Are you new to sharing your home with exotic companion birds? Don’t worry – Bird Cages 4 Less has your back. Welcome to our “How To” posts, a recurring series of articles dedicating to helping you be the best parront on the block.
If you were following the blog through the April Perch Series, it’s likely that you know quite a bit about the bird perches that Bird Cages 4 Less offers. Perhaps you even ordered a few, and now you’re wondering where to attach each perch inside the cage. Decorating bird cages is an art – and you don’t necessarily need to be artistic to succeed! The best thing to do is always keep your companion parrot in mind – and that will mean a different thing to every parront!Keep in mind that all birds should have a minimum of three different kinds of perches in the bird cage at all times to ensure optimal foot health.
To best determine how to place the perches in your bird cage, you’ll have to consider your bird size to cage size ratio. For example, while a Anahola Abode Flight Bird Cage is appropriate for parrots as small as the Pacific Parrotlet (pictured left) which stands 3 to 5 inches tall. It is also perfect for the Meyer’s Parrot (pictured right) which stands 8 to 9 inches tall. When compared, they are obviously very different in size, and will need different accommodations to make the most of their respective bird cages. The parrotlet would do best with more than three perches in his cage; five to eight perches may be a better number for him. The Meyer’s Parrot, however, may be fine with just three perches – but it’s likely that five would be a better number. Keeping in mind that all parrots are unique and that a different number of perches will be perfect for each bird, let’s go over a few questions that all bird owners should answer while putting perches in their bird cages.
Can your bird easily…
- reach his food and water?
- adding bolt-on perches is an easy solution so smaller birds are able to comfortably eat and drink
- grooming percheswill file your bird’s nails several times per day when he visits his food or water
- larger parrots should be able to stretch from the central dowel perch to the dishes, making bolt-on perches unnecessary
- reach his toys?
- bolt-on perches are a great way to separate hanging toys from the center of the cage for birds of any size
- smaller birds may perch ON their toys and need fewer bolt-on perches than large parrots
- hardwood or grooming perches are good choices to place in these areas
- sleep in an elevated location?
- most birds will naturally perfer to sleep in a high perch inside their bird cage
- cotton perches and heated perches are best for this church
- for smaller birds, bolt the perch in the cage with an extra 3 inches between their head and the ceiling
- forlarger birds, leave an extra 5 inches
- take a break while climbing from front to back of the cage?
- using perches of various sizes and materials will make the adventure exciting
- smaller birds may need 3 to 5 perches across the back wall of a cage alone to make navigation easier
- larger birds may only need 1 or 2 perches in the same fashion
- an alternative to a simple straight perch could be a swing or multi-branch perch
- sit without his tail touching the cage bars?
- to keep tails in their best condition, birds of all sizes should be able to sit without rubbing the bars
- bolt the perch an extra 2 to 3 inches away from the back wall for maximum comfort
In summary, you’ll want one or two perches to access food and water, one perch for sleeping, and one perch located near a toy. This would leave most birds with three or four perches total in the cage, when the bird is sized perfectly to his cage. This number increases when your bird has a larger cage than would usually be recommended.While crowding a bird’s cage with too many perches will leave them no room to stretch their wings and tails, finding a perfect balance can be a matter of trial and error. Starting off with three perches in the cage is a good foundation for a bird whose size is optimal for the cage he lives in. For a bird who has a much larger cage, 5 to 8 perches may be necessary. Swings, shelves, and other cage accessories that your bird regularly perches upon can be counted as extras, above the three perch minimum. Remember to provide many different types of perches, as was described in the April Perch Series: the Importance of Variety.
Check back in with us soon for more tips on keeping your birds healthy and happy! Meanwhile, you can check out BirdCages4Less.com for everything you need to be the best parront on the block.
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How To: Place Perches in a Bird Cage
FAQs
In summary, you'll want one or two perches to access food and water, one perch for sleeping, and one perch located near a toy. This would leave most birds with three or four perches total in the cage, when the bird is sized perfectly to his cage.
How many perches should be in a birdcage? ›
Here are some very useful tips about arranging your bird cage. Provide your parrot with 8-12 toys in the cage and at least 5 perches so that the bird can access the toys.
What are good perches for parrots? ›
Rope that is made of hemp or untreated cotton can make a great perch. Soft, braided rope perches are a comfortable option for birds, especially if the bird is older and has arthritic joints. Rope made of natural hemp or cotton rope can also provide a softer surface that is easy to grip and great for parrots to chew on.
