE if you don't make them yourself. Our U2 is content to chomp untreated wood blocks we buy at the home improvement stores and chop into smaller pieces.

Food is important to. A high quality pellet, plus fresh fruit and veg, is a must. A steady diet of seeds will shorten your bird's lifespan massively.

An air filter is a must, a stinking good one. Cockatoos are dusty! We went with the austin brand, and we're not disappointed.

They are NEEDY. They scream, and they scream LOUD. Our U2 makes our ears ring sometimes, the goffin's is quieter but she screams more often so it's still rough when you need a quiet moment. They want your undivided attention. Some get bored easily, but can be taught to keep themselves busy if ample toys and distractions are provided. They are destructive. A bite from a cockatoo can get you stitches easily. You can't punish a cockatoo (our really any parrot) the way you do a child. They can be taught, but it takes excellent, darn near perfect, consistency and kindness to reduce things like screaming when they just do it to do it.

Also keep in mind... exotic veterinary care is so dang costly. We just spent 3k on saving our U2 when her oviduct twisted and trapped an egg she was trying to lay. She had to have a blood donor due to her particular situation (which the rescue she came from provided, bless them) and it took over a week before she could come home. The day we realized she was in trouble all of the most trustworthy avian vets in our nearby area were out of town or unavailable and we had to drive 1.5 hours one way to get to someone who ended up giving her excellent care. Plus, many don't enjoy taking meds so the follow up antibiotics were... fun.

All in all, we adore our birds. In general they can be fun, funny, sweet, comforting, and if you get a rescue you can make sure you bring a bird home that fits your personality. They are a TON of work and a huge investment in both money and time. Find yourself a rescue and start meeting birds, stay a while if you can. You will learn quickly if you're ready.

Alright for cage you want something big, gccs need more space than cockatiels, my suggestion is 24 inch square or bigger in any measurement, my cage is like 24x24x30 with 30 being the height, they prefer taller cages. This is the cage I bought and I wouldn't recommend anything much smaller: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002SMC25E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

A cage that size will generally run you between $100-300 depending on where you get it from. Most perches come with the hardware to easily install on the bars of a cage. You want many different styles of perches. Make sure it has several natural wood ones with varying thicknesses in the branches, get a bendable rope perch, and possible some time of swing perch that involves more coordination to sit on. You can get a perch that is rough to wear down nails if you want but make sure the perch is smooth on the top and only rough on the sides, and make sure it is cement and not sand or grit covered because green cheeks don't need grit like some other species of birds do and it can harm them.

For toys get lots of different things, plastic, leather, shreddable ones made from soft wood or palm fronds. Do your research and make sure anything you give your bird is safe and non-toxic obviously. Get him toys you could hide little treats in to help with foraging. If he is searching his toys for treats he won't be as bored if he has to spend a little extra time in the cage one day.

For food don't use seeds/seed mixes for anything other than treats really. A good pellet mix like Harrison's, Roudybush, or Zupreem is best. Try for something not colored/fruity flavored, I use Harrison's lifetime adult fine for my green cheek, the pellets are pretty small so they work well for a small conure like a green cheek. Here is the link where I bought those, they are also on amazon though: http://store.harrisonsbirdfoods.com/ADULT-LIFETIME-FINE/productinfo/ALF/

Other than pellets provide lots of veggies and some fruits. Its diet should be 50% pellets, 30% veggies, 10% fruits, and then the last 10% is spread among grains (cooked brown rice, cooked quinoa, cooked whole grain pasta) and treats (nuts, seeds, etc.). I make chop for my green cheek. I use a base of kale, spinach, or other healthy leafy greens, then I add in veggies like broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, jalapenos, peas, etc. I chop them all up somewhat small and then put it in a food processor until its very fine. If your bird won't eat the chop you make, mix it in with pellets and only offer pellets when it is mixed with the chop 2-3 times per day. You don't have to limit the amount of food your bird eats, they eat as much as they need. Just see about how much it is eating and offer that much so yo don't have a lot of wasted food. Don't offer the same chop/pellet mix after one day, the chop should be refrigerated so after one day it is best to toss it and offer fresh. You can also offer bigger chunks of veggies on a stainless steel skewer that you can hang in the cage. I do this a lot and put some blueberries, bell peppers, and spinach leaves so I know my bird is eating both his chop and his veggies in several ways, it helps with enrichment.

