Setting up your first cockatoo cage is fun, exciting, and the perfect time to make sure everything is 'just right' before bringing your new family member home. You want to make your feathered child's home as comfortable as can be. So we've helped you out by creating a step by step tutorial on creating the first (and best) cockatoo cage.
Find The Right Cage: For a cockatoo, the larger cage you can get the better. The maximum bar spacing should be 1 inch and the minimum size should be 30 x 30 x 40 inches. Look for a new cage- as used cages can sometimes be rusty or made of unsafe metals. Do not buy painted cages- instead look for stainless steel. Paint can chip and if ingested by your cockatoo it can sometimes be fatal. The bigger the cage, the happier your cockatoo will be. Depending on your budget and home, look for the biggest habitat possible (check out some of our favorites at the end of this article).
Find The Perfect Spot: Set your cage in an active part of your home. Cockatoos love attention and need lots of it. So avoid putting them in a bedroom (unless that's where you spend most of your time) and instead put it in a living room or family room area. Keep the cage away from the kitchen. Nonstick pans cause toxic fumes that can be fatal for birds. Also keep the cage away from doors or windows where air can leak through. Drafts can make your bird ill. Make sure the cage is also away from direct sunlight- as you don't want your bird to overheat during the day.
Build A Tree: Cockatoos need a variety of perches to sit on, play on, and exercise their feet with. So fill your cage with a variety of shapes, textures, and sizes of perches. Imagine a tree. Start with a few large base branches and then extend them into a few smaller branches. There should be a 12 inch gap above and below each branch so that your cockatoo can stand up straight and fully extend their tail. Do not overcrowd your cockatoo's space with branches. Make sure they can fully extend their wings and 'stretch' in between perching areas.
Add Food & Water Areas: In the middle of your cage create a food and water area. The food should be on one side of your cage and the water should be on the other. This will prevent food from being flung into the water and causing rot. Place your food and water dishes right next to a perch so that your cockatoos can easily access them while still sitting comfortably.
Add Chew Toys: Every cockatoo loves to chew, and over time you'll learn what sorts of things your cockatoos likes to chew on. Some prefer wood, some prefer rawhide, some prefer coconut shells. At first add a few different chew toys to your cockatoos cage. Place them from the sides and top of the cage in areas near perches where your cockatoo can reach them while sitting on the perch. Once you figure out what kind of toy your cockatoo prefers add a few more of those to the cage to keep them happy and entertained.
Add Entertainment Toys: Entertainment toys are things like bells, mirrors, puzzles, and snack areas. Add a variety of entertainment toys to your cockatoos cage. Just as with the chew toys place them in areas your cockatoo can reach conveniently. Add a variety and change them out regularly to keep your bird curious.
Add Exercise Toys: Things like ladders, swings, rope perches, and bouncy perches are great exercise toys for your cockatoo. Add these things in empty spaces where you do not have perches nearby. Remember to leave enough space for your bird to stretch their wings and stand tall with their tail outstretched.
Introduce Your New Family Member: You're all set and ready to bring your new family member home. Fill up your food and water dishes and let your little feathered kid become acquainted with their new room!
