Why am I seeing the majority of cages with vertica

[Thomas (Banned)]

I need a new cage for breeding and most cages I'm coming across have vertical bars.

A lot of cages are also really tall.

Do the manufacturers have any idea what is right for budgies?

I'd never buy a cage with vertical bars because of the budgies getting around.

Budgies need length not height.

Unless you spend a lot of money then you are stuck with vertical bars and ridiculously tall cages.

Why? Very annoying.

I am very funny when it comes to housing. Biggest cage, horizontal baring and length rather than height. It's what's best for the budgies.

[Marianne Marlow]

I agree Thomas, there are a lot of inappropriate cages out there.

I guess that the manufacturers don't know. Unfortunately a lot of first time budgie owners do not realise that the cages aren't the best either.

[stace]

This is so true, Thomas. I have no idea who is designing all these cages, but they have no idea of what is really needed for their proper housing and ease of care. The bars are all wrong for climbing, the dimensions are wrong, the doors don't work for the things owners need to do....it's very frustrating.

I'd love to get a cage made for me, but it would be very expensive.

[Thomas (Banned)]

Yeah, it makes attaching nest boxes and bird baths harder etc.

They design these additional products for cages, but nowhere to attach them. Not with my cage anyway.

I had to search for my dear life just to find a water drinker that would fit horizontal bars, seeing as the manufacturers created most for vertical bars....despite vertical bars not being very good for budgies. It's barbaric.

I only have one cage and it cost me about £250, but it's 90% horizontal bars with the only vertical bars being the one's that line it.

I broke my bird bath the other day trying to attach it to my cage. The plastic bits snaped off when I got angry trying to attach the silly thing. Thought I might have more look if it's attached to one of my spare feeders rather than on the floor of the cage.

[sarah*glittergirl2212]

I agree, there are a lot of silly cages out there. I have a ferplast which I'm happy with but they aren't always available in the sizes that are big enough so you have to order online and pay for courier delivery usually! I have a pets at home near me and I couldn't even find a section for bird equipment in it- we don't all want cats and dogs as pets!!

[Rachael Kellett]

I have a large flight cage for my budgies, which is not all height and no width, it is the right size and shape. While I do agree that horizontal bars are best for budgies it does not mean that budgies cannot get around at all if a cage has vertical bars. My cage has mostly vertical bars and my budgies have no issues at all getting around. Budgies are fast learners and soon adapt, it does not do them any harm at all.

[Hezz]

Jan 29, 2012 18:25:33 GMT Rachael Kellett said:

I have a large flight cage for my budgies, which is not all height and no width, it is the right size and shape. While I do agree that horizontal bars are best for budgies it does not mean that budgies cannot get around at all if a cage has vertical bars. My cage has mostly vertical bars and my budgies have no issues at all getting around. Budgies are fast learners and soon adapt, it does not do them any harm at all.

I think my cage and yours, Rachael, are the same, and as you say, the birds get around on them without a problem. I do find the vertical bars make fitting perches very easy - whittled down on the ends to fit the bar spacing and slotted in. With horizontal bars the perches have to be jammed in or they tend to move around.

[Bonesy]

Personally I've never found verticals a problem. Birds should be encouraged to fly and hop from perch to perch not clamber, as it encourages prolonged metal contact in the mouth which isn't desirable.

To attach perches I go to the local Wilko stores and get some rubber coated plant tying wire on a wound board, cut off what I need and attach the perches that way, makes them easier to move around and clean, and they grip any bars as they are rubber! A bit of bitter apple painted over parts that seem to get picked at or you think they might nibble stops them ever touching the rubber, as they should have perches to redirect to. I don't have to use the bitter apple, mine only tugged on it once in curiosity and they never bothered again.

But yeah, finding the right cage in general can be a pain, but I wouldn't worry about verticals too much. Worry more about bar spacing, as too thin can seem like a prison you can't see your bird through and too big can lead to escapees you might not have planned for, lol! (It's mostly young over adventurous chicks that escape from my big bar cages as they are flexible enough to fold their keel and ribs down!)

Soph.

[Bonesy]

P.S Agree on length but to be fair most tall cages are designed with long parrot bums in mind!

Montana do alot of budgie friendly stuff in the Deigo range if I recall, plenty of length in some of those.

[Hezz]

Jan 28, 2012 12:16:02 GMT Thomas (Banned) said:

Yeah, it makes attaching nest boxes and bird baths harder etc.

They design these additional products for cages, but nowhere to attach them. Not with my cage anyway.

I had to search for my dear life just to find a water drinker that would fit horizontal bars, seeing as the manufacturers created most for vertical bars....despite vertical bars not being very good for budgies. It's barbaric. I only have one cage and it cost me about £250, but it's 90% horizontal bars with the only vertical bars being the one's that line it.

I broke my bird bath the other day trying to attach it to my cage. The plastic bits snaped off when I got angry trying to attach the silly thing. Thought I might have more look if it's attached to one of my spare feeders rather than on the floor of the cage.

Vertical bars are not the devil in disguise, Thomas. The birds are fine with them, it is people who have a problem with them, probably because someone once said budgies should have horizontal bars. The budgies don't mind, so why should we?

[Deleted]

I actually wish mine had vertical bars. Might encourage my lazy lump to fly rather than climb XD

[Bird Junky]

Hello, Just thought I would mention, that there are firms

that sell all the bits you want so you can design & build

your own cages. Look in mag adverts. If you cut your

perch length to about 1/2" longer than the cage width.

Cut a slot into the each end of the perch 1/8" deep

your perch will fit all hor/vert wire cages. Yours B.J.

[ginger]

I recently brought a new cage for my four beauties - after searching for a very long time for a suitable cage (as you say, the people that build the bird cages don't seem to be aware of what a bird requires) I found this Ferplast cage.

www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/birds/bird_cages_and_accessories/parakeet_cages/ferplast/113666

I ended up paying £50 for it as the first cage they sent was broken and so was the second but I could make one cage from the two and ended up with lots of spare feeders - bargin! I really like it and so do the budgies - lots of space to fly (but they do come out every day).