Caging & Environmental Needs of Parrots
The environment your parrot lives in can often mean the difference between normal behaviors and behavioral problems, and even sometimes life and death!
Housing Options:
Aviaries
Ideally, birds kept in captivity would not have to live in cages. They are meant to fly and can suffer physically and emotionally from being deprived of flight. An aviary is a very large enclosure that you should be able to walk into and that provides birds with plenty of room to fly around. You can keep more than one bird in an aviary, provided they get along with each other. In fact, housing birds together is a great idea! It provides the birds with the social interaction they need to be happy, and takes the burden off of you!
Cages
Until you can build the flight, choose as large a cage as possible. Obviously different sized birds need different sized cages, but the general rule is that you should buy the largest cage you can afford for your bird. Even the smallest birds will benefit from a very large cage. Try to purchase a cage that is longer horizontally, not vertically. Birds are more likely to move around side-to-side, not up and down. Good quality cages are expensive! For a medium-sized parrot such as a Grey, expect to spend around $500-$1,000 for a good cage. No skimping allowed! Cheap cages can kill your bird with poisonous paints or metals! Good cages are either stainless steel or powder coated. Improper construction can also kill or maim your bird. Be sure to furnish the cage with toys, things to chew, and perches of different sizes to promote foot health. You can even use safe natural branches.
Your bird's living environment
Location of the Cage
Your bird's living environment should be well-traveled and safe. An indoor aviary should be located in an area of the home where humans spend most of their time, like the living room, unless you have more than one bird and they are bonded. Birds should not be kept in the kitchen, due to noxious fumes and other dangers. Any cages should be against a wall to give the feeling of security. Some birds need added security and prefer to be in a corner or to have their cage partially covered. Some birds enjoy being exposed to a window, others may find it distressing, especially if they are in view of any type of predator (like a hawk).
Air Quality
The area should be properly humidified and well ventilated. Most parrots come from tropical environments. Many parrots need some extra humidity in the air, especially if you live in the desert or in an area of the country that gets cold in the winter. Humidifiers work well if you are diligent about disinfecting them. Many species of parrots create a "dust" that can cause them, other birds, and even you, breathing problems. An air purifier is a must-have in any home with Cockatiels, African Greys and Cockatoos. Parrots should NEVER be exposed to cigarette or cigar smoke, burning candles, incense, or fumes from the kitchen. This includes fumes from overheated non-stick cookware. If you plan on keeping birds, plan on throwing away everything with non-stick coating on it. These coatings are made from polytetrafluoroethylene, PTFE, and too many birds have died due to PTFE poisoning. It's just not worth the risk.
Exercise
Your bird should be able to exercise daily. Ideally, you should have an aviary big enough to allow flight. Always be careful with flighted birds -- escape and injuries happen all too often. Clipped birds, however, can also suffer from household hazards. Birds who are not flighted should have some "flapping exercise" daily with your help. These animals were made to soar, not sit. They NEED daily exercise. You will need playgyms and stands throughout your home so that your bird can travel around with you.
Sleep
It should be quiet and dark for at least 10 hours at night. Most parrots come from areas of the world located on or near the equator. They function best on 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness. Lack of sleep contributes to many behavioral problems. If you cannot keep the bird's area quiet at night, you will need to purchase a smaller sleeping cage to be taken to a quiet room in the home for a proper night's sleep.
Cleanliness
Your parrot's living space needs to be CLEAN! The cage should be cleaned every single day. When feces and food sit in a cage for too long, they begin to decay, grow mold, fungus, and bacteria, and become airborne. If you or your bird inhales this, you could both become very sick. This could lead to extremely expensive veterinary visits! Be sure to use non-toxic, safe cleansers.
Toys
Your parrot's living area needs to be interesting. You need to provide many different toys, and these toys need to be rotated periodically to keep the parrot interested. Remember, you are dealing with an animal that has the intelligence of a small human child. Imagine placing a child in a playpen all day with the same two toys. You'd have a screaming maniac by the end of the day. Toys can be as simple as blocks of untreated wood, or as complicated as store-bought plexiglass or puzzle toys. Most birds seem to be happy with a few toys they can chew, wrestle with, talk to, etc. There are also some toys made so that you can hide a favorite food item or treat in them, such as a nut, and the bird has to figure out how to retrieve it. These provide a lot of stimulation to the bird that can be very beneficial.
Do the Best You Can
Remember, in the wild, parrots are very busy. They spend their days foraging for food, securing nesting sites, preening themselves and others, finding water, finding a secure sleeping spot, etc. Life in captivity is so very different. It's up to you to attempt to make up for this by providing your bird with the most comfortable environment for them to live in.
