Can't decide on a cage for my eclectus...

[ChuytheEkkie]

I was hoping some other Eclectus owners could weigh in on the cage size they have for their birds?? Currently, Chuy is in his "baby cage" which is 17" X 24". Because I've heard Eclectus parrots called "Pet Rocks" due to their tendancy to chill on the top of their cage and not be very athletic/rough players, I was holding off to see just how big of a cage I needed. I mean, why buy a enormous macaw cage if he isn't really interested in playing on the bottom, swinging from toys, etc?

(Well, who ever called them 'pet rocks' has obviously never met my Chuy.)

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As you can see, if it can be done upside down, Chuy will accept the challenge.

What size cage do you 'adventurous' Eclectus owners prefer?

I'm debating between this (32"X23") :
A&E Cage Company 32" X 23" Play Top Bird Cage at PETCO

and this (48"x36") :
A&E Cage Company 48" X 36" Play Top Bird Cage at PETCO


Honestly, the 32" X 23" suits our house way better.... does anyone have this cage and is their bird happy in it?? Do you regret not getting something bigger? It's been really hard to imagine Chuy size-wise in this cage. Ultimately, all I care about is Chuy's happiness so I just want to hear about what your Eclectus is happy living in! I wish I had as much room as possible to get a huge cage but right now space is limited in our current house.

 

[maillet]

When purchasing an Eclectus (perhaps more than any other breed outside Amazons or Senegal) the cage size is one of most important things. Best rule of thumb is to go with the largest one that you can afford. You little bird will be locked up for likely 8hr daily (including sleeping). These birds also are prone to being quite athletic for birds.

Eclectus (or mine at least) are content to sit on top of their perch for hours on end although normally at least once a day for 1-2 Hours they will be more active than of any other parrot I have ever seen. They will climb upside down on the roof, scale all the bars, play with their toys (aggressively or curiously), and generally begin talking.

Recommended size for a single adult Ekkie is minimum 36x48x60 to allow them plenty of room for a wingspan (they stretch often) as well as room for plenty of perches as they will sit for hours on end and like to have alternate sizes of perches to rest feet.

Check out book: Eclectus Parrots

 

[mtdoramike]

I have a 40X30 Kings Cage and although it seems huge, Mac likes the additional room. BUT, I have run into a few problems with a cage this big, I had to dismantle it before I could take it out of the previous owners home. I then have to dismantle it as well if I change him from different rooms. This was really a problem when we planned to go on a recent trip because Who ever I placed my birds with to have them cared for while away, I would have had to take the cage apart to get it out of my home then put it back together at the care takers home and vise versa when we returned.

Fortunately though, we found a trustworthy person locally who came by twice a day and cared for them saving me the aggravation of dealing with the huge cage. I also thought about getting a smaller cage for Mac as a sort of travel sleep over cage.

I think the 32x23 cage would be fine especially if you plan on moving it around to different rooms. If not than the bigger the better.

 

[ChuytheEkkie]

Thank you for the input! Actually, the second size I considered was actually 28" x 36"... Sorry, posted wrong size!! You brought up a excellent point that I overlooked!! Cleaning the cage!! I wheel mine out regularly for a hose/scrub down since Chuy is such a messy eater. The larger size would be a real pain to do that with. I'm still researching to see if any other brands have different dimensions but I really like the A&E locks.

 

[maillet]

Cleaning the cage should be a minimal concern of yours. You are dealing with a parrot that in all honesty will out live you likely. Make sure they can enjoy all the time when you are out of the home like at work. I spent roughly 2-Hours a week cleaning cage (twice weekly) it honestly is not bad at all. Especially if you position perches well so droppings always land on the bottom of cage newspapers rather than other perches.

 

[ChuytheEkkie]

maillet, I understand what you mean. I absolutely want him to be comfortable all his life. I have a tendency to "over do it" on purchases, or so I've been told (by my husband), so that's why I was trying to be smart about picking a cage and not overly excessive. I just didn't want to buy a HUGE XXXL cage when he may have been just as happy with the XL cage. Buying "the biggest cage I can afford" is tough because we can afford pretty much any size cage. My problem is CURRENT space limitations in my home. We are in the process of trying to sell our home and I have ideas of a beautiful outdoor aviary for our next home along with ample space for a huge cage indoors (and maybe more future birds!). As of right now, a huge monster 40" cage wont fit comfortably in any of the main family areas and I really want him to be where we are the most. This is why I was hoping the 32"x23" would work and maybe some other owners would speak up if they have used that size, even as a temporary cage. I just need to buy something better than what I have now so he can play, be happy, and be a bit more comfortable...then I may have to sell cage #2 and buy cage #3 (the XXXL cage) when we both reach our final home. I just don't know how long that will take. Lucky for him, my husband works odd hours so he's home often and Chuy get's to come out and play even when I'm at work! But I will say this, if the majority have the 40" cage because that's what their Eclectus is happy in, Chuy will get a 40" cage as well even if I have to sit in it with him to watch TV!! hahaha

Also, I live in Texas and we have a huge ant problem in my area. The reason I hose down the cage and it's important is to prevent any of those little jerk ants from marching a trail up to his cage. Even though I wipe down the cage there is still strawberry nectar and blackberry splatter everywhere because you just can't get it all. This ant problem has even been a issue with our dog bowls. (Yes, we spray outside but Texas ants are like the Chuck Norris of ants) How often do you disinfect and hose out your cage?? and do you have to break it down to get it outside like mtdoramike?

 

[mtdoramike]

I clean Mac's cage daily to prevent that problem. I will thoroughly scrub his cage once a week as well. I use a hand held steamer with just plain water in it with the brush attachment. It works great and cuts down on my time scrubbing.

 

[coltfire]

the cage can not be to big, as for them playing all day if they have enough toys and a good change of toys they wont sit still all day,cleaning is a part of parrot owning and just does not come into there comfort well shouldn't, and as Maillet said minimum 36x48x60 and that is bare minimum