A parrot bird cage is much more than a secure enclosure—it should provide a safe, comfortable home where your parrot can eat, rest, play, climb, and spend time when supervision isn’t possible. Whether you’re choosing a cage for a small parrot such as a budgie, cockatiel, or lovebird or a much larger cage for a macaw or African Grey, selecting the proper size, construction, bar spacing, and accessories is important.
The cage should provide enough room for the bird to move comfortably and fully extend its wings without hitting the sides, toys, or perches. Bigger is generally better, provided that the bar spacing and construction are appropriate for the particular species.
A cage shouldn’t be viewed as a place for constant confinement. Most companion parrots benefit from regular opportunities for supervised exercise and activity outside their cages in a bird-safe environment. Climbing, flying when appropriate, playing, training, and foraging can provide valuable physical exercise and mental stimulation.
- See also Adopting a Parrot.
Do’s and Don’ts for a Parrot Bird Cage
Do’s
1. Choose an Appropriately Sized Parrot Bird Cage
Choose the largest practical cage that is safe for your particular parrot. At minimum, your bird should be able to fully extend its wings and move comfortably without striking the cage sides, perches, toys, or other accessories.
2. Choose Safe Cage Materials
Select a sturdy cage made from bird-safe materials. Stainless steel and appropriately manufactured, bird-safe powder-coated cages are common choices. Avoid cages with peeling or chipped coatings and materials that may expose your bird to potentially toxic metals such as lead or zinc.
3. Make Sure Doors and Latches Are Secure
Parrots can be remarkably skilled at manipulating cage hardware. Doors, food-access openings, and other entrances should close securely and shouldn’t be easily opened by the bird.
4. Provide Appropriate Perches
Provide several appropriately sized perches with different diameters and textures to encourage natural foot movement. Natural branches from known bird-safe, pesticide-free trees can be useful when properly cleaned and prepared.
Avoid filling the cage entirely with identical smooth dowel perches.
5. Provide Toys and Foraging Opportunities
Parrots are intelligent animals that benefit from enrichment. Bird-safe foraging toys, chew toys, climbing opportunities, puzzles, and other appropriate activities can encourage natural behaviors and provide mental stimulation.
Inspect toys regularly and replace them when they become damaged or unsafe.
6. Choose the Cage Location Carefully
Place the cage where your parrot can participate appropriately in household activity while still having opportunities for quiet rest.
Keep the cage away from kitchen fumes, smoke, aerosols, scented products, overheated non-stick cookware, fireplaces, and other potentially dangerous airborne substances.
7. Keep the Cage Clean
Replace soiled cage liners and clean food and water dishes regularly. Perches, toys, cage surfaces, and other accessories should also be cleaned as necessary.
Cleaning frequency depends partly on the bird and cage, but waste and spoiled food shouldn’t be allowed to accumulate.
8. Provide Safe Exercise Outside the Cage
When appropriate for the individual bird, provide regular opportunities for supervised activity outside the cage in a bird-safe area.
Before allowing a parrot out, secure doors and windows, turn off ceiling fans, protect electrical cords, remove toxic plants and other hazards, and keep other pets safely separated when necessary.
9. Learn About Household Hazards
Many ordinary household items can be dangerous to parrots. Overheated PTFE/non-stick cookware and appliances, tobacco smoke, some aerosols, strong fumes and other airborne contaminants can cause serious problems.
The Association of Avian Veterinarians provides useful information about household dangers for companion birds.
Parrot Cages to Consider
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Prevue Pet Products F040 Flight Cage
For owners of appropriately sized smaller parrots, the Prevue Pet Products F040 is one cage worth considering. It provides a roomy flight-style design with ½-inch bar spacing, multiple access doors, a removable tray and grille for cleaning, and a rolling stand.
The interior measures approximately 30¼ inches long × 20¼ inches wide × 40 inches high. Before purchasing, make sure the dimensions and bar spacing are appropriate for your particular parrot rather than choosing a cage based only on a manufacturer’s suggested species.
View the Prevue Pet Products F040 on Amazon
Yaheetech 63-Inch Open Play Top Bird Cage
For owners of appropriately sized medium-to-larger parrots, the Yaheetech 63-Inch Open Play Top Bird Cage is another option worth considering. Its larger design includes an open play top, rolling casters, multiple access doors and a removable tray for easier cleaning.
