CAGES help please

[harpy]

REALLY SORRY FOR THE BOMBARDMENT OF POSTS D:
I just want to get this right :3
OK so here I have found 2 cages I would keep my birds in :3 once I decide on which bird.

They would be either a single Male cockatiel or single male Princess Parrot kept inside and be my little lap companion xD. He would have full flight around the lounge. This is the cage I would probably buy for him:
www.southwestpets.com.au/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=686&category_id=107&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=114

OR

It would be a male Princess parrot AND a Male cockatiel kept together in a single cage. Both being inside pets and still be able to fly around the lounge. They will be kept in this:
www.southwestpets.com.au/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=683&category_id=107&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=114

Are they to big for inside cages? I dont want to freak them out, but I would also like them to be able to go outside for an hour or two for some fresh air aswell. Being inside the doors will probably mostly be always open but outside i dont want them to get on each others nerves if i get two xD

thanks guys! I will be awaiting responses :3

- a very excited bird owner to be.

[avinet]

Either cage would be OK for size but check the spacing of the bars. For cockatiels and Princesses I don't like the spacing to be more than 15 mm apart. Any wider and I worry about the smaller birds getting their head stuck between the bars.

I am also not a fan of open top cages of the style in the 24" smaller cage you link to. Basically they are boring for a bird. It can come out of the cage and sit on the top perch but then there is nothing for it to do - setting up a play area isn't really a viable option. My preference is to have a flat top cage and place a play stand on top of the cage with toys to play with and ladders etc to climb around on. It is pretty easy to make something like the one at www.myparrotshop.com/playstands/out-n-about-medium/prod_712.html

I was always a fan of the cage with the play area on the side - but because of fairly limited perching space in the upper part of the cage side it might not be the best choice for a Princess and Cockatiel housed together - they will likely want their separate perches. It was an ideal cage for a single medium sized bird such as a Galah. The cage you link to seems to be more generous in dimensions than those I used to sell so it may be OK for perch arrangement but do check the bar spacing - it is very distressing to say the least to get up in the morning and find your bird has effectively hung itself during the night by getting its head stuck.

Both my 4 cockatiels and my Princess pair are in HQ 13221 cages - discountpetsupplies.com.au/product.php?pid=565 - which are 82 x 52 cm and plenty big enough for a cockatiel and a Princess. I have had up to 7 cockatiels in a cage that size without problems. I don't know if the HQ cages are available in WA, I suspect not - but there are several similar designs available from various brands - print out the page I linked to into your local shops and see what they have or can source. The Avi One 604 cage may be available in WA and is a similar size - it is one I have also used - although for our Alex's and Greys we are using the larger and stronger 605 model.

You can see what I mean about a play stand on the cage from the photo below - although that isn't a particularly impressive play stand but it gives you the idea. The cage the two Greys were in at that time was a HQ 13221 - which they subsequently destroyed (see second photo below) when I was in hospital for 3 weeks - so they are in a bigger stronger cage now but to the same basic design.

cheers,

Mike

[harpy]

Thanks again mike
I was thinking about getting more perches and toys inside the second cage. Two cockatiels at the pet shop were in this cage. (They were the shop keepers birds who were there for "display" ) and the had the gate open and i just thought it was perfect! But too big for a single bird. I will go into the shop and check the size of the bars gaps next time im in. Which is a lot xD

I always thoughtbooen tops were better, thanks! Ill go for a flat top no problem! i wanted to give them as much cage space as possible when i didnt have the doors open, but i never thought about the gaps. Bigger bird cages for bigger birds dont really do better fir little birds. Haha. Go figure.

Thanks again! This is why i spam the forum xD

[Gerard]

Holy Cow Mike! Guess they don't make them like they used to. Reminds me of that old AC/DC song Jailbreak.