Show me your cages!!!

[Carl_the_Alexandrine]

As the title says! Show me your setups. I am constantly questioning if Ive setup Carl's cage well enough. More toys? More perches?! Fewer?! Right now his looks pretty bare, as I'm waiting for the post to deliver 4, hopefully a bit tougher to destroy toys. He is a woodchipper with wings. And while I know chewing is part of his play/natural behavior, unless I can find gum branches regularly and untreated pine it gets a bit pricey.
Ive also just read the article about dividing the cage into 4 layers....so when the new toys come I will definitely be taking that into consideration! Anyways, here's Carls cage, fresh after washing the grate and changing his newspaper.

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[SailBoat]

Take a look at the cage set-up for this Amazon (Bingo), a new arrival. Note the great variation in the size and type of perches and the placement of toys, food dishes, etc... Thread Name: Welcome home, Bingo!

A large number of Threads that have Photos of Parrots will likely have the cage in the background.

Remember, that what you have in the cage is and should be under on-going change and up-grades as you gain a better idea of the wants, needs and enjoyment of your Parrot. Also, Parrots will go thru periods of heavy interest in one configuration and/or type of toys and than become bored with it. So, with time, change this corner and that corner, followed by etc.... The goal is to provide a slow, but continued change. All-out, change everything can be a problem and should be avoided.

Remember to layer! Long things and short hanging stuff. Stuff including perches on the outside of the cage. Remember the top, and the door!

Have fun with this, Enjoy!

 

[Carl_the_Alexandrine]

Went and had a mini shopping spree online for Carl. Husband isnt too impressed (still trying to convince him the more toys/stimulation Carl has, the less likely he is to scream)....anyways
Carl is currently dismantling the foot toys/cat balls but his cage has so much stuff in it now I dont know if he even lnows to do with it!

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[SailBoat]

Neat!

Just and FYI: Remember that you can also use the placement of things to create a comfort place that allows the Parrot to feel safe that the World cannot see him.

Looks like you are having fun with it! That's the goal.

Contact calls, a chatter between each other will go along way to limiting screaming.

If the light stand is used for camera lighting that's okay, but if you have it there for general lighting is to close, that type of light can become very hot!

 

[Allee]

Carl is a lucky Alex, his new mansion looks comfortable, he'll probably be happy to make it his own.

 

[plumsmum2005]

Remember a cage is an ever evolving space, something in and something out. Bit like a closet really but with less mess LOL. You will learn what your bird likes, there are a couple of Plum's toys I dare not move.

 

[Carl_the_Alexandrine]

Thanks everyone for the tips! I want to make him as happy as possible and keep him entertained while Im at work. I still have a large boing that I need to clean and that will go on the outside on the right there. I'll let him get used to this layout and then next week see if I cant re-arrange a perch or two and give him a privacy area.
I notice he still has to use the sides of the cage a bit to get around which means I haven't layed the perches out as well as I could have.

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[adz1984]

Using the sides to get around is a good thing imo, being unflighted I would take the free exercise. I believe we both got our alex's at around the same time and both are about the same age, has your guy lost any flight feathers? Bella has only lost 1 clipped flight feather (thinking should of been more by now) and do you know your boys weight?

 

[Carl_the_Alexandrine]

Hes in the process of losing one of his clipped feathers. Im going to let them grow in I reckon. Not sure on his weight, I'll find out! He was hatched in August last year so almost 1!

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[snowflake311]

Here is my conures cage.

2017-07-25_10-13-38 by Sarah Ireland, on Flickr

 

[Carl_the_Alexandrine]

Oh boy. In the last two days Ive bought more stuff for Carl. BUT. I got 2 grapevine perches (similar to manzanita), a couple rope perches, a few cage mount foraging toys, a large hanging shredding toy and some wood blocks/shredding/chewing refils. Its become pretty apparent that Carl isnt much to play with a toy that he cant destroy. So I'll be looking at making my own soon using untreated pine and balsa and yucca woods.

