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off for the investment we make in their comfort, amusement, and safekeeping.

      But not always. You can find unsafe or unnecessary products anywhere pet supplies are sold. Some are just a waste of your money, but others can be a risk to your bird’s health. And you can’t always rely on the advice of a pet-store owner or employee to help you sort out the good from the bad. Although most sales personnel mean well, many may not have up-to-date information on the best products for your pet. Some inadvertently pass on very outdated and even dangerous information.

The good news is you can find correct and current information right here. This chapter equips you with the knowledge you need to buy safe and reasonably priced cages, perches, toys, and all the other necessary paraphernalia that goes with bringing a bird into your life.

      

Although the situation is improving, plenty of outdated advice about avian nutrition still exists — and much of it is shared in pet stores and by other bird retailers or even veterinarians. These folks are often the same people who may give you bum advice on bird gear. Make sure you’re offering the best food to your pet by checking out Chapter 6 for current advice on the appropriate diet for your bird.

Shopping for Cages

      No purchase is more important than your bird’s cage. The cage is the safe haven where your pet will spend time when you’re not home, when the family is sleeping, or when you’re doing other things and can’t pay attention to your pet. Some birds — we call them the “hands-off” varieties — almost never leave their cages. A cage is security and protection, a place to play, and a place to rest. For all these reasons and more, it pays to shop carefully. The cage is a big-ticket item — in some cases costing more than the bird himself.

      

If you stay alert to the possibilities offered on craigslist or eBay, you can save some serious change by buying a cage secondhand. Be sure the cage is high-quality, and then make your best deal. Plan to scrub the used cage before introducing your bird to it, though. Here’s an easy way to clean a cage: Take it to a do-it-yourself car wash and use the high-pressure hose on it. Just be sure to rinse all the soap off well when you’re done. After cleaning a secondhand cage thoroughly, play it safe by disinfecting it, too. Use diluted bleach, at about ½ cup per gallon of water, and then let the cage air-dry.

      Turn to Chapter 5 for tips on how to set up your cage.

      Considering size: Bigger is better

      The first rule of caging: Buy the biggest cage you can afford. Forget the generic categorization you’ll find in pet stores of “finch cage,” “budgie cage,” “small parrot cage,” and so on. Those descriptions represent the minimum size to consider — a better bet is at least one size bigger. No cage is too large, but plenty are too small for a bird’s needs.

No matter how much attention you’re able to devote to your bird, she’ll still spend a lot of time cooped up — almost all her life, in the case of canaries and other finches. Give your bird a break, right from the start, and buy a cage that will allow her as much freedom of movement as possible.

      

Cages may lack in an important dimension: width. Those tall and narrow circular cages may look nice, but they force birds to fly more like a helicopter than in the style that comes naturally for them. Remember to consider the way the birds move. Finches and canaries usually prefer to fly horizontally, not vertically. Parrot species like to fly horizontally, as well as climb up and down in their cages.

      

The only problem with buying a cage larger than commonly recommended is that the bar spacing may be the wrong size for your bird. Before you buy any cage, make sure your bird can’t put his head through the bars. Some pets accidentally catch themselves this way, resulting in injuries or even death. Fortunately, many manufacturers of high-quality cages offer different bar-spacing options on their models, so you can get a large cage of the dimensions that are best for your individual bird’s needs. The basic bar spacing for cockatiels is about ¾ inch; finches require smaller bar spacing, and Amazons and macaws need larger.

      Focusing on material: Wood or metal?

      Metal is the best material for cage construction. Wood is too hard to clean and usually won’t stand up to the abuse birds can give out. Some manufacturers are experimenting with acrylics; these components can make attractive housing for your pet, but they may not offer enough social interaction and ventilation to keep a bird happy. (Acrylics do make some of the best toys, though.)

      Metal cages are made of stainless steel, brass, aluminum, galvanized wire, or iron and come in all kinds of designs, with or without paint. Choose a model without fussiness — an embellished lodging may look good in the store, but you’re apt to regret the purchase every time you try to clean poop out of the decorative elements. Pay attention to safety and practicality when you’re shopping for your bird.

      Galvanized metal is fine — at least it won’t rust — but look for galvanizing material that’s electroplated on, not dipped. The latter process too often leaves beads of material that parrots can chip off and swallow, putting them at risk of zinc or lead poisoning or both. Powder coating is popular in many decorator colors and is fine for most birds. (Some dedicated chewers can remove the paint, though, and some paints can contain risky levels of zinc, lead, or other heavy metals.) If you think about it, nothing about paint should be acceptable for consumption.

      Knowing what to look for in a cage

      With so many cages on the market (or available secondhand), how can you be sure you’re buying one of high quality? Here are a few points to consider:

       Design: You want a cage to be attractive, but even more important, it should be workable for your bird. Fortunately, if you shop well, you can find a cage that’s both well designed and good-looking.Look for features such as a bird-proof latch (especially if you have an escape artist like the Goffin’s cockatoo); dishes that are easy to move, remove, and clean; and a droppings tray that takes standard-size newspapers. Make sure that you can easily reach in and make contact with your bird, wherever she may be within the cage. In some emergencies, easy access is a critical concern. Make sure the food and water sources provide no “traps” to catch and injure toes, heads, wings, and so on. A mess catcher can be helpful, too — it looks like an inverted metal skirt around the base of the cage.The best position for the slide-out droppings tray at the bottom of the cage is under a grid so your bird can’t access it. High-impact, durable plastic or metal is a good choice for a droppings tray — no matter what the material, the tray should slide out smoothly and be easy to clean. Check your bird’s ability to move freely and comfortably in his cage without bumping into some obstruction. Too many perches, bowls, toys, or corners within the cage can lead to a loss of freedom of movement and a reduction of quality of life.Most people prefer vertical bars with the idea that they’re easier on long tail feathers. Horizontal bars are easier to climb for some birds, though. Either kind is fine, and some cages even mix them up, with vertical bars on some sides and horizontal on others.

       Sturdiness: You’re going to have your bird and the cage for a long time, so you need to make sure the construction is solid. Check seams, welds, and places where wires and corners meet. Is everything all smooth and sturdy, with nothing for a bird to chip off and chew? Beware of chipping or flaking paint.

       Convenience: A stand is great, especially with cages designed for smaller birds. You and your bird are likely to appreciate having the cage off the

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