That's about all I got, sorry it was such a lot to read but I hope it helps! Let me know if you have questions :)

I have a few things that I actually need, but I can't link anything right now(I'll come edit with links when I get to a computer).

Not for me, but my bird would appreciate a couple new perches. Getting his nails trimmed is expensive and it's uncomfortable for him. I'd like to make it easier for him to trim them on his own so he doesn't have to go through the stress and pain of the vet visit.

I could really use a water filter. I don't like the taste of tap water, and bottled water is too expensive. I could filter the tap and try to be a little healthier and drink it instead of sweet tea or soda.

What would make my life slightly better would be maybe a vacuum cleaner. My mom gave me her old one when she moved away, but it doesn't really work. I've tried everything I could do to fix it, but no go. Since we have a lot of animals, vacuuming is a weekly if not more often, chore. A working vacuum would be awesome!

On the more expensive side, a mattress would definitely improve my quality of life. I've never had a new one, they've all been hand me downs or bought used. The one I have now could have been super nice, but the previous owners left dents where they slept in it. So there really isn't any support for my body. Having fibromyalgia makes me have a hard time sleeping, so it would be nice to enjoy the sleep I do get. It also makes me overheat really easy, so I often wake up in the middle if the night burning up even when it's 68 degrees.

Sorry for the wall! I just wanted to put the things I actually needed and give a variety :)

This is an awesome contest and I hope everyone's lives get a little better if they need it! <3

There is nothing morally wrong with getting parrots from a bird rehab center. They don't breed for profit, just rescue and care for birds. By adopting from them, you are supporting them and making more room for other birds. So, as long as you can adequately take care of the birds, it's not a bad thing to do.

My understanding is that lovebirds are pretty similar to parakeets (which I have), so I could probably give you some information. There's no need to file their talons or beaks, as long as you have the appropriate stuff in the cage. Typically, the kinds of perches that come with most cages are rubbish. Birds need perches with varying widths and textures. Stuff like this or this is awesome. These textures and width variations keep the talons worn down properly, so that they do not need to be clipped. It also is good for their muscles, I believe. Give them lots of things to chew on, and that should keep their beaks in line. This way, you won't have to touch the bird to clip their wings, talons, or beaks, which could really scare the bird if it isn't used to you.

Feeding them the food in those bird food bags at the petstore isn't a good idea in the long run. It's not good for their health. Try feeding them fresh vegetables and fruit if you can, as well as the generic bird food. It's likely they won't like the fresh stuff at first, but give it to them fairly consistently and they may give it a try.

A cage is absolutely necessary, simply because you need to have a place to put them where you know they'll be safe. Like if you're cooking or have all the doors open for moving furniture in or out. The birds should not be loose in the house during those events. I'm not saying you should lock them in their cage all day, just at certain times when it's necessary. Also, keeping them there at night gives them a sense of security in that space. Ideally, you would have a room in the house that you know is bird-proof, where you would feel comfortable leaving them out unsupervised, but you should still have a cage in that room, as a safe haven for them, where they know they will always have food and water. When out flying, they typically like to have a few favorite places to perch. One of these should be the top of the cage.

The cage should be large. One thing to remember, though, is that "tall cages are kind of useless. Birds will typically move to the topmost part of the cage and stay at that height. Instinctively, they prefer to be at the highest available location. So, a cage like this is, in all practical use, much smaller than it looks. A wider cage is better than a taller cage, as far as giving them space. A wider cage might mean that they could fly a short distance from one perch to another. A tall cage is basically a small cage. Also, you want the cage to have horizontal bars if possible, on at least two of the sides. Parrots are big on climbing, and horizontal bars, as opposed to vertical bars, are great for that.

