Keeping birds, more so parrots and parrakeets is a rewarding hobby. They are intelligent and offer you a lot of love. However, they come with plenty of needs and requirements, including a generous space.
The space will depend on your bird’s size and shape, albeit an unusually lively parrot may need more area than the body extent would indicate. Macaws, African greys, Eclectus, Amazon parrots, parrakeets, and other large species will need cages tall enough to accommodate their long tails and wide enough for them to spread their wings.
If you’re talking cage space, enough that they can flap and move. The more, the better: Randall Haveman, former Veterinarian – Portland Community College.
Now, most companion birds do not and should not spend much time in their cages. They are only there to sleep, eat, and quiet down, so you’ll need sufficient space in your house for your birdie to play. Preferably, your parrot should have play areas throughout the home.
If you live in an apartment, perhaps don’t get a big bird. Anything from a budgie to a cockatiel or maybe a Green-Cheeked Conure (GCC) is appropriate. Some owners also like to keep their parrots cageless, so if you are considering this, note that you’ll need a dedicated room for your bird.
How Big Should My Bird’s Cage Be?
Certainly, a cage can be too small for your parrot or any bird species you have as a pet. Most need a cage at least two to three times the width of their wingspan, and bigger is always better. The rule of thumb is your cage should have enough space for your feathery baby to flap, move, perch, and enjoy his playthings.
Many people and pet stores believe that a small bird needs a small cage, which is not correct. All birds need room to play, exercise, explore, and fly, even the smallest budgie or canary.
The spacing between the bars is also important because you do not want him to get his head caught between adjacent pieces. A parrot with a small cage could develop behavioral issues, such as screaming, scratching, biting, or plucking.
Now, you’ll note that not all parrots are the same size. They range from tiny budgies or parakeets to large birds like cockatoos, Amazons, and African greys. As such, the cage you want may vary widely, more so if you plan on keeping more than one parrot species.
Also, note that when you have more than one birdie, you’ll need to house them in separate cages, even if they are the same species or breed. Below are the ideal measurements for some of the most common parrots kept in homes as pets. By the way, a post on Spruce Pets provides a more comprehensive list.
- Budgies:
18 x 18 x 24 Inches for a single bird with half-inch bar spacing. - Cockatiels:
24 x 20 x 24 Inches for a single bird with 0.5 to 0.6 Inch bar spacing. - Ringnecks, Parakeets:
24 x 24 x 36 Inches for a single bird with 0.5 to 0.6 Inch bar spacing. - Lovebirds, Parrotlets:
24 x 24 x 24 Inches for a single bird with 0.5-inch bar spacing. - Quakers:
24 x 24 x 24 Inches for a single bird with 0.6 to 0.75 Inch bar spacing. - Conures Poicephalus
24 x 24 x 24 Inches for a single bird with 0.6 to 0.7 Inch bar spacing. - Caiques, Pionus, Jardines:
24 x 24 x 36 Inches for a single bird with 0.6 to 0.7 Inch bar spacing. - Amazons, Mini Macaws, Mid-sized Goffin Cockatoos, African Greys:
36 x 24 x 48 Inches for a single bird with 0.75 to one-inch bar spacing. - Cockatoos (large):
40 x 30 x 48 Inches for a single bird, with one to 1.5-inch bar spacing. - Macaws (large):
48 x 36 x 60 Inches for a single bird, with one to 1.5-inch bar spacing. - Diamond Doves:
24 x 24 x 24 Inches for a single bird with 0.5-inch bar spacing. - Ringneck Doves:
24 x 36 x 24 Inches with half-an-inch bar spacing. - Pigeons:
24 x 36 x 24 Inches with half-inch bar spacing. - Finches:
18 x 30 x 18 Inches with 0.25 to 0.5-inch bar spacing. - Canaries:
18 x 24 x 18 minimum cage size with 0.25 to 0.5-inch bar spacing.
Do Birds Such As Parrots and Parakeets Need A Lot of Space At Home
By comparison, birds often require a larger space than dogs and cats, which has much to do with how they move and operate. See, birds fly all the time—when excited, frightened, or playing—you know, all the time! Hence, an area that would ideally be sufficient for a dog or cat (where they sleep all the time anyway) can be somewhat restrictive for birds.
Moreover, while it’s possible to let your dog or cat outside for play and exercise, you cannot let a parrot loose in the yard, especially when you do not have an outdoor aviary. Birds are also prey animals, so even when you have birds like pigeons that will fly away and come back, you can readily lose them to an opportunistic dog, hawk, or whatever.
The alternative is to spare an entire room in the house for your bird, get a massive cage, or allow them to fly around your home, assuming it’s bird-safe. All that said… you will also note that some birdcages take up huge spaces, notably when you have a large feathered pet like a macaw or African grey.
And all that requires, you guessed it, a lot of space.
How Much Space Does Your Bird Need At Home
Now, while a cage will provide a safe refuge in the home environment for your bird, most are too small to allow your bird to fly as much as they would want. As such, you will want to invest in a flight aviary or indoor in a safe room away from his cage.
A dedicated room for your parrot is also a brilliant idea, especially when you have more than one bird or outdoor space for an aviary. Of course, this is also the best option for apartment owners. We recommend a room big enough to hold multiple food and water sources and toys for enrichment. Perches are another must-have, as is a sleeping cage for your feathered friend.
Essentially, you should be able to spend time with him in the room training, cuddling, goofing, and without feeling confined. Keep in mind that while parrots and parakeets might tolerate being in the room for brief periods, doves and pigeons need daily flight time, meaning a flight cage is a must. Better still, allow them daily flights outside for exercise in an outdoor aviary (if possible).
We bet you can even let them loose. They seem to know their way home, but please take these words with a pinch of salt.
Should Have A Bird Room for Your Parrot (Birds)
RSPCA notes that while a cage can provide a safe refuge for your bird, most are too small to allow it to fly freely and can severely restrict their ability to exercise and express typical behavior. So, while it’s not a must you have a bird room, we recommend you reserve a section of your house solely for your feathered pets, with all the enrichments they require.
Tiny birds like budgies will be fine with a sizable area dedicated to them in one corner of a room, but with large, active birds like cockatoos, an entire room is more appropriate. Even a cage large enough for a cockatoo is pretty enormous, not to mention bulky, for a space in your living room.
If you do not have a reserved room for your birds, I suggest you buy an outdoor aviary for them to exercise and do other birdly things regularly.
That’s all for this post. See you in the next one.
All the best with your birds!
