Cage & Aviary Setup

The working rule is that the bird must be able to turn fully with wings extended and flap without primaries or tail touching the bars. In practice that means about 60x45x80 cm for a cockatiel, 90x60x120 cm for an African Grey or Amazon, and 120x80x170 cm for a macaw or large cockatoo. Wider is always better than taller.

Bars set too far apart let a bird push its head through and become trapped, which causes strangulation and neck injury. Bars set too close prevent climbing and can trap toes. Match spacing to the species rather than to the marketing category printed on the box.

No. Galvanised wire and fittings are zinc-coated, and parrots chew. Zinc toxicosis causes vomiting, weight loss, excessive thirst and neurological signs, and can be fatal. Choose stainless steel, or well-maintained powder-coated wrought iron that you inspect regularly.

Against a solid wall at roughly chest height, out of direct all-day sun and away from draughts. Keep it out of the kitchen, because fumes from overheated PTFE-coated cookware kill birds within minutes.

Change the liner and wash food and water dishes daily, wipe bars, perches and the tray weekly, and deep-clean the whole enclosure monthly with a bird-safe disinfectant such as F10 or diluted vinegar, rinsing thoroughly.

It is not essential, but it offers natural sunlight, weather and flight distance no indoor cage can match. If you build one, use double wiring between adjacent flights, add a safety porch to prevent escapes, and include a sheltered draught-free area.