I'm procrastinating right now so can't go into much more detail right now, but if you have any questions, just reply :)

I just wanted to add my own comments about the differences between macs and smaller birds specifically:

Training can be difficult for people that don't learn to be fearless in the face of a huge beak. They can and WILL learn to push people around with lunges, hissing, or open beaks because they know you are scared of them.

On that note, it gets really hard to ignore problem biting or screaming when you feel like your ears are bleeding.

Cage size. This is probably the place where I feel most strongly about x-large birds ownership. Way too many people think that they can get away with the minimum cage size for these birds (48''long x 36'' wide x 60'' tall). Many more people don't want to spend more than a few hundred bucks on a cage and so again, go with a minimally sized cage. Some more people try to justify this with "but my bird is out of the cage most of the day anyway" when in reality they work normal jobs like normal people. Finally others, see the word "macaw" plastered on a 30''x40'' cage and think this is actually appropriate.

A B&G macaw has a wingspan of almost 3 1/2 ft. Their head to tail length alone is 3 feet. That means any minimally sized cage will maybe allow the bird to open its wings and turn around in one spot. This is the equivalent of keeping a budgie in a shoebox or your quaker in one of these. Now try to add enough enrichment to a cage like this to entertain a small toddler for the 6-8 hours you are gone each day (I'm just assuming you work a normal, full time job here, correct me if I'm wrong). Good luck with that.

We tried to keep a large bird (eclectus not macaw) in a small apartment before. It did not go well. Big birds need way more space both inside and out of their cages then people expect.

Personally I will never get another large bird until I can afford at the minimum a walk-in indoor aviary OR a dedicated bird room. Both allow you the comfort of knowing your bird has enough space but is also out of reach of your worldy possessions.

Obviously, you are going to see people everyday that will try and say this is overkill. But I think our goals when it comes to parrot care should not be to just scrape by. To force our birds to tolerate conditions because we are feeling cheap or selfish.

So I'd say if you aren't ready to throw down at least $1000 on an appropriately sized aviary/enclosure, do not get a macaw yet.

EDIT: One last note! If you are really set on a macaw AND can provide an ideal life for one please, please, please consider adoption over buying a new baby. Macaws are easily one of the most common birds found in rescues because too many people cannot handle their care. And considering these guys can easily live 50+ years, if you are already older than 25/30 it is beneficial for all parties to start with an older bird. Beside, macaw puberty is NO JOKE and a post-pubescent adult with a set personality can make all the difference in whether or not a bird is a good fit for you overall. Finally, interacting with birds at a rescue can give you a taste of macaw ownership before you take the plunge.

I agree with the other posters- your little tiel looks a little bored and ready to play! a bigger cage would be surely appreciated, and some toys.
Toys are kind of hard because you never know what they will be into at first- and even then their tastes change!
These comfy perches are a good place to start

they are a little easier on their feet. As for toys, I generally go with 3 types of different toys to give my birdie some variety: something to shred, something that moves (likes a swing) and something shiny.

Planet Pleasures has a lot of great bird toys (funny name but good bird toys...)
These shredders are great and perfectly safe

my baby tiel (well, less than a year old) is rather obsessed with this toy called 'falling beads' (3rd one down from the top) and it meets my criteria of something shiny and something that moves.

as for guessing your bird's mood, this article is very helpful

And finally, as for taming your bird and getting it used to you, have you tried feeding it birdie crack millet by hand through the side of the cage? I wouldn't normally give birds millet just to eat but it works as a 'treat', gets the bird to have a good association with you, and is useful for training later on down the road.

I hope this is helpful! Good Luck!

These are my top three that I personally used. :D

A) This awesome foldable travel cage. I love this because it folds and it is an easy travel cage when I take my flock with me on vacation, to the park, easy way to take them outside sunbathing with me, or to the pet stores ..etc. I also have used it during vet visits as well.

