Choosing a Cage

Choosing a proper cage is essential for a happy and healthy parrot.  Indian Ringnecks are extremely active and are very playful.  Their cages need to be easy to clean and easy to dismantle for proper cleaning.   The cage should be able to house the toys, your parrot, and perches comfortably.  An Indian Ringneck can live many years; therefore, the cage needs to be durable and safe. 

          When choosing a cage for your Indian Ringneck you need to take into consideration the tail.  The size of the cage should always be as large as your budget can afford and as large as your room can accommodate.  Indian Ringnecks in particular enjoy spacious cages and will make use of any excess room they have.    Your parrot should be able to turn around, flap his wings, hop form perch to perch, and play with his toys without touching the bars of the cage.  

          A good cage will also have doors that will allow your hands to enter the cage without trouble.  If your parrot needs to be retrieved this will greatly reduce any stress, especially if your Indian Ringneck was not handfed.   The cage should have at least three doors.  Two should be used for food and water and one as the main entrance.  Most doors have clips, so once the bowls are securely placed into position they cannot wiggle or move. 

          The perches inside the cage need to be strategically located.   Perches that are placed above bowls will result in contaminated food and water bowls.  It is important that everything be paced in such a way that the birds cannot poop on their equipment.  Avoid placing toys above each other as well because they can easily collect droppings.

The perches need to be sized different as well.  Perches that are the same in diameter throughout the cage do not properly exercise the parrot’s feet.  Make sure all perches are sized differently.  Eucalyptus branches are ideal; however, they need to be cleaned and wash properly to remove pesticides and bacteria.  If you use other types of tree branches be sure to do research to ensure it is not toxic.  Anything placed inside a cage will usually be chewed.

          Though you might be tempted to place all your bird’s toys inside his cage do not.  This will overcrowd the cage.  Instead, rotate the toys weekly to avoid boredom.  Lots of toys placed inside the cage will quickly become dirty and take up space.   Toys should never be placed below the perch line, because as stated above, they will get dirty.

          A tray is also needed on the bottom of the cage.  This will collect seed husks or wasted fruits and vegetables.   These trays will get dirty fast throughout the day and they need to be easy to slide out and clean.  Cage bottoms designed for cob beddings or wood shavings should not be used.  They harbor lots of bacteria if they are not changed daily. The tray should also be below a grill to avoid your Indian Ringneck touching anything that has fallen to the tray.

          The material of the cage needs to be coated or sealed with a nontoxic paint.  Old cages that have chipped paint can rust and cause serious illnesses to your Indian Ringneck (metal poisoning).   The cage should not be made of brass because this can contain zinc and this is very toxic to parrots.  Always make sure the cage is properly sealed; some new brands make cages out of stainless steel or the bars have been powder coated. 

          If you follow those few guidelines your Indian Rignenck will thrive and live a long and safe life.  It is better to invest in a cage now then investing in two down the road because it was not up to proper health standards. This cage will be the house of your parrot for hopefully all its life and it needs to be as safe as possible.