Post by Jane on Sept 4, 2005 4:18:30 GMT -7
A cage for an African Grey should be as big as available space allows. Width is more important than height. Legally, a bird in a cage must be able to fully spread its wings in all directions but 24 by 24 by 30 inches (internal space) is often suggested as a minimum size. Bear in mind that perches, toys and food bowls all have to be accommodated as well. There should be a parrot proof latch, three or four food bowl holders and a variety of perches although when you buy the cage it will most likely only have one or two actually supplied. A nail trimming perch will eliminate the need to trim the nails. The bar spacing should be five eighths to one inch. Suitable cages come in all sorts of designs, some have flat tops others have arched or domed tops, some have playpens incorporated in the design. Some Greys can get aggressive if they get on top of a tall cage so this should be considered. Most cages have a mixture of horizontal and vertical bars; the horizontal bars are much easier for the parrot to climb on. Round cages should be avoided. If the cage has a seed guard which can be removed do so because these are notorious for causing injury, they add extra inches to the cage which often means it can’t be moved from one room to another, they make the cage more difficult to clean and they don’t really work. Powder coated cages are safe and easy to clean, stainless steel cages are available but expensive.
Most cages have a slide out tray underneath a grate which makes cleaning easier. This tray should be lined with newspaper. Other types of lining such as corn cob, walnut shell, shavings etc. make the droppings more difficult to monitor (important for health reasons) and can be a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi. (Aspergillosis is respiratory disease caused by aspergillus spores. There are several species of aspergillus fungi, they are widespread in the environment, so there will always be a background level but they can contaminate various foods to create more concentrated levels - for example in peanut shells, and beddings such as corn cob. Young birds and birds with an impaired immune system are most at risk. Aspergillosis can be an acute illness if a bird has been exposed to a large number of spores, or a chronic type where spores are present in the body but only grow and cause illness when the opportunity arises due to some other factor such as stress, poor diet or another infection)
A cage cover for use at night will provide security, extra comfort and privacy.
Jane
Most cages have a slide out tray underneath a grate which makes cleaning easier. This tray should be lined with newspaper. Other types of lining such as corn cob, walnut shell, shavings etc. make the droppings more difficult to monitor (important for health reasons) and can be a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi. (Aspergillosis is respiratory disease caused by aspergillus spores. There are several species of aspergillus fungi, they are widespread in the environment, so there will always be a background level but they can contaminate various foods to create more concentrated levels - for example in peanut shells, and beddings such as corn cob. Young birds and birds with an impaired immune system are most at risk. Aspergillosis can be an acute illness if a bird has been exposed to a large number of spores, or a chronic type where spores are present in the body but only grow and cause illness when the opportunity arises due to some other factor such as stress, poor diet or another infection)
A cage cover for use at night will provide security, extra comfort and privacy.
Jane