B) A simple, basic, plastic extra small dog/cat carrier. Sorry for the photo quality but I kindof wanted to give you a better idea. This is super light. It is easy for me to get my flock member and put them in there. I probably use this carrier the most for vet visit. You can drill a hole on the sides and insert a perch . You can get a mash for the front of the carrier so their heads don't get stuck between the bars.

C) A bird carrier backpack. This is worth the money. This is super study . It has a steel bowl holder, small animal water bottle holder, and slide tray for easy cleaning. I love this. You can use this for the vet visit and take your bird for a hike afterwards. Here's one of my birds using it at his vet visits

The cage is a little on the small side for 2 rats. You really want something a bit bigger. Also, I can't really tell, but it looks like there's a grid in the base, which you'll want to either remove or cover with something other than bedding. The Ferplast Ferret Plus and Rat cage is good, as is The Ferplast Jenny cage. Those are really as small as I would go for two rats.

Edit: Just saw your comment. Definitely want a bigger cage than the one you posted if you're not going to have them out for a couple of hours every day. I don't recommend using wood in their cages. Untreated wood absorbs urine, and you'll have to toss it out after a day or two. You can, however, purchase neutral colored plastic boxes. You don't have to get the kind specifically designed for pocket pets. The stackable plastic bins that most stores sell for organizing your desk are a great option, and you can usually hang them from the cage side, too. Toys in their cage may be a bit harder to find in neutral colors. I have some toys [check out the bird section of pet shops for toys] that are made from natural fibers, with minimal amounts of bright colors. So it is possible, but they tend to be more expensive and destroyed a bit easier. Wood chews are almost always going to come in bright colors.

I've been following your posts. Are you considering at all doing a light clip on him like everyone else has suggested? This would give him the opportunity to explore a little, but not get into too much trouble. I know the long days aren't ideal, but if you can get him a larger cage and provide enough toys he should be ok. Especially if you can squeeze some time in with him in the morning and then have him out with you when you are studying. Out of cage time doesn't have to be all one on one. You can just let him hang out on a play stand near by or something while you work. I really don't think you should give your bird away because it sounds like he is bonded to you. Can you save up for a cage more like this size? I saw the cage in your other post and really that cage is too small for one bird let alone two. I can see why two budgies would fight in a cage that small. If you got something more like the cage I suggested you might have more luck introducing a second bird. You could keep the original cage and use it as a quarantine cage for the new bird. Do introductions slow and then hopefully they can live together in the large cage.

Good to hear from you again! Leo is lovely and I'm so glad you are seeing her happy, chirpy, eating, etc. Your patience with her is especially good. One small suggestion: her perches are the standard wooden dowels and they are not good for her feet. It would be great if you could get one of those rope perches https://www.amazon.com/Penn-Plax-Rope-Perch-Small-Diameter/dp/B00K9PFR2W/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1511932527&sr=8-3&keywords=rope+perches+for+birds. As to bird toys, plastic rings with a bell on the bottom; chew toys, and another ladder or two to allow her more climbing exercise. That's all I got! I hope you did very well on your exams and I look forward to more updates on the both of you!

Ideally you want perches with different diameters and different textures. In addition, consider an area in the cage where she can stand on a flat surface, if she doesn't regularly run around on tables/floors out of the cage (so she can stretch her toes out flat sometimes. Budgies in the wild actually spend a lot of time on the ground.)

I don't know where you are or where you shop, these are just examples to give you an idea:

Rope perches are very popular: warm and soft on feet, available in many different lengths, they clip to the bars or can be hung up.

Wood perches also come in various sizes and shapes and different kinds of wood. One thing I like about them is they only need to be attached to one wall of the cage so you have more options for length and placement.

Hope that helps. Beautiful bird!

Can you sew? I have a couple of these large sundecks for birds which I sewed covers for and my rats love them. A couple (or more) layers of fleece makes it safe and cozy.

