Agree that parrots are the most popular pets in the bird category. But their natural habitat does not provide for captivity, therefore, in order for them to feel more comfortable, they need a cozy house (cage). A wide variety of cages are on the pet market. But still, to get one that will fully meet the requirements of keeping parrots, you will have to work hard.
In other words, make a cage with your own hands. But before proceeding directly to manufacturing, it is necessary to study the basic requirements for the conditions for keeping birds at home and the materials used to create a cozy house. Only in this case, a homemade parrot cage will please your pet and last a long time.
Parrot Cage Requirements
No matter how spacious the cage you purchase, the parrot will still not get enoughfreedom of movement. You can add comfort to the place of keeping by providing your pet with the opportunity to constantly change its location and move more. To do this, you need a properly equipped cage. With your own hands for a parrot, you can create a real paradise. The main thing is not to save on materials and their quality.
Besides the fact that the cage is large, it must also be equipped with numerous perches and platforms on which your parrot can sit, play, spread its wings and jump from place to place. An important point: if you notice that your pet spends almost all the time sitting at the bottom of the cage, then perhaps he does not have enough room to move. In this case, you need to replace the house with a more spacious option.
Types of bird cages
First of all, let's pay attention to the location of the cell. It depends on how your pet will feel, whether he will be comfortable, whether he will feel that he is safe. When making a cage with your own hands, exclude floor options, since by nature any birds, including parrots, never make nests on the ground. If you want to make a floor version, try to make it in such a way that the bottom of the cage is at least 40 cm from the floor.
And one more thing: in the upper part of the cage there must be a comfortable playground. If necessary, the parrot can not only stay awake on it, but also sleep. Which is also very important. Agree that equipped for allrules, a do-it-yourself cage for a parrot will compare favorably with standard factory options.
Here are a number of factors to consider when choosing a ready-made cage or creating one yourself:
- type of parrot;
- bird size;
- age (life experience, habits);
- the time spent in the cage (permanently or at some specific periods, for example, only at night);
- features of the character of the bird.
Determining the shape and size of the cage
The size and shape of the cage depend directly on the type of bird. A cage for a budgerigar and a larger species such as a cockatoo cannot be the same size and shape. That is why the wrong choice will negatively affect your pet's behavior. Here are a few tips to help you give your parrot a decent life without any problems.
Recommended cell sizes
So, the smallest of pets (budgerigars or blue-headed parrots) require keeping in a cage, the width of which will be at least sixty centimeters. Medium-sized parrots and Amazons should be placed in houses (cages) that are at least 80 centimeters wide. But the cages for the largest varieties of these birds differ in that their width is not less than 1 meter. A homemade cage differs from the factory options in that during the manufacture you can make it exactly the size that you need.
Moreone feature of bird cages: their width must be greater than their height. This is due to the fact that birds, although they can fly, still move in a horizontal plane, just like you and me.
Do-it-yourself parrot cage. Making Tips
Despite the fact that pet stores have a large assortment of different cages, some owners want to make their own pet cage. "How to make a cage for a parrot yourself?" is a fairly common question. Let's take a closer look at the most important nuances related to making a cage.
As noted above, first of all, you need to decide on the shape and size of the future cell, after which you can proceed to create a sketch. It must be sufficiently detailed and reflect all the required dimensions.
Below is an approximate list of the main elements that make up a standard cage. You can make any house for a parrot with your own hands: from the smallest cage to a spacious aviary. All options have the following components in their design:
- Pallet. For it, you can use a ready-made box or make it from fiberboard and slats. In this case, you should pay attention to the height of the sides, they should not be very low.
- Frame (it is a mesh, curved in the desired shape and qualitatively fixed on the frame).
- Roof.
Required materials and workflow
All you need to make your own cage is wire, corners,metal profile, screws and nails. When choosing materials for a cage, it is necessary to give preference to environmentally friendly ones that cannot harm the life and he alth of your beloved pet.
If you plan to use wooden parts in the cage, then the most suitable would be ash or oak. These types of wood are the most resistant to moisture. For painting the cage, it is best to use modern options for ecological paint.
The beginning of the cage making process involves the preparation of the frames. Making them is quite simple, all you need to pay attention to is their high strength. Each of the frames consists of four separate elements (blanks).
The next step involves creating the side parts using a metal profile. That part of the side walls, which is longitudinal in nature, should be bent at an angle of 90 degrees and fastened to the lower and upper parts. Frame parts are fastened with self-tapping screws. Since you know the dimensions of the frames, the required amount of mesh is cut in accordance with them, which must be adjusted along the edge of the profile. After marking the intersections of the wire and the frame, you need to drill holes. They must correspond to the diameter of the wire from which the mesh is made.
Don't forget to equip the finished cage with special hooks that are needed in order to secure various accessories (perches, feeder, drinker, etc.).
As for the cleanliness and care of the parrot, thenin this regard, a pull-out tray is very convenient. It won't be too hard to make one. For it, you will need a profile frame and a sheet of galvanized metal. By connecting them, you get a pull-out tray.
The cage door also requires special attention. The easiest way to arrange it is to cut a hole in the grid. But at the same time, you should pay attention to its size (not very large) and location (closing from top to bottom).
That's it! A do-it-yourself cage made and equipped for a parrot or other bird is ready. You can introduce your pet to a new apartment.
