Round versus Square Cages
To be perfectly honest, I feel that round cages are just plain trash. They are widely manufactured only because they are one of the easiest types of cages to make.
Why are you so intolerant of Round Cages, you ask?
Let me list just a couple reasons:
1. They promote inactivity. It is very difficult for your bird to get an extended flight session since the shape does not allow the use of widely spaced perches. Your bird will become an excellent hopper though!
2. They promote egg-binding in females. When a female starts the egg-forming process, muscles which are used to push the egg from the clocoa are weakened due to inactivity. This can be very serious and if not treated immediately, death may result.
3. They're only useful as trash cans. Yes! You read that right. They make fabulous trash cans. If a bird should accidentally fall into your expensive, round cage trash can, he can climb out with ease. Solid trash cans can be a death trap to your bird, possibly causing suffocation or starvation if trapped for a long period of time.
I feel that square or rectangular cages provide a much healthier habitat for birds.
Types of Cage Metals & Styles
Cages come in all sorts of metals, including: stainless steel, wrought iron, anodized aluminum, and others. There have been some studies that suggest galvanized steel and brass can be harmful to birds under certain conditions. Just do your research to make sure the metals are non-toxic.
Now on cage styles . . . If it looks like a decoration, rather than an ordinary bird cage, it should stay that way. Let me stress that fancy cages call for fancy cleaning! In other words, those nooks and crannies in fancy scroll work, can be next to impossible to clean. The best cage for your bird is a plain, strong, easy-to-clean cage. Your bird does not care if it's cage is beautiful or not.
Accessories
Perches: On the whole, your cage should be limited to the number of perches it came with. I prefer natural wood perches, because they promote foot exercise with the varied surfaces. Solid, smooth wood dowels can cause sores on the bird's feet. No sandpaper perch covers!