Also everyone loves Lava Ledges, and I guess I sort of do too since I have like 20 of them, but lately the quality seems worse as they keep coming stripped which makes them spin on the screw which is not safe. I have returned one but also repaired a couple with glue, which hopefully is okay. My rats don't chew them all the way to the screw but it is a porous material so the glue might move further out than the screw hole. Also, Lava Ledges are much smaller than the perch I mentioned above, but rats still love to chill on them, so I thought it was worth mentioning.

Excuse the rambling, I'm high on coffee. :P Hope this helps a bit!

Your bird will be fine without sleeping in your room. My cockatoo has her own bedroom where she sleeps every night. The room isn’t used for anything but that.

As far as birdy stations, I have one in my living room and one in my bathroom. She also has a small perch in my bedroom just for when I’m doing small chores in there and she wants to be with me.

You need to replace the perches that you have in that cage though. Perfectly round perches aren’t great for your bird’s feet. I’d go for perches like this instead. I’d also add more toys so when he/she is in the cage, they have plenty to occupy their mind. They need so much stimulation.

I use these and these. Both work great, both don't damage a bird's feet. Of course, my birds also have natural and rope perches too. They haven't needed nail trims, and my vet even commented on how great their feet look.

My only gripe with the safety pumice perches is that they can only be placed on vertical bars, and the black part is huge so it makes it difficulty to place it in certain places.

Yeah, I mean, I would definitely go for a travel cage if I were you (plus, they are just super handy to have just in case). This is the exact one that my boyfriend and I have for our birds, and it's been wonderful.

And as far as food and water go, I completely forgot to mention that. With cat carriers you can get these little shallow bowls that will attach to the front grate, but I imagine most of the water will slosh out within 5 hours. Having a real water bowl and food bowl for your little guy seems like a better option for him and your car =P

Here's some of the things others have not stated. Firstly getting a UV bulb like that one. Also you could get a perch with a tent , a bird hammock, or something similar, especially if your bird sleeps on a perch.My bird used to sleep on a specific perch that came with his cage. I bought him a tent perch and he's been sleeping there ever since. He seems happier with it.

If you live somewhere where it gets cold, you could get a bird heater and maybe a heated perch

If your bird is scared of almost everything like my bird. I've noticed putting my bird on the objects(new toys, perches, etc) makes him feel more secure about the object and it may be useful for you.

If you are planning on getting a harness, it's better to get it earlier than later and if your bird doesn't like wearing it, don't use it.

This is optional and maybe not useful (depending on how talkative your bird is). If your bird is talkative try to teach him the concept of "stop it". My bird doesn't like being touched on the chest. To teach him I gently rubbed him on the chest and would say "stop it" 3-5 times. I move my hand away and would say "okay, stop it". Now he will sometimes say stop it when I'm doing something he doesn't like instead of biting.

And it's better and safer to not let him go on the floor.

Oh wow awesome, thank you!! They used to be in a smaller cage and I'd just go outside and get them sticks for perches, but we just set this new cage up and it's so spacious! I was thinking of getting one of those bird baths that you can attach to to the corner of the cage, like this one: https://www.amazon.com/JW-Pet-Company-Insight-Accessory/dp/B000HHS8QE/ref=sr_1_2?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1496173899&sr=1-2&keywords=parakeet+bird+bath

How do you get them to use it? lol

I don't have a Grey, but I'll throw my two cents in here.

A) Zephyr's wings quiver a little when he's nervous or in a new place for the first time. His chest and tummy feathers shiver a little when he's very relaxed and fluffed up on his perch. This is normal. If it's accompanying labored breath or trouble balancing, it becomes an issue.

B) I try to let my baby get about 11-12 hours per night, and that's what he likes. He goes to bed at 9pm, and usually wakes up between 8-11am depending on the day. He's usually happy to sleep in a little with us on the weekend. His sleeping cage is at the foot of our bed, and when he gets scared or wakes at night a little whisper from me will generally settle him down quickly. If you're not covering the cage at night, do that. If he doesn't feel comfortable sleeping away from you guys, maybe a sleeping cage could help? This is the cage we use for sleeping. (it also doubles as his carrier and travel cage!)

