Cage Set up
One of the first
things I evaluate with a problem bird is their cage. Where it is located,
size, shape, and how it is set up. Many behavior problems can be
attributed to having your parrot in improper surroundings. Their cage
should be a safe haven for them with plenty of things to keep them busy.
Type of Cage
A good cage should be
easy to keep clean, and it should not be round. The bar spacing should be
appropriate for the type of bird that is housed in it. Whether or not you
have a play top or a dome top is up to you. One of the best gifts you can
give yourself and your parrot is a top of the line cage. When you skimp
on a cage you just end up replacing it again and again. Do your research
and get a cage that will last the lifetime of your parrot.
Placement
The cage should be
placed in an area where you are sure your parrot will be able to view his
surroundings safely without feeling threatened. You do not want to place
a parrot directly in front of a window or in the center of a room. Our
first response is to assume that they would enjoy the outside view or
being right in the middle of a room so they can see everything. The truth
is that this type of placement may be fine while your parrot is young.
But once your parrot becomes sexually mature and aware that it is a prey
animal, this type of placement will cause extreme stress upon him.
Knowing this, a parrot should be placed against a solid wall, if this is
not possible then the back half of the cage should be covered at all
times. This will give him the sense of security that is needed. Parrots
do not live out in the open in the wild. They build nests inside of trees
or in dense forest areas. So they may live and raise young safely.
Therefore we should try to mock this type of environment by placing the
cage in a more indiscreet area or our homes. One where they can take
pleasure in their surroundings and not feel threatened. You will need
also to consider your parrots sleep requirements. Does the placement of
the cage allow for the proper amounts of undisturbed quite darkness? If
not do you have a sleeping cage in another room? Sleep deprivation is a
problem with many parrots I see. So if your parrot is not receiving at
least ten to twelve hours of rest each night you will need to re evaluate
his cage placement.
Do’s and don’ts
for cage placement
-
Don’t place directly
in front of a window
-
Don’t place in
center of a room
-
Don’t place right on
the edge of a doorway
-
Don’t place next to
the TV that is watched late into the niter.
-
Don’t place in the
kitchen because of toxic fumes
-
Don’t place in an
unfinished basement
-
Don’t place in a
utility room
-
Don’t place in the
garage
-
Don’t place them in
your bedroom
-
Do place them in a
corner of the family room with a sleeping cage in another room
-
Do place them in a
frequently used office or sitting room
-
Do have a bird room
if you have multiple birds
-
Do place in an
alcove or visible dining room
-
Do place them
against a wall
-
Do place them so
they have a view of the entire room without putting them as a focal
point.
You want your parrot
to be able to observe his environment so he learns to trust his
surroundings.
Perches
There should be three
different size perches in the cage. These perches should also different
textures with at least one of the perches being a rope or Booda perch.
The rope perch should be the one that is placed at the highest point for
sleeping. Place this perch in a U shape in an upper back corner of the
cage. This is especially important if you have a feather picker. It gives
a sense of safety to the parrot, plus if they turn to pick, the rope is
right there and they will opt to shred that.
The other two perches
should be wood or one wood one of a different texture of choice. I would
also like to add that there does not have to be perches in front of every
food dish. We tend to make life just a little too easy for these busy
birds. Make them work a little.
Cage Set up
Three different
perches with the main wood one going horizontally across the middle. The
rope perch should be in a U shape in an upper back corner. The third
should be place just inside of the door so that when the door is opened
the perch is brought out of the cage. By doing this you do not have to
reach into the cage for step up commands that may be refused. When you
want your parrot to come out you have him come down to this perch first,
open the door once he is on it and request the step up. This is a must if
your bird has aggression issues.
Now it is time to add
the toys. You should have at least two working toys in the cage at all
times. Working toys are toys that make them work for their treats or
favored foods. The other three toys should be things that are easily
shredded such as soft wood, paper, and leather, preferably all of the
above. Good toys have many different shapes and textures for the bird to
explore and destroy.
Place one of the
working toys in front of the U shape perch, with the other working toy
towards the front of the opposite corner. Place one of the other toys
directly on the side of the U perch so that perch is surrounded by hanging
toys. This allows your parrot a hiding place to feel secure. Now take
paper towels, shredders, newspaper, leather, or brown paper bags and fold
them up and weave into the cage bars making a little square section on the
side and to the back of the U perch. Again this gives a sense of security
to the parrot. Plus if you have a feather picker it gives them another
option to chew instead of their feathers.
We have to remember
that we took these birds from the wild and it is up to us to learn to
understand their needs. Set their cage up in a way that is fun for them
and keep it interesting. Busy beaks are happy beaks!
Courtesy,
Michelle Karras,
The Polite Parrot
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