Choosing The Best Cage For Your African Grey Parrot
Are you the proud owner of an African grey parrot?
Or are you considering bringing one into your home?
If so, you likely know that providing your new feathered friend with a comfortable and secure living space is essential to their well-being.
That’s why finding the best African grey parrot cage is vital.
This article aims to help by discussing what to look for in an African grey cage, such as size, material, and safety. We’ll also look at the 5 best permanent cages and the best travel cage for African grey parrots.
In the end, we’ll also help you set up your feathered friend’s new cage!
Yes, we’re covering it all, so let’s jump in!
Quick Navigation:
- What To Look For In An African Grey Parrot Cage
- Top 6 Best Cages For African Grey Parrots
- How To Set Up An African Grey Parrot Cage
What To Look For In An African Grey Parrot Cage
Whether you’re a new parrot owner or looking to upgrade the current cage, considering these 3 factors will ensure your bird has the best living space possible:
- The size of the cage
- Cage materials
- Safety of the cage
Minimum Cage Size – African Grey Parrot
A parrot’s cage must be big enough for them to move around comfortably and spread their wings.
If they can’t perform basic movements or fully spread their wings without hitting the cage walls, it’s not a suitable cage.
To determine how big a parrot’s cage should be, we must look at two factors:
- The wingspan length of the bird
- And the bird’s height
African grey parrots have a wingspan length of 28.5 inches[1] and are roughly 13 inches tall[2].
Considering this, here are the minimum dimensions for an African grey parrot cage:
38.5″ L x 36″ W x 28″ H (98cm L x 91cm W x 71cm H)
The length provides an extra 10 inches of wing room…
And the minimum cage height is double the height of an African grey.
Following these minimum cage size guidelines will ensure your bird has a spacious home.
But of course, the bigger the cage, the more comfortable it’ll be for your parrot.
Bar Spacing Length
The bar spacing length is just as important as the overall cage size.
If the gap between the cage bars is too wide, it can pose a safety hazard to your bird as they could get their heads stuck. Most credible sources[3],[4] agree that a bar spacing length between 3/4″ – 1″ is good for African grey parrots and similar-sized birds.
Slightly above or below this measurement is also safe.
Cage Material
Unfortunately, some cages on the market use hazardous materials.
Although this is rare, unsafe cages are also hard to differentiate from cages that are bird-safe, which is problematic. Imagine buying a cage for your bird and then finding out they got sick because the cage includes toxic materials.
Things like this do happen, and I don’t want it to happen to you.
When choosing an African grey parrot cage, ensure it doesn’t include the following materials:
- Galvanised metals
- Zinc
- Copper
- Lead
These metals are toxic to birds.
Stainless steel and wrought iron are the safest metals commonly used for bird cages.
Related: Safe & Toxic Metals For Pet Birds
Overall Cage Safety
Sometimes the cage is not as safe as the sellers make it out to be.
To get a good idea of how safe a specific cage is, check the reviews.
If there are any hazards that could pose a threat to your bird, there are normally a few reviews pointing it out. Don’t just check the top reviews, filter by 1-star ratings and see if there are any similar complaints about the item.
If lots of people say their parrot got injured by the cage, it’s likely not a safe option.
Some of the most popular cage safety issues include:
- Sharp edges in the cage
- Mangled cage parts
- Toxic materials (as mentioned earlier)
- The bar spacing is too wide
When looking at a potential cage for your parrot, look out for these hidden dangers.
Top 6 Best Cages For African Grey Parrots
Now that you know what to look for in a parrot cage, let’s go through the top 6 best African grey parrot cages that meet our established standards. Any of the cages listed below are suitable long-term enclosures, except the last one, which is a travel cage.
We’ll discuss the pros, cons, size, materials, and what buyers thought of these 6 cages.
1. Prevue Pet Products Imperial Stainless Steel Bird Cage
Facts About This Cage:
Dimensions: 41.25″ L x 27″ W x 73″ H
Bar spacing: 1 Inch
Materials used: Stainless steel
Brand: Prevue Pet Products
Star rating: No reviews
Price: $1,193
Pros:
- Reputable brand – This cage is made by prevue pet products, a reputable bird cage company known for making high-quality cages.
- Large size – Being 41 inches on the longest panel and 73 inches high, this is a huge bird cage. Definitely suitable for an African grey parrot.
- Stainless steel – The whole cage is made from stainless steel, making it highly durable and rust-resistant. The use of stainless steel is also why the cage is so expensive.
- Built-in stainless steel perch – Inside the cage features an H-shaped stainless steel perch.
- Bowl-holding mini doors – Both sides of the cage feature 2 bowl-holding mini doors. You can access your bird’s bowls without opening the main front door.
Cons:
- Expensive – This cage costs over $1,000, which is pretty expensive for most people, myself included. The large size and high-quality materials are what have driven the price up so high.
- No reviews – There are no reviews on either Chewy or Amazon, meaning we must rely solely on how the manufacturers describe the cage.