The cage has approximately 1-inch bar spacing, so it is important to make sure the spacing and overall dimensions are appropriate for your particular parrot before purchasing. It should not be selected for smaller birds simply because a retailer lists multiple bird species in the product description.
View the Yaheetech 63-Inch Bird Cage on Amazon
Don’ts
1. Don’t Choose a Cage Based on Appearance Alone
A decorative cage isn’t necessarily a safe cage. Consider size, construction, bar spacing, door security, ease of cleaning, and the needs of your particular species before appearance.
Rectangular cages generally provide practical usable space and corners where a bird can choose to retreat.
2. Don’t Use Incorrect Bar Spacing
Bar spacing must be appropriate for your bird’s size. Openings that are too wide can allow a bird’s head or other body parts to become trapped, while inappropriate spacing can create other safety problems.
Because parrots vary enormously in size, from tiny parrotlets to large macaws, choose spacing recommended for your particular species rather than relying on one measurement for all parrots.
3. Don’t Rely Only on Smooth Dowel Perches
Using only identical smooth dowels provides little variation in how pressure is distributed across the feet.
Offer appropriately sized perches with varied diameters and surfaces instead. Avoid abrasive perch covers intended to wear down nails, because rough surfaces can irritate a bird’s feet.
4. Don’t Assume Every Parrot Toy Is Safe
Inspect toys carefully for frayed material, loose threads, sharp pieces, unsafe metals, small detachable parts, or openings that could trap toes, feet, heads, or beaks.
Fabric huts and similar enclosed accessories can create risks when birds chew or ingest fibers or become entangled in loose material. They may also encourage nesting behavior in some birds.
Rope products should be checked frequently and removed if they become dangerously frayed or damaged.
5. Don’t Expose the Cage to Dangerous Fumes
Never place a parrot where it can be exposed to fumes from overheated non-stick/PTFE cookware, smoke, strong cleaning chemicals, aerosols, scented products, or other potentially harmful airborne substances.
Bird respiratory systems are extremely sensitive, making air quality especially important.
6. Don’t Overcrowd the Cage
More toys aren’t always better. Arrange toys, bowls, and perches so your parrot still has enough room to move, climb and fully extend its wings.
Rotate enrichment periodically rather than filling every available space.
7. Don’t Use Unsuitable Cage Liners
Simple paper liners such as plain paper or newspaper make it easier to monitor droppings and replace soiled material.
Avoid materials that may create problems if eaten, retain excessive moisture, conceal changes in droppings, or produce excessive dust.
8. Don’t Ignore Your Parrot’s Need for Sleep
Parrots need an appropriate period of quiet, uninterrupted rest each night. Sleep needs can vary among species and individual birds, so owners should provide a consistent light-dark schedule and watch for signs that their bird isn’t getting adequate rest.
A cage cover can be useful for some birds, but covering every parrot’s cage is not mandatory. The important goal is providing a safe, quiet sleeping environment. Learn more in our guide to how much sleep parrots need.
9. Don’t Ignore Damaged Cage Parts
Regularly inspect the cage for sharp edges, broken welds, peeling coatings, rust, damaged bars, loose hardware, or broken accessories.
Repair or replace unsafe equipment before your bird can chew it or become injured.
10. Don’t Leave a Parrot Unsupervised in an Unsafe Room
A parrot outside its cage can quickly encounter hazards such as open windows and doors, ceiling fans, electrical cords, hot surfaces, toxic plants, other pets, standing water, and unsafe foods or objects.
Create a bird-safe area and provide appropriate supervision during out-of-cage activity.
Creating a Safe and Enriching Home for Your Parrot
The best parrot bird cage balances safety, space, comfort, and enrichment. Choose a cage appropriate for your bird’s size and species, use safe materials and properly spaced bars, provide varied perches and enrichment, and keep the environment clean.
The area outside the cage matters too. Supervised exercise, climbing, foraging, training, exploration, and social interaction can give parrots opportunities to express natural behaviors and remain physically and mentally active.
A good cage isn’t simply somewhere to keep a parrot. It is one important part of a larger environment designed around the bird’s safety, physical health, mental stimulation, rest, and social needs.