What You Need To Know About Buying A Parakeet Bird Cage

Many times, when people think of buying a parrot they are thinking on a much smaller scale than an Amazon or Macaw.  In fact oftentimes, since they are smaller and more manageable, people are really thinking in terms of a parakeet. Parakeets are one of the smallest members of the parrot family and if you are going to acquire one (or more) it will be necessary to provide  a proper parakeet bird cage.

When selecting a parakeet bird cage there are several things you should consider.

Cages come in many shapes and sizes and you want to choose the the largest one that you can afford since the larger the cage, the more exercise your bird can get when he is unable to be out.

Even though parakeets are  smaller than many other birds in the parrot family they should not live in a cage smaller than 24″x16″x16″.  They need room to be able to spread their wings in all directions.  It would be cruel in addition to detrimental to their health to not allow enough room for them to do this.

The recommendation for a parakeet bird cage, as well as any other bird cage, is to buy the largest one that you can afford. Also, since they enjoy flocking together it would be nice to allow enough room for two or more parakeets in the cage that you buy.

It is nice to have at least two for companionship, particularly if you can’t spend enough quality time with your bird. Just be sure not to mix your parakeets in with other types of parrots since this is not appropriate because it can lead to fighting and injuries in addition to other behavior problems.

Another consideration, given the size of parakeets, is the spacing of the bars on the cage.  They should definitely not be more than 1/2 inch apart.  With larger spacing than this and your parakeet may get his head stuck between the bars!

It is also nice to have horizontal bars on at least two sides of the cage since members of the parrot family LOVE to climb.

As far as shape goes wider is always better than taller since birds prefer to fly horizontally as opposed to up and down. It is a good idea, however, to have perches at various heights to encourage exercise.

Birds also feel more secure when their cages are placed in a corner or against a wall. Conversely they can feel very insecure in a round cage.

As far as materials go, stainless steel make the best parakeet bird cages. They are sturdy and don’t rust. You need to be very careful with some paints and metals since your parakeet can ingest toxins when they chip or rust.

Zinc, brass, lead and galvanized steel are poor choices as are flimsy cages with wires that can easily become dislodged and injure or kill your bird.

If you take all of these factors into account you should have no trouble  finding the perfect parakeet bird cage!