2. A&E Extra Large Flight Cage
Facts About This Cage:
Dimensions: 40″ L x 30″ W x 72″ H
Bar spacing: 0.5″
Materials used: Iron. Non-toxic metal, plastic, wood.
Brand: A&E Cage Company
Star rating: 4.8/5 (on Amazon)
Price: $818.00
Pros:
- Large size – The size of this cage makes it a mansion for African grey parrots. There’s even plenty of space for short flights!
- 2 Front doors – Two doors on the cage’s front panel allow you to place your African grey in and out of the cage with ease.
- Mobile – This cage features lockable wheels, making it easy to transport around the house.
- Very thin bar spacing – Half an inch bar spacing is unusual for a cage of this size, but it does make it safer for your parrot.
- Slide-out trays – The cage features a slide-out tray and grill, which makes cage maintenance quite convenient.
Cons:
- Sliding doors are hard to open – According to many buyers, the mini sliding doors are stiff to open.
- Dented parts – A few Amazon users received this cage with dented parts and mangled pieces.
3. Prevue Hendryx Silverado Dometop Cage
Facts About This Cage:
Dimensions: 46″ L x 36″ W x 78″ H
Bar spacing: 1.37″ (1 3/8″)
Materials used: Powder-coated wrought iron.
Brand: Prevue Pet Products
Star rating: 4.2/5 (On amazon)
Price: Varies
Pros:
- Huge size – This cage is designed to comfortably house cockatoos and macaws, so it’s absolutely a palace for African grey parrots. Just look at those dimensions!
- Cool design – I really like the dome top design of this cage. You can do some unique customisation around the dome shape at the top of the cage.
- Mess-catching skirt – Below the cage features a mess collection skirt, which helps prevent your bird’s mess from spilling out onto your floor.
- Large front door – The front door is huge enough to put a macaw through, so your African grey will fit with no problems. This makes it so much easier to put your bird away when needed!
- Highly rated – From over 230 reviews on Amazon, this bird cage is rated 4.2 stars out of 5, which is very high. Almost everyone who bought it loved it!
- Reputable brand – Prevue Pet Products is a highly reputable brand known for creating high-quality bird cages. This cage is no different.
Cons:
- Bar spacing is a bit wide – The bar spacing is slightly wider than recommended, but it’s still a safe and sturdy cage for African grey parrots.
4. A&E Small Walk-In Aviary – Black, Small Size
Facts About This Cage:
Dimensions: 62″ L x 62″ W x 79″ H
Bar spacing: 1 Inch
Materials used: Bird-safe powder-coated black metal.
Brand: A&E Cage Company
Star rating: 4.2/5 (On amazon)
Price: $2,491.00
Pros:
- Walk-in aviary – Being 79 inches tall, the aviary allows you to walk in for easy cleaning and interactions with your parrot. This is one of the only bird cages on the market that you can actually walk into.
- Big enough for a small flock – This aviary is large enough to comfortably house a small flock of African grey parrots. If you have 3 – 5 African greys, this is a great cage to keep them all!
- Long-lasting – Made from highly durable metal, this aviary will last you a lifetime. Ideal for long-life birds, like African grey parrots.
- Can be used outdoors – You can set this aviary up indoors or outdoors, depending on how you want to house your parrots.
- Bowl-holding mini doors – 3 bowl-holding mini doors feature on the cage panel so you can access the feeding dishes without entering the aviary.
Cons:
- Expensive – While it’s well worth the price, it’s ridiculously expensive for most people, including myself. However, it’s a one-time purchase and the cage will last forever!
- Long assembly time – Being a huge aviary, it takes some time to assemble. Many buyers said it took them 2 – 3 hours to fully set it up.
- Few reviews – There aren’t many reviews for this aviary, but there are a few image reviews on Amazon that show what the aviary looks like when you get it.
- Not mobile – Once you set it up, it can’t be moved unless you take it down again. Best to set it up in a spot you want your parrot to live long-term.
5. Flyline Large Grey Palace Parrot Cage
Facts About This Cage:
Dimensions: 36″ L x 28″ W x 37.4″ H
Bar spacing: 0.9 Inches
Materials used: Wrought iron, powder-coated.
Brand: Flyline
Star rating: 4.2/5 (google rating)
Price: $399
Pros:
- Multi-level playtop – On top of the cage features a multi-level play gym, which includes feeding stations and bowl holders. A fun place for an African grey parrot to hang out!
- Includes 6 stainless steel bowls – Included with the cage are 6 stainless steel bowls as well as 6 bowl-holding stations.
- Seed-catching skirt – Helping to prevent food, feathers and mess from spilling out onto your floor is a seed-catching skirt. This can also be removed.
- High-quality material – Made from wrought iron with a powder-coated finish, this cage is built to last!
Cons:
- Doesn’t meet minimum size – Unfortunately, this cage is just 2 inches short of the minimum size requirements for an African grey parrot. Despite this, it’s still a decent cage for the smaller Timmeh African greys.