He has, however, discovered the joys of shredding phone books. Which rules, because those are easy to come by. And a client of mine brought in a big bag full of pine cones that she also collects for her galah. Took him a few minutes to investigate but once he saw I'd hidden some pellets in them he went right in.

Ive noticed he's starting to use other noises/words instead of always doing the high flock call. So we're making some progress! I think the calls he makes even when I'm in the room are because even though he has toys I think they're either the wrong type (not destructable) and he doesn't really know how to play...so Ive been showing him how to ring bells etc. Hopefully that helps!

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[itchyfeet]

My lot love the pinecones!! Would probably pay to chuck them in the oven and bake them first, incase there are any nasties.
Sounds like you're doing awesome

 

[adz1984]

Recently got this cage still messing around with setup, Wish I went smaller than 1inch bar spacing had to put pvc mesh on cage floor as his foot would fall through often and some sea grass mats on the vertical bars as he couldn't move around easily

 

[plumsmum2005]

I have some thick cardboard and layers of papers on top of the grate in Plums cage and tbh he loves just peeling the paper back to get to the cardboard. Makes it easy to clean, just scoop up 2/3 sheets, two times a day, quick and easy.

I went with a not so deep cage that has horizontal bars on all sides. You can make it easier and use some of their energy by placing perches in a step formation and/or use rope/cotton perches to climb on. Could almost do with some of the things they use on human climbing walls to attach to the bars LOL?

PS Any contenders for a name yet?

 

[Carl_the_Alexandrine]

New toys/layout... he seems pretty stoked!!!

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[crimson.snwbnny]

I own 4 rats so had 2 feisty ferret cages. Used the bottom half of one for my lovebirds.. The last picture is of my parakeets. They only go in at night. They spend the day outside in my inclosed porch.

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[Carl_Power]

Here is Xanders cage. Is it big enough for a Quaker Parrot?

I'd appreciate any input on improving my setup, add more things, where to put them ect.

I read that the wood perches that come with the cages are no good at all for the Parrots feet but I need the perch at the top to keep the top of the cage secure when I open it up.

Also what different kind of perches would be good and healthy for Xander and how many and are there good places to hang toys?

I do want to add more to the cage and maybe one of those boingy rope things coz he is pretty active and loves cage climbing and also could I add to the outside of the cage?

Its also awkward to hang things from the top of the cage as it opens up and he really loves it up there.

Just one last thing, I need something to help with his nails and beak in the cage too.

Thank you guys, hope your all having a lovely day x

 

[BeatriceC]

I am currently sharing my home with six birds. Three are mine, two belong to my son, and one is a temporary resident I am caring for while her human recovers from an accident. Each cage set up is different and catered to the needs and wants and preferences of each bird. You might look at the macaw cage and think it's weird and boring (perches are low, very few toys), but it's what she needs to keep her safe, and she's only in there at night and when she gets over-stimulated during the day, so the lack of toys isn't bad, and the perches are low because she falls a lot on account of missing a wing. Goofy, the YNA is obsessed with one particular type of toy, so he has four of them, and while he has a few other things to try to convince him that other toys are fun too, well, he just keeps going back to the ones he loves. Oscar has this stuffed ghost squeaky toy and if you try to take it from him, you'll lose a finger. None of my other birds are that attached to any kind of object at all. I could keep going on, but you get the idea. The point is that you should set the cage up and watch your bird and see how he reacts, then make adjustments accordingly. Eventually you'll have it set up in a way that makes his little heart sing with joy.

 

[Carl_Power]

Thank you, I do try and observe him a lot and he has only just started playing with toys so I wouldn't remove the ones he is used to.

Id like to know what kind of perches are better for a Quaker as I know they need different sizes to help their feet and I've heard that some help grind their nails down too.

Some times I get all new Parrot Daddy lol but he's my boy

 

[BeatriceC]

I guess when I think about what kind of perches to put in a cage I fall back to the question "what do I see them perching on in nature photographs" and start from there.