What is the best thing to put on the bottom of a bird cage? ›
What should I line my bird's cage with? The bottom of the cage should be lined with disposable paper such as newspaper or paper towels that can be thrown away every day. Newsprint is now free of lead, so it is non-toxic to birds, even if they chew on it.
How do you arrange perches in a bird cage? ›
Don't place the perch so close to the sides that the birds tail hits the cage bars. Don't place perches directly over food or water dishes. Birds like to sleep and spend most of their time on the highest perch in the cage. A secure natural or rope perch is recommended for this position.
Are flat perches good for parrots? ›
FLAT PERCHES
I do think that having one flat perch inside your cage can be really beneficial. My birds also really like using their flat perches when they like cleaning their toes. It is a good way for them to balance and not be wobbly.
Do birds prefer tall or wide cages? ›
Cage Size and Shape
Surprisingly, the width of the cage is more of a concern than the height. Choose a cage that is a minimum of twice as wide as your bird's wingspan. A cage for multiple birds should be even more spacious.
Where is the best place to put a parrot cage? ›
Choose a Quiet Place - Parrots are sensitive to noise and stress easily, so placing their cage in a busy or loud area will make them uncomfortable and affect their health. Ideal placement is in a room where they can feel comfortable with minimal noise.
Do birds sleep on perches? ›
It probably won't surprise you that many bird species huddle together at night while sleeping. This has two advantages: it keeps them warm while providing more protection against predators. Passerines, or perching birds like bluebirds and chickadees, will sleep standing or sitting with their feet clasped to perches.
What is the best perch for a parrot to sleep on? ›
Natural Branch Parrot Perches are one of the most popular perches because they are easy to clean and good for parrots. Natural branches from real hardwood trees or shrubs offer variable diameters across the length. Some wood bird perches, like the Java Perch, have unique twists and turns, too.
The majority of parrot breeds enjoy vegetables such as kale, zucchini and shredded carrot, while their favourite fruits are papaya, banana and rockmelon. Never give your parrot chocolate, caffeine, avocados, fruit seeds, mushrooms, peanuts, onions or garlic. Your parrot's species will dictate how often they'll eat.
Should I put a towel over my bird cage? ›
As long as a dark, quiet and somewhat secluded area is provided for a bird to sleep in, most will be fine without being covered at night. Remember, however, that sleep is vital to a bird's well-being. If you are in doubt about your pet's reaction to being uncovered, play it safe and resume covering the cage at night.
How do you arrange a parrot cage? ›
The cage shouldn't be near screenless windows or doors or placed in rooms that get really hot or cold. Set paper towels or newspaper along the bottom of the bird cage so you don't have a difficult time cleaning up. Fill the cage with supplies like perches, a bird bath, food/water bowls, and safe toys.
Do birds like perches on bird houses? ›
Do NOT add perches. Perches allow predatory birds (like jays, magpies, ravens, and crows) better access to the eggs and young in a nest box. In contrast, cavity-nesting birds rarely use perches and prefer cavities without perches. Be sure young birds will be able to leave the nest.
Do parrots sleep on a perch? ›
They live in flocks in the wild, as a defense against predators. They prefer tall trees – most captive parrots prefer to sleep on their highest perch, or as high in the cage as they can get. I've never used sleep cages for my birds.
What is the best cage setup for a parrot? ›
Sleeping area: this should be the highest perch, that may be approached on one or two sides only. Living area: provide a perch, lower than the sleeping area perch that gives the Parrot the best view out of the window or beyond the room where they live, so that they can easily observe their surroundings.
To best determine how to place the perches in your bird cage, you’ll have to consider your bird size to cage size ratio. For example, while a Anahola Abode Flight Bird Cage is appropriate for parrots as small as the Pacific Parrotlet (pictured left) which stands 3 to 5 inches tall. It is also perfect for the Meyer’s Parrot (pictured right) which stands 8 to 9 inches tall. When compared, they are obviously very different in size, and will need different accommodations to make the most of their respective bird cages. The parrotlet would do best with more than three perches in his cage; five to eight perches may be a better number for him. The Meyer’s Parrot, however, may be fine with just three perches – but it’s likely that five would be a better number. Keeping in mind that all parrots are unique and that a different number of perches will be perfect for each bird, let’s go over a few questions that all bird owners should answer while putting perches in their bird cages.