[Birdybren]

I need to get Poco, my new little conure, a better cage. I'm thinking going Stainless Steel this time, I'm tired of rust on these powder coated cages (even top line Kings cage).

And I'm thinking of going playtop for the first time. I didn't get a playtop for quaker Paulie because I was afraid it would increase cage territoriality, but for Poco the conure, i think it will be okay.

If anyone could help me with these questions:

1. Is mirror finish or brushed the best? My fear is that mirror finish will scratch like my new SS cookware and my fear with the brushed is that poop will adhere to the little crevices more. Are either of these concerns valid?

2. is the SS aesthetically pleasing to the eye? I've always gone with white cages, looks so fresh and airy, will the SS look cold and clinical?

3. Are playtops a whole alot shorter inside? Do you miss the height of a dometop?

Any and all comments/advice will be greatly appreciated. Bren

[Andie's Mom]

I have both dome top and play top...as well as victorian top...however I don't have stainless steel.

For me, it really depends on the bird I guess...If they are really active and play with a lot of toys then I say go play top... theres nothing stopping you from adding toy hooks to the dome tops its just a little tricker.

With the play tops that have the top poop drawer, I take it out cuz I feel it makes the cage too dark otherwise...but thats just me maybe.
I find that when the birds that have the play tops poop, they can aim well enough to miss anything below such as food and water dishes. Most of the time they'll go to the side of the cage anyway to poop.

Myself, I would probably go with the brushed...Only because it feels warmer to me...I really don't see a problem with the poop adhering to it anymore than it would to mirror finish. But then again, I haven't owned one before.

As to height difference. Companies measure the livable space and then add the play top so in my opinion if your bird likes to hang upside down and play that way...the dome top works better, but if your a short person like me...Play tops on Big birds cages can be too high to reach the bird without getting a step stool.

Myself, I feel like there is more upkeep cleaning etc with a play top than a dome top... because they are chewing the wood off the perch etc on the play top but that isn't necessarily a bad thing...just means you have to scrub and replace it once in a while.

If I were able to afford it, I'd LOVE to have a Stainless Steel cage for my BIG birds...

Not much help am I?

[Donella]

Ekko has a SS dome and he & I both love it. I got tired of dragging it back and forth between rooms so I ordered him a playtop cage(NOT SS)...he hates it. I try to get him to play on it a little every day but even after several months he isn't comfortable playing on the playtop. Not sure why really. He LOVES playing on the dometop!

I think the SS looks good & is easy to clean.

[Cathy S.]

It sounds like I'm basically in the same position as you Birdybren. I'm in need of a cage for my Congo, and I'm NOT DOING POWDER COATED EVER AGAIN! I've never had a powder coated bird cage last more than 5 or 6 years & I've had every "brand name" our there; Kings, Avian Adventures, California, and so on. I've come to the realization that even though a stainless steel cage is costly up front, it will probably save me a ton of money and hassle in the long run! So, I'm in research mode. I've been visiting all the forums and review sites learning as much as I can. If I'm going to spend that much, I want it to be the right cage!

Unfortunately I've read what seems like legitimate concerns with EVERY major brand name of stainless steel cage. Plus, they're ALL imported, and I really don't like that. Especially with all the safety concerns like zinc & lead poisonings you hear about. The one and only brand I can find that's made in the states is called Legacy Cages, but they're not even available yet. I stumbled upon their web site while seaching for usa made stainless steel cages on google. Their site is at http://www.legacycages.com/ and according to the web site they will be available in a couple of months. Has anyone heard about this brand & if so, what have you heard? They sound great, but I'd like to hear what others have heard?

Anyway, I'm glad to be on this forum & look forward to getting to know all of you. Andie's Mom, I totally agree with your comments about dometop cages versus playtop cages. I've had both and my bird prefers the dometops. My opinion is that you should just get a separate play stand if you want an area like that for your bird to play on.

Cathy