Looking for suggestions on buying a new cage

[Diver]

I have a 22 year old red-headed amazon. (My dad got him when I was 4) He's lived in the same cage for that entire time and I am soon to be moving in with my boyfriend, a new cage is definitely needed.
I'm just not sure what to get for him. I am sure that the cage he is in now is sadly out of date since it was purchased about 22 years ago, though he is content and very healthy.
We do not have a lot of money to spend, so the more reasonably priced the suggestions, the better for me. It's very hard to tell a good cage from a bad one online, and the selection in person is quite slim. I'm not sure if petsmart is the route to go, because I'm not sure about a) their standards b) their prices
being 'fair'.
My concerns are for his safety and well being. We have about 300-450 to spend, conservatively.
He has a large bird stand that he enjoys being on while out of the cage and he will even be able to use that more frequently at the new place, so I would prefer the cage to be simple, no 'playtop' or birdy gyms and it doesn't need to be extremely large, though I want it to be sufficiently large for his wingspan.
I am on the hunt! I would like suggestions for brand names, materials and styles. Thank you all so much!
Laurel and "Pooey"

 

[Auggie's Dad]

Any particular reason you don't want to keep his old cage? Other than it being "out of date"?

Is it falling apart, rusting, or anything of the sort? Birds aren't much for following the fashion, so if it ain't broke...


Though if you are set on getting a new one I think you should find many good choices in that price range. You mention petsmart - thats where I got my cage. One of your concerns there is valid though: I think there standards are quite good, but their prices are higher than you'd get ordering direct online.

I don't know any good "brand names" of cages. But things to check out is bar spacing, bar size, material, and particularly coating materials/paints.

Most places still in the business of making bird cages are now using safe materials/coatings, so I don't think this would be a concern unless you're buying a home-made cage on e-bay or buying from an obscure company based in some little country in the middle of no where.

Bar spacing should be narrow enough so his head cant get through and get stuck. This should not be a problem with an amazon as long as you are buying a cage made for parrots. Bar size should be big/sturdy enough that he can't damage it. This may sound like an odd criteria, but a parrot can bite right through thin bars or wire mesh that you'd find on enclosures for other small animals (rabbits, etc). Again this should not be a concern if the cage you are looking at is marketed for parrots.

I suspect others will chime in with more specific advice, but I think you will be safe with any cage marketed for parrots from an established company and with a little looking you should be able to find some very nice cages in that price range. It always surprises me when I browse for cages the variety in pricing - I've seen two companies selling the same cage one charging $900 or so and the other charging a couple hundred. Shop around!

 

[RKZX2]

i just bought mine directly from Kings Cages. i caught a great deal. free shipping too! maybe you should check them out. they make great quality cages.

 

[RedsDad]

I've had the same cage for 25 years and my Amazon loves it, its use for sleeping or when I'm not around to keep an eye on her as for the rest of the time she play out side of it, if the cage you have now is in good shape why not keep it and save a little money.

Reds Dad

 

[AiSell]

Recently, I notice that many sites that sell bird cages offer a new bird cages brand Marvelous Cages. They offer for sale 9-10 models.
I’m in love and impressive of their design. But I’ve never seen these bird cages live in the local PetStore.
Has anyone heard of these? Does anyone have one? Are they nice? What’s about quality, design, company or something! Thank’s friends.
Please share your impressions. In particular: I chose this cage:
http://www.birdscomfort.com/veranda_opentop_birdcage.html for my three 3 parrots.

 

[dodsonjames]

I would just check classified web sites like craigslist.com or hoobly.com

You would be surprised how many almost new cages people sell on there. Sometimes you have to sort through the cages that might have rust or something like that... but for the most part you can find a next to new cage for 150$. I bought a cage for my girlfriends gray that was hugggeee for 160$... and it was in great condition. If i were to of bought the same cage(dimensions and style) online it would of cost me about 600$. You could also take the extra money you save and spend it on toys and other things to make your birds happy.

 

[mikaharimoto]

You can always look on Ebay for some deals as well. Sometimes they will post a cage on auction and you might get a good deal out of it. Plus you can always ask the seller some questions about whether the cage will be right for your bird. You might get a good answer out of it too. Hope this helps!

 

[dakisgirls]

My macaws cage is 20 years old because i inheirited him from my grandmother. It is in pretty dang good shape. I pressure wash mine in sunny weather and scrub the bars with poop off as it is stainless steel. He's just fine in it, even though it isn't the largest cage on the planet, he gets out and plays a lot. Go with what Auggie's Dad says. If it's still in good shape, clean it and keep it.

 

[liliafavor]

Cages can also get expensive when buying them at pet stores. Not as much with the parakeets, but when you get to bigger birds they get more expensive, obviously. Building seems like a good route. Its hard to find a large small animal cage in the states.

 

[HRH Di]

We lucked into 2 used (but almost new) King cages for our macaw and CAG (when she comes home). I feel they're definitely worth the money if you can swing it. Much sturdier and well built than the cage we got for our Alex (before we really knew what we were doing). Check ebay and craigslist to see what's out there. That's where you'll get the best deals.

 

[Spiritbird]

You can google petco and see avain adventure cages. They have great service and these cages are fantastic!! I bought one and it was delivered in 5 days by fed x. I was able to assemble it myself which is a miracle in itself. You can see a photo of it in my album here on the forum. They really are fantastic cages for the price. Outstanding quality also.

http://www.petco.com/Shop/petco_ProductList_PC_productlist_Nav_1038_N_25+5054+30+10129.aspx?cm_mmc=GooglePKW-_-72-BIRD_ACCESS-CAGES_AVIAN_ADVENTURES-_-%5Bavian+adventures+bird+cages%5D-_-xxx