Hi! I'm getting my first parrrotlet baby in about 4 weeks, and I have decided on this cage for the bird, the King's Cages "Superior Line Flight Cage," 28" wide x 18" deep x 28 1/4" high (inside height; overall height with stand is 56"). The cage will be white, btw, not black:
http://www.kingscages.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductID=SLF 2818
It is the absolute largest cage I can fit, in the ONLY place in the house in which I can place the cage. (Great location, btw. Very sunny, but no direct sunlight. Tucked in a dining room corner, with a bay window on one side, and a regular window on the other side. We have an open floor plan, so that the cage will be visible from both the dining room and kitchen. The bird will see us all the time.)
I also love that this cage has 4 swinging, locking feeder doors. I leave for work by 7:00 a.m., and will not have time to deal with removing the bird (due to cage aggression) every weekday morning, in order to change the food and water. I also have two cats, and REALLY would not have time to find both of them and make sure they were locked away before taking the bird out of the cage. So those swinging feeder doors are a MUST. (I have already purchased "hoods" that I am going to mount above each bowl, to keep droppings out of the food and water. I will mount them high enough that the Parrotlet will still feel comfortable eating and drinking, since I know they are not fond of covered dishes!)
The cats never bothed my previous birds (two budgies), who were housed in this same location. I keep large scat mats on the floor on the two exposed sides of the cage (the other two cage sides face the walls). I also keep "Ssscat" compressed air cans on the widow sills on either side of the cage. So the cats truly leave the birds alone! I've had this set up for 8 years with no problems. (I also use heavy duty stand cages that will not topple, even if the cats somehow jumped on them.).
So I LOVE the new cage I have chosen, and the cage location, but here is my dilemma: I have been reading that is it a good idea to keep the baby in a SMALL cage, for at least a few weeks after bringing him home. There is NOWHERE in my house where I could keep a small cage safe from the cats. I could use our office (which is actually a spare bedroom), but I would never trust my husband and son to remember to keep the door closed. They would remember for a while and then forget; I just know it. Plus, the bird would not have a chance to get used to being in the main living area of the house.
I am thinking about buying a small cage and actually sitting it INSIDE the large cage, in order to keep the baby safe. Has anyone ever done this? I am considering a small Vision cage, or some other small parakeet/travel cage. I will probably be a pain in the butt, but I am not sure how else I can keep a small cage safe from the cats.
Has anyone ever done this? Used a small cage situated within the larger cage? Any recommendations for what type/model of small cage to use? The dimentions of the large cage floor are 26 3/4" wide x 17 1/8" deep.
Also, has anyone ever used a "Birdy Play Pen," as pictured here? http://www.luckyfeathers.com/playpens.htm (This is not where I'm getting my bird, btw.)
Would this be a better idea, to have a "Birdy Play Pen," inside the larger cage? I can see advantages (feeling of security/keeping in warmth) and disadvantages to this idea (no practice learning to navigate cage bars, for instance.)
http://www.kingscages.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductID=SLF 2818
It is the absolute largest cage I can fit, in the ONLY place in the house in which I can place the cage. (Great location, btw. Very sunny, but no direct sunlight. Tucked in a dining room corner, with a bay window on one side, and a regular window on the other side. We have an open floor plan, so that the cage will be visible from both the dining room and kitchen. The bird will see us all the time.)
I also love that this cage has 4 swinging, locking feeder doors. I leave for work by 7:00 a.m., and will not have time to deal with removing the bird (due to cage aggression) every weekday morning, in order to change the food and water. I also have two cats, and REALLY would not have time to find both of them and make sure they were locked away before taking the bird out of the cage. So those swinging feeder doors are a MUST. (I have already purchased "hoods" that I am going to mount above each bowl, to keep droppings out of the food and water. I will mount them high enough that the Parrotlet will still feel comfortable eating and drinking, since I know they are not fond of covered dishes!)
The cats never bothed my previous birds (two budgies), who were housed in this same location. I keep large scat mats on the floor on the two exposed sides of the cage (the other two cage sides face the walls). I also keep "Ssscat" compressed air cans on the widow sills on either side of the cage. So the cats truly leave the birds alone! I've had this set up for 8 years with no problems. (I also use heavy duty stand cages that will not topple, even if the cats somehow jumped on them.).
So I LOVE the new cage I have chosen, and the cage location, but here is my dilemma: I have been reading that is it a good idea to keep the baby in a SMALL cage, for at least a few weeks after bringing him home. There is NOWHERE in my house where I could keep a small cage safe from the cats. I could use our office (which is actually a spare bedroom), but I would never trust my husband and son to remember to keep the door closed. They would remember for a while and then forget; I just know it. Plus, the bird would not have a chance to get used to being in the main living area of the house.
I am thinking about buying a small cage and actually sitting it INSIDE the large cage, in order to keep the baby safe. Has anyone ever done this? I am considering a small Vision cage, or some other small parakeet/travel cage. I will probably be a pain in the butt, but I am not sure how else I can keep a small cage safe from the cats.
Has anyone ever done this? Used a small cage situated within the larger cage? Any recommendations for what type/model of small cage to use? The dimentions of the large cage floor are 26 3/4" wide x 17 1/8" deep.
Also, has anyone ever used a "Birdy Play Pen," as pictured here? http://www.luckyfeathers.com/playpens.htm (This is not where I'm getting my bird, btw.)
Would this be a better idea, to have a "Birdy Play Pen," inside the larger cage? I can see advantages (feeling of security/keeping in warmth) and disadvantages to this idea (no practice learning to navigate cage bars, for instance.)