6. Prevue Pet Products Bird Travel Carrier – #1 Best Travel Cage For Birds
Facts About This Cage:
Dimensions: 14.8″ L x 18.7″ W x 18″ H
Bar spacing: 0.5 Inches
Materials used: Bird-safe coated metal.
Brand: Prevue Pet Products
Star rating: 4.8/5 (Amazon)
Price: $119.99
Pros:
- Suitable for African greys – It may look small, but this carrier is ideal for transporting African grey parrots to the vet or wherever else you need to go!
- Handle/perch – The handle above the cage also doubles as a perch for your parrot, so they have somewhere to sit during vet appointments.
- Bowl-holding doors – Two bowl-holding mini doors are featured on this carrier, providing a convenient spot for your parrot’s food and water.
- Slide-out trays – To help with cleaning, the cage comes with a slide-out tray and grill.
- Large front door – The large front door of the cage allows you to easily put your African grey parrot in and out of the cage.
- Affordable – For just $119, you get a highly durable travel cage that is suitable for grey parrots. That’s a bargain in my eyes!
Cons:
- Some parrots may be hesitant to enter – While the carrier is big enough for temporary use, it’s still quite small for African greys and some might be hesitant to enter. It’s a good idea to train your parrot to enter the cage voluntarily.
How To Set Up An African Grey Parrot Cage
Now that you have a good cage (or you have one being delivered), it’s important to know how to set it up properly for your African grey parrot.
There are 4 key accessories every parrot owner needs inside the cage:
- Perches
- Food & water dishes
- Fun & interesting toys
- Liner (the bottom of the cage)
Including these items will ensure your African grey is comfortable and enriched in their cage.
Perches – Cage Setup
Perches are what turn a plain old metal box into a suitable parrot enclosure.
When setting up your African grey’s cage, you should install all the perches first as everything else will be installed around them. It’s also a good idea to install the perches in a way that creates multiple stories within the cage.
Look at how I’ve set up my cockatiel’s cage:
You can see that there’s a “top” floor and a “middle” floor.
This type of setup allows your parrot to choose exactly where they want to be in the cage.
Additionally, you want to ensure that the perches you get are actually good for your bird. Those plain dowel perches have no surface variety and aren’t good as long-term perches. Instead, you need to provide perches that vary in shape, size, texture, and thickness.
A variety of natural wood perches are perfect as they provide all of this!
Related: Top 10 Best Natural Wood Perches For Parrots In 2023
Food & Water Dishes – Cage Setup
Your African grey will need at least 2 bowls inside their cage:
- One for their food
- And the other one is for water
If you serve wet and dry foods on the same day, it’s good to have a separate bowl for both types of food.
Ideally, all bowls should be placed near a perch for your parrot to access.
You also want to avoid using plastic feeding dishes as they can gather germs easier.
Instead, you should use stainless steel bowls for your parrot.
These are the bowls I use.
They’re rust-resistant, easy to clean, and don’t develop germs.
You can get them on Amazon right here!
Toys! – Cage Setup
Perches and feeding dishes won’t encourage your bird to stay inside the cage for a while.
But you know what will?
A variety of fun and interesting toys!
To turn a boring metal box into a fun and enriching space for your African grey parrot, you’ll need a variety of foraging and shredding toys.
Foraging toys encourage your parrot to search through materials to find food.
Shredding toys simply encourage them to break stuff!
Both are natural parrot behaviours that must be encouraged for their mental and physical well-being.
Without toys, parrots will quickly become bored, which can cause a whole range of behavioural problems, including excessive screaming. To make toys easy to access, they should be installed near the perches.
Certain toys can also be placed on the floor or roof of the cage.
Don’t know what toys to get?
My most recent article can help you out with that:
Top 10 Toys Your African Grey Parrot Will Love!
Cage Liner (Bottom Of The Cage) – Cage Setup
Don’t underestimate the importance of having a proper cage liner.
What you put on the bottom of the cage can help you with 2 main things:
- Daily cleaning
- Monitoring the condition of your parrot’s droppings
What I use on the bottom of my cage, and what I suggest you use, is plain white paper.
It’s easy to replace and allows you to accurately check the colour, texture, and overall condition of your parrot’s droppings.
Conclusion | Short Summary
Here’s a short summary of what was covered in this article:
What to look for in an African grey parrot cage:
- Good size – Meets the minimum cage size standard for African greys
- Cage material
- Overall cage safety
The top 6 best cages for African grey parrots in 2023.
And finally, we covered how to set up an African grey parrot cage to ensure they have a comfortable and enriching home.
Specifically, we talked about these 4 essential cage items:
- Perches
- Food & water bowls
- Toys
- Cage liner (what you put at the bottom of the cage)
If you need a refresher, I suggest using the quick navigation at the top of the article to quickly take you to the section you want to read.
Thank you for reading, and good luck with your African grey parrot!
0 Comments