C) Just make sure you're washing your fruits and veggies very well before feeding. Teflon is what you're worried about, when heated over a certain temperature, it releases harmful airborne toxins that can easily kill a bird.

D) In the wild, birds split their days between foraging for food, and preening. It takes a LOT of work to keep all those feathers nicely zipped and flight-ready. Preening looks like they are combing their feathers out with their beaks in long movements from the base of the feather all the way to the tip. As far as I know, plucking looks more like the bird is tugging on the shaft of the feather violently to pull it out.

E) Molting is different for every parrot. Some go through seasonal molts, some molt continuously, and some do a big molt once per year. This mostly depends on the bird itself, but can be influenced by temperature, diet, and bathing.

... Don't get another parrot. I'm gonna say this in the nicest way possible, but there are so many things wrong with what you want.

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"I want the parrot to be around the same size as an Indian ring neck that's 100-300 dollars and can live in a medium sized cage that isn't high maintenance and quiet"

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A parrot about the size of a ring neck likely isn't going to be less then $500, especially if you're getting one that's hand tamed.

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Budgies? Aren't that loud. Anything bigger? Screeches. They throw fits like children. They're also not going to be low maintenance because larger birds tend to live for about 40-60 years (Conures and ringneck sized birds) and they're super messy.

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A medium sized cage isn't big enough especially if they're aggressive and can't be held. They need at least a large cage like this one; an ideal cage for a larger bird

you do have a very good point i have not thought of, i could leave the pet at home because there will be my two parents, two younger brothers, and my older sister to take care of the animals. also when i do go to college i plan to work also. thanks for responding. you are now making me think more of which i should buy then before

EDIT: also i just called a place near me with beardies and i might be leaning towards a beardie because they are cheaper. also after that i might just get something like a cape parrot or budgie. i have seen some channels on youtube that do use cages like these : https://www.amazon.com/Best-Choice-Products-Cockatoo-Birdcages/dp/B002SMC25E/ref=sr_1_13?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1494018256&sr=1-13&keywords=bird+cage for smaller birds and might just get one of those after i get a beardie.

This is what I have. It's awesome, and comes with everything you need. It's sturdy and durable and super easy to clean.

Idk what kind of bird you have but it's a big large for my lorikeet. You could fit an African gray or Amazon in it for trips to the vet, but not a macaw.

Check this out: Birds LOVE Small Bottlebrush Cage Perch Birds LOVE https://www.amazon.com/dp/982249792X/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_awdo_t1_WbdXDbV2MX65Q

I just adopted a ten year old female cockatiel, whose previous owner passed away. The cage she was being housed in had two perches, no toys, and her behavior is very similar to what you describe. She's with my other two cockatiels now and LOVES the two thermoperches I have in their cage. I would definitely recommend those, as well as heating pads pinned around the outside of the cage to keep her warm. Fluff tents won't do the job, and tiels can get sick in the winter (just from drafts around the house) pretty easily. Here's the amazon link:

http://www.amazon.com/K-H-Thermo-Perch-Small/dp/B000795ZE0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418747885&sr=8-1&keywords=thermoperch&pebp=1418747886436

As for toys, the older tiel hasn't picked up on much yet, but my others like ones that they can destroy, as well as ones with mirrors. It depends a lot on their personality, so I would try a variety. Let me know if you need any help or have more questions!

spiral bird rope

bendy bird rope

wooden bridge

Sputnik/space pod

foraging toy

wooden climbing platforms

2-pack lava ledges

foraging wheel

Also a good idea might be to look up some rat safe treat recipes and make a little ratty goodie bag for them (banana chips, oats, dried pasta, certain seeds, etc.)

