Translated by Nick R
Encouraging our birds to make physical exercise inside the cage is important to keep them entertained and avoid health problems such as obesity, stress, or anxiety. The best way to stimulate this type of behavior is by providing a cage with accessories that allow them to explore and perform any number of activities, read on and I’ll tell you about the most important ones.
Table of Contents
Basic bird accessories
Drinking trough for birds
The drinking troughs that are placed in the cage must be covered so that feathers, seeds, or other elements that may contaminate the water they contain do not fall in. For small birds, it is best to place waterers inside the cage and have enough space for their beaks to drink the necessary water, while for larger birds such as cockatiels, the best is to leave a large container given the size of their beaks.
Likewise, I recommend that the drinkers you purchase to be made of plastic or stainless steel, suitable for not storing so much waste and being easy to clean.
The most popular ones are the plug drinkers, made of plastic and shaped like a tank connected to a lid that has a hollow hole at one end that will be used to attach the drinker to the cage and allow the bird to drink water from there.
Drip drinker
This type of drinker can be distinguished by its particular design connected to the tank with a lid that has a rounded metal tip where the waterfalls every time the bird comes to drink, the way it will do it will be something similar to licking each drop that comes out.
This type of drinking trough has the advantage of being more hygienic since the water is not exposed to any impurities.
Feeder for birds
The feeder is the place to put the food for your bird, usually seeds. There are several options, especially in terms of shape. It is up to you to analyze which one is the best for your bird.
Common feeder
The common design of the feeder always has a bowl shape to hold the seeds. Some of them can be completely exposed and have only one compartment, in other cases they can have several compartments and a lid that only allows the bird to put its head inside. These feeders are usually made of plastic.
Automatic or tank feeder
Some others are more innovative and come to look a bit like the feeders left in gardens for some birds, in which seeds are added to a kind of tank so that there is much more food. They are useful for people who have many birds, although these types of feeders require much more space and are located from outside the cage need to have free space between some bars, so you must adapt them to be able to use them.
The disadvantage of this type of feeder is that it can fill with dirt and cause some discomfort to the bird in case some kind of microorganism, bacteria, or fungus is kept in it. Be cautious!
Feeders for large birds
Large birds need more space; they need a large feeder to use their beak so it is very common to find feeders for them in stainless steel and in a shape similar to that of glass.
Exercising tools in the cage
Bird perches
These accessories are located inside the cage so your bird can perch on them. There are many types of perches, either made of wood or plastic. What is important is that they don’t contain toxic elements that the bird can consume.
I recommend you to leave perches of different textures and cross them inside the cage so that they can not only perch on them but also climb, especially in Psittaciform birds such as parakeets, lovebirds, or cockatiels, which use their beak to climb and in this way keep them in shape.
Ladders
Ladders are another way to stimulate your bird’s movement from one side to the other. In these cases there are two options depending on the space in your cage.
Rigid ladder
These, as their name indicates, are fixed. You can fix them as a bridge for them to move from one side to the other or place them vertically so they can reach a specific place; one way to make use of them is to leave a snack or favorite food on the other side.
Hanging ladder
This is usually made with ropes and wood and has the advantage that you can play with them and place them the way you want, even hanging in the middle of the cage (like a swing).
Playing accessories in the cage
Swings
Swings can be made of materials such as wood, plastic or textile materials, all of them with a variety of colors and accessories such as:
- Rattles.
- Bells.
- Balls.
- Wooden or yarn shapes.
This type of accessory focuses on the game, although your birds can also use it for other purposes such as plucking or simply swinging on it in moments of excitement when they fly from one side to another.
Try to place them in the middle of the cage in a free space where they won’t hit when swinging.
Rattles
Hearing elements such as rattles or bells are eye-catching for birds and generate a lot of curiosity to interact and play with them.
You can place rattles inside or outside the cage as a way to play with your pet since inside you run the risk of them getting dirty with excrement and may not attract so much attention.
Mirrors
These are a favorite of some birds such as the cockatiel as they like the idea of imitating and being surprised at their reflection in front of the mirror. It should not be kept in the cage for a long time as it can cause confusion to the bird, but it is excellent for occasional entertainment.
Grooming and Care Accessories
While grooming your bird’s cage can be simple and sustainable with a few items, there are accessories that can help you make the cage look much nicer and more organized.
Embossing paper
The embossed paper is chosen by many bird breeders to put on the base for its absorbent quality, comfort, and heat in some cases. This will make it much easier to clean the base of the cage compared to using other types of paper such as newspaper.
Bathtub for birds
Bird bathtubs are small spaces in which the bird can put part of its body and shake in the water. They are made of plastic and are available in different designs:
Bathtubs in external bowls
They don’t invade the bird’s space inside the cage but they are placed outside of it. For this type of bathtub, you will have to adapt the cage with a small door so that the bird can get out and refresh itself.
Automatic bathtubs
These are designed to have a constant flow of water, such as through faucets or waterfalls.
Their size is designed for small birds even though they are not used inside the cage but outside.
They can be used sporadically or daily and don’t require a fixed or complicated installation; they are ready to be connected and work with the water you supply. Its functioning is similar to that of an ornamental fountain.
Mesh cover for the seeds
This cover prevents pieces of seeds or feathers from falling to the ground, making it easier to clean the place where you leave your bird.
They are usually made of nylon, although you can also find plastic ones in some cases, which are much safer for your winged pets because they do not run the risk of suffocation by strands as would happen with those made of nylon.
These nets are placed from the outside around the cage starting from the base of the cage to the middle or a little less.
Night cover for birds
The main function of this cover is to protect the bird at night from cold weather conditions and give it some darkness to improve the quality of sleep, ensuring the ventilation it needs inside the cage.
These covers can also be indicated for other uses depending on where you have located your bird (indoors or outdoors) and the climatic conditions in which it is located as you can find commercially:
- Waterproof covers
- Breathable covers are ideal for summer days when they also need shade.
- Snow-proof covers.
In terms of cost, the waterproof and snowproof ones are the most expensive due to their material, while the others can be obtained at a much more affordable price.
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