Reptile & Amphibian Forums

questions!

a few weeks ago i got my first ever bird a pied pearl cockatiel.
she came with a cage and small playgym. but i feel the cage is too small.

i live right next to the shop Parrot IOsland and they have all sorts of neat stuff. they keep their birds in high quality acrylic cages. ther a picture on the bottom. they swear by these cages, but i was wondering what you all think abut them.

also what toys do your birds like?

thanks

ashley

Well you asked for opinion on the cage so I will give it. I really don't like the acryclic cages or the "aquarium" style cages. The acrylic does have better air flow than the aquarium style but still not as good as the old fashioned bar style cages. Birds are so prone to respiratory infections in low quality air. The acrylic cages do not let the air flow as freely and in my opinion they let more bacteria and fungus grow than in the bar style cages even with good consistent cleaning, so to each their own and my opinion may be wrong but it is how I feel. I have heard reports of several birds with chronic respiratory infection from the aquarium style cages but have not heard any real reports on this in the acrylic.

On the subject of toys. Our cockatiels seem to like the wooden toys such as the wooden ladders. They both climb on them and chew them up. They seem to like smaller wooden pieces such as the homemade popsicle stick style toys etc better than the bigger blocks of wood on the pet shop toys. They like ropes just be careful with them because many birds have gotten tied up in ropes and either injured a leg or wing or even been strangled with loose rope strings. They also like bells. You do have to make sure the little metal "clapper" (?) is secure because that is the part they seem to go after. IF you take it out they loose interest because they like the noise it makes but if you make sure it is secure they will happily go after it and still get the sounds. Some cockatiels like the little plastic rings and hoops but ours have never shown much interest in them.

Hope this helps!

Ok here goes....
I totaly agree!! I would never put a bird in something like that. Infact that is a travel cage & should only be used as such. Get your bird a new bigger cage, honestly the bigger the better because even if you let them out on a regular basis they'll still be happy in larger cages because of the room & they're able to stretch properly.

As for the person you got your bird & cage from....I'd be going back there & giving him a what for for selling you a travel cage as a standard cage. It's really not hygenic either.

the cage in the picture is not the cage i have. shes currently in a bar type cage that is OK if shes out alot but i feel she needs a bigger one.

the acrylic cage is 28LX24WX28H. the poeple that said this is a really good option for me have keept their birds in it for over 18 years with no respitory problems. I do understand that the majority of acrylic cages are crap but from what i see these look to be good.

its also the only acrylic cages to be approved by Sally Blanchard of companion parrot quarterly as good for birds.

either way i do appricate all of your input.

and heres a pic of my new companion Chibi Chiquita

thanks
ashley

You did ask for our opinions and we gave them. What you do is of course up to you.

Just an add in though. People have fed birds plain seed with no fresh foods or variety for many years and many of those birds lived long seemingly full lives. Does that mean the best diet for a bird is seed and nothing else no it does not. It means it can sustain some birds and some birds will do fine with it but it does not mean all birds will do well with it. Having said that, just because one person or one writer who writes a quarterly newsletter likes these kinds of cages does not mean they will do well for all birds or that all people would recommend them.

These cages are made for a travel type cage. The larger ones are made for travel cages for larger birds, the smaller ones are made for travel cages for smaller birds. Could a bird live in this style of cage, probably. Could they live a healthy life, it's possible but seems less likely where there is less air flow.

Anyway it was nice to see a picture of your new friend. I hope you have a long healthy life with your feathered friend. And whichever choice you make I hope it works out for you and your buddy. But as we said, you asked for our opinions and we gave it. I have had cockatiels and other birds in the bar style cages for over 20 years and have never had a problem with them. Maybe I am afraid to try something new when I have something that works. Thanks and hope to see your back here.

If so, you would need to cover three sides of that cage. Another thought is that if your cockatiel had a "night fright", I would be worried that he could hurt himself seriously on the acrylic sides. Just my opinions, not necessarily fact.

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sue

i'm glad i havent had to face those yet with CC.

either way it gos i would worry about night frights in any cage not just acrylic. getting a wing caught between the bars of a metal cage concerns me just as much as it hitting an acrylic.

I'm glad you keep yours in a proper cage.

Just because other people have kept a bird in one of these for 18 years it doesn't make it right & it doesn't mean it's going to work for others.

They are natural climbers, how do they climb in that? Even if they are out of the cgae all day, they still need to climb in the cage too.

I'm sorry but that cage is not acceptable as a proper cage for a bird (any bird) to live in!! well....you did ask for opinions...

they keep their larger birds in these cages. they adjusted just fine and can climb with eaze. and if one gets a large cage and put pertches and boints in various positions i would think they would have no problems. then again im a greenie when it comes to avians

I'm sorry but it just looks unatural to me. I wouldn't have any of my birds in anything like that unless they were travelling.

everything about captivity is unnatural. so if the cage works it works.

np

and i apprciate it, i was goiving feed back as well n/p

just adding, birds have broken their necks flying into the sides of acrylic cages, they cannot see it and it's unnatural for them, barriers they can see are more natural.