You can use a bird cage. Here’s an inexpensive one as an example.

https://www.amazon.com/Prevue-Pet-Products-31996-Economy/dp/B01LNCYOD2

If you want to get fancy you can get one of those freestanding decorative reproduction Victorian birdcages and free up counterspace. :)

Taking a door off a kitchen cabinet could work as well.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01C5JJ82E/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1496601060&sr=8-2&keywords=corner+perch

She's fourteen and a bit arthritic and she absolutely loves sleeping on it. She also loves chewing on it.

This is Rufus

I got him...I have no idea how long ago. He was 3 and it was about 7 years ago. Maybe longer. But he's my best friend. He can fly, and I never lock him in his cage unless I'm gone for a long time because if he gets bored, he gets destructive. This morning, I woke up to an adorable screech. He had walked from his cage to the windowsill, slid down the lamp onto my desk, grabbed a pen from my pen jar and sat on my mug chewing it and waiting for me to wake up. He also will fly into my drapes when he's bored...not to mention opening doors and walking out into the kitchen to hang out with someone.

What I'd get him is a tossup between this perch because he needs another in his 2nd cage and this toy.

I also have ducklings. Aren't they cute? Their names are Caspar and Valentina, and week 3 of having them and they've grown exponentially. I personally think that the dictionary definition of happiness should be redefined to "Ducklings in a puddle of water." But that's just me.

Argh, the lack of doors for food dishes make me nuts! I've been looking at new cages and those 32x21 flight cages (like this) look perfect except that! What's the deal with that? There are a bunch of brands with nearly identical cages and no setup for food bowls.

It's also worth noting that those models tend to have a small door on the side near the top that's designed for breeder boxes. They don't latch shut. Should be out of reach for kids till they're old enough to know better, but birds seem to figure out how to pop them open pretty quickly, so most people I've talked to have to find a way to latch them closed.

Your bird looks fine. Pigment can fade from feathers, especially on young birds, if they're rubbing against things a lot, so if he's in the corner of the cage, it may just be from rubbing against the bars up there where he's sleeping. Each bird sleeps differently. You might try putting a perch up there in that corner or a corner platform.

I'm not a fan of tents because they can cause injuries. I had a pair of GCCs that really enjoyed sleeping in these tunnels - I just drilled a hole in the middle of the tunnel's edge on one side and then used one of the nut/bolt combos from an old toy to secure it in place in the top of the cage.

I picked up a few new toys and then another water dish. I recently broke his dish plastic dish and it’s a perfect time to grab another metal one. So far he’s been bouncing all over his cage with excitement :)

Booda Byrdy Bush

Rope Perch

Shaggy Kabob

I wouldn't rely only on the perch to trim the nails. They will never do a good enough job.

Instead work on nail training. You can train your grey to accept you filing down her nails with a simple nail file. This will work to keep them from getting too sharp. It helps if you make it a routine, just do one nail a day over the course of 2 weeks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4xZ5ytrYNY



That being said, the concrete perches do help lengthen the amount of time you can go in between having to file her nails.

http://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Feet-Beak-Safety-Pumice/dp/B00243ZK0G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408376545&sr=8-1&keywords=parrot+nail+perch

Thanks!

Its a Prevue empire macaw cage

Linked to Amazon for details but can be found cheaper if you search around.
Very easy to setup

I bought this for my conure, he loves it/it's safe and you don't have to clean the bottom if they poop in it.

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B000OB2I8M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_l74Dzb4ASNJM6

I sometimes like to use bird shelves, you can find them on amazon. bird shelf
I put a piece of cardboard on it so their feet don’t fall through. Also just looking up supplies for birds in general, you can find a lot of good stuff .

My mother has this travel cage for her grey. I personally think that it's way, way heavier than it needs to be, especially considering how small it is. I've had this travel cage for my grey for years and have been happy with it. It is a little on the heavy side (but still not as heavy as the one above) and offers a good amount of space, especially for overnight trips. It's also not as durable as the one above, but still think it's more bang for its buck!

