The writers of Pet Connection are on vacation. The column below ran originally the week of Nov. 6, 2006. Pet Connection's regular schedule will resume next week.
No purchase is more important when you get a parrot than the cage. The cage is where your parrot will spend time when you're not home, when the family is sleeping or when you can't pay attention to your pet.
The first rule of caging: Buy the biggest cage you can. Forget the generic categorizations you'll find in pet stores. Those descriptions represent the minimum size to consider – a better bet is at least one size bigger. For a cockatiel, get a cage for a small parrot.
The bigger, the better, always, as long as the bar spacing isn't so big that your bird could escape.
Dimensions are important, too. Tall and narrow cages may look nice, but they force birds to fly more like a helicopter than is natural. Parrots like to fly horizontally as well as climb up and down in their cages, so a cage should be wide enough to accommodate both activities.
Metal is generally the best material for a cage.
With so many cages available, how can you be sure you're buying one of high quality? Here are a few points to consider.
• Design: You want a cage to be attractive, but even more important, it should be workable for you and your bird. Look for features such as a bird-proof latch; dishes that are easy to move, remove and clean; and a droppings tray that takes standard-sized newspapers. Make sure you can easily reach in and make contact with the bird.
Mess-catchers can be helpful, too. They look like an inverted metal skirt around the base of the cage. The best position for the slide-out droppings tray at the bottom of the cage is under a grid so your bird can't get to it.
• Sturdiness: You're going to have your bird and the cage for a very long time, so you need to make sure the construction is solid. Check seams, welds and places where wires and corners meet. Is everything smooth and sturdy, with nothing for a bird to chip off and chew? Beware of chipping or flaking paint, or welds that can be broken off and swallowed.
Used cages can be a real value, if made well to begin with. Look for wear and rust. And before introducing your bird to any cage that another bird has used, scrub thoroughly, disinfect with a bleach-water solution, rinse completely and allow to air dry.
• Convenience: A cage stand is great, especially with cages designed for smaller parrots. You and your bird are likely to appreciate having the cage off the ground – in your case, for ease of access; for your bird's, visual perspective.
Shop carefully.
Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of several best-selling pet-care books. E-mail them at petconnection@gmail.com or visit www.petconnection.com. Back columns: www.sacbee.com/spadafori.
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