Yeah I'm in the same situation, although I only had them for about three months. So what I have for mine is this bowl thing you attach to their cage and fill it up with water. I'll leave the room, go out and come back to see them drenched. Parakeets are very curious little things so I don't see why they won't try this.

Here it is! https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B075R7NGGK?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

I liked it so much that I bought one for my budgies too!

birdcage


This is the one I bought and it’s really easy to put together

Well I would say this is a good starter cage for up to 4 rats https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ferplast-Jenny-Cage-79-5-Grey/dp/B001MZYINC

I went with girls first but they tend to get mamory tumors when older. But the same can be said for boys of testicals. So it's not much in it.

As for where to get them, in the UK at least pet stores are terrible for rats, they're always cramped into tiny glass boxes with like 4 other rats and seem to always have bad temperaments, so I always go to breeders. Most breeders aren't in it for money here and do it for the love of rats and for show rats. So they tends to not be too much more then store bought rats (store rats £7, breeder I got my 4 girls and 3 boys were £9 each roughly. Some different breeds/coats/colours were a few extra quid more)

With regards to vets I would say the average trip to actually get a procedure done was about £60-120 including meds and a check up after. But saying that I literally just had my 3, 4month boys neutered yesterday and that cost £120. So £40 each isn't bad.

Anything else gimme a shout

Get him a new cage asap. It's far too small, plus it's round which can contribute to their stress and anxiety (they need corners to feel secure). Something like this.

Get him plenty of toys, macaws are highly intelligent and will get destructive if bored. Also keep in mind he's going to need a lot of attention, the bigger parrots are basically toddlers in that they're loud, needy, but learn fast, and can be charming. Be careful of him bonding to you, if this is just temporary, it'll be devastating to him if he's taken away. I don't know about macaws specifically, but a lot of parrots when stressed and unhappy will pluck out their feathers, it's essentially like humans cutting themselves. And definitely keep him away from your parakeets, he can easily kill them. Singing to each other from their cages is one thing but I wouldn't let them interact other than that. Best of luck.

http://www.amazon.com/K-H-Thermo-Perch-Small/dp/B000795ZE0

A heated perch could be an option as well

It's a snap on bath tub. I found it at feeders supply but here is the amazon link.
http://www.amazon.com/JW-Pet-Company-Insight-Accessory/dp/B000HHS8QE/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1376255671&sr=8-2-fkmr1&keywords=cage+mount+bird+tub

It's going, don't worry. It's being replaced with this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EH6ELKW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I use the same thing and just hang normal toys. I actually have the same cage as you, and I have one one the left side about 1/3 from the bottom and then I have another about halfway up on the opposite side that I place a bunch of foraging stuff on periodically. Haven't had any trouble with weight.

Look into perch heaters if the room is going to be quite cold.
http://www.amazon.com/Thermo-Perch-Large-Plastic-Non-Toxic/dp/B000795ZE0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1414040871&sr=8-1&keywords=heated+perch

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002SMC25E/ref=mp_s_a_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1542498550&sr=8-15&keywords=playtop%2Bbird%2Bcage&dpPl=1&dpID=512Xw1m7F7L&ref=plSrch&th=1&psc=1

Is this cage too small/bad choice?

https://www.amazon.com/Prevue-Pet-Products-X-Large-Hammertone/dp/B00KYQUJME/ref=mp_s_a_1_17?keywords=macaw+cage&qid=1558040164&s=gateway&sprefix=macaw+cage&sr=8-17

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003VVP0KU?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00

Here is one I have used in the past: https://www.amazon.com/Living-World-Pedi-Perch-Medium-Color/dp/B0002DGYZK/

Two things

1. Heated perch
   
   
2. Heat panel

It was similar to this:

Prevue Hendryx Travel Bird Cage 1305 White, 20-Inch by 12-1/2-Inch by 15-1/2-Inch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003VVP0KU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_BB.HDbT37Z5B9

He didnt like it much, so how he has a soft-side travel cage.