I'm trying to decide between dome tops or play tops for my greys. They have the play top models now. But, I have taken the play tops off because they get the 'tude when they get up on the playstand and won't come down. They walk around on the flat surface and I lay toys up there for them and they like to 'forage' for the toys by hanging upside down on the inside to get to the toys.

But, since I don't use the playtops, I was thinking that the extra room in the dometop would be nice for them. But, I don't know if they could climb on the dome top and hang from it and walk around on the outside of it too.

What do you think? Do you like the dome tops or play tops more?

Lets see.....that is a hard one, well not really....LOL

If I had to do all over, I would get a cage without the playtop, the reason.....Kiwi doesn't play with anything up there...LOL

I kind of have a dome top for Gidget it opens up and you can put a perch there but I don't use it anymore because of bad reports of something happening.

I guess the next cage I get for Kiwi will have a flat top, period. Just bought Gidgets cage so she is stuck for a few more years.
EDITED: I too am vertically challenged and when Gidget gets on top of her cage she is taller then me and she can run fast, makes it a little hard to get the "little Chit"

Personally, I like the flat tops or playtops...for one reason, I have a height deficit problem...and with domed cages especially if they're on wheels...it make it really hard for me to reach the back of the cage. And that's where they seem to like to go if they get the "tude" The advantages are that you can hang a good swing or a boing in there for them to play on...and grays like to climb and hang upside down...
But at least with the play top the perch is in the middle of the cage so you have an easier time reaching them if your vertically challenged like me.

My preference is the playtop because both of my FIDS use them. Just adds another dimension or play area when they are out of their cages. That is also where Sméagol takes his bath...

During the day I take the trays out to allow the full spectrum lighting to come through then put them back in when I get home from work and let them out of their cages. They don't spend a lot of time there because we take them to their gyms throughout the house but it is convenient for when they are in the birdroom...

I have had both and I like both equally. My Quaker loved his playtop and used it all the time but I didn't like how dark it looked inside the cage. Others have said they removed the tray so it is not as dark inside the cage and this seems to be a good solution but if the bird is spending alot of time on the playtop I would put it back in so poo doesn't fall inside ontop of toy/sleepy tent ect.

Dometop's give lots of room inside the cage but can be more challanging to hang things from the inside (like sleepy tents(but grey's don't use these!), but after some "adjustments" mine is good) and like Sandi said, I do not open my dome top because I have heard of them collapsing and getting the bird stuck/injured. I love my dome top but now I realize I could have went a little smaller because Mékhé hardly spends any time inside except for sleep! And of course they are bright and airy looking but if they play on top of the cage, the poo falls inside. Mékhé does play on top of his some but I have things strategically placed to help keep poo from getting on perches, bowls, tents ect inside the cage plus I wipe everything down daily just in case!

If your grey's will spend alot of out of cage time a playtop gives them a good play safe area but if you are planning on having a playstand then a dometop would be fine also. Birds can never have enough "play" area's LOL. Just ask my bird!



Trust me, they can and will do this LOL!

Define Vertically challanged- I know it means your short....but how short is to short for a domed top.



I am 5'7" tall which I would never concider being vertically challanged. My Friends "J' is 4' something and she just lacked a few inches of being concided a Dwarf. My best friend in High School "D" was a dwarf- I know those two qualify cause they have trouble reaching the kitchen counters...KIDDING...but they can't reach even the bottom shelf of my cabinets.

flat top or play top here. hanging toys on a dome top is a pain..they slide down and won't stay where you want, it really limits where you can put them.

I have three dome top cages and would not go back to playtops.
Firstly because my quaker was cage phobic for many years, I had playtops and she liked to play on the top but I lost blood if I tried to get her in the actual cage. I got a good deal on a dome top and decided to just try it and it's a big difference, she now goes in without fighting and just loves it!
My grey likes to hang from the top upsidedown and she runs all over the top of it and has a blast.

My vet actually advises owners with larger birds like greys and amazons up not to buy playtop cages, because once you have bought a nice big roomy cage for your bird, when you add a playtop then they are higher than eye level on the playtop.
My greys cage is pretty big and when she's at the top of her cage she's at my eye level

Ekko has a dome top and it does take some finangaling to get the toys where I want them. I use lots of zip ties to hold the toys where I put them. I LOVE the extra space the dome top allows for his sleepy tent and Ekko has absolutely no problems playing on top of the cage. I have 2 plstic hooks on the outside that he spends LOTS of time sliding up and down the bars! A cotton perch on the top front of the cage is where he spends alot of time too. I like the dome top much better than I did the flat top he previously had, even tho it is a little more challenging to decorate!

I have 5 dome tops. I like that they allow light to shine in. My Grey does almost run all over the top of his cage hanging upside down. Booger hangs out on top of the dome and enjoys that they have a play stand separately with toys on it. A play top on top of the cage makes it WAY to tall for me to reach the birds and I am 5 ft 7 in at 60 inches the dome top is plenty tall enough.

Well Cheryl, on a good day I'm 5'6" though I really don't consider myself short, I have a dickens of a time reaching the top of a dome cage that Andie's blue and gold is in...If we are only referring to domed cages designed specifically for quakers...its no big deal...they aren't that tall. I joke about having a height deficit problem only because I'm the shortest in my family the rest are 5'9 and up to 6'3".

And just to clear matters up, I wasn't making or poking fun at short people, other than myself. So if I stepped on some sensitive toes, I do apologize. It definitely wasn't my intent.

I like the flat tops. I created a play area up there by using a boing (since Gremlin won't use it in his cage) and he likes to go up there and climb around. I also have some toys up there for him, too. Since there is no tray, the droppings do tend to fall on all the stuff inside the cage, but it all gets washed every day or two anyway. Because there is no tray, the light gets in just fine inside, too.

I like the extra room that a dometop offers, but I think that it is too vertical for the birds to have any real use for it inside the cage. Kind of like vaulted ceilings in a house. Looks good but isn't very practical

I would differ on birds not using the top of a dome.
My grey loves to swing from her beak from the very top of the dome.
I have also put a flat triangle rope sing up there and she ises it all the time.

My Quaker has her happy hut up there aswell as a few toys.

It's all about how you decorate with perches ets

I went dome top for 2 reasons

1) I prefer the light that comes through

2) it keeps the cats from trying to jump on top of the cages.

I have not had any problems hanging things etc.

I am short (5'2") so I don't care for playtops that put them higher than me - which is most - I have a hard enough time getting Tiki off when he isn't ready without a play top.

Twiz lives in the space created by the dome top of his cage! We put a corner shelf in close to the top of the rectangular part and he spends a lot of time there building. This works so well where a playtop wouldn't get a lot of use because of the cats who live here. And I like the look of the dome. Twiz hangs from the wire in the top and plays with links I put there. Sometimes I think he's part bat!

For crying in the dark...mom you're killing me! At work I am the shortest person and I can't reach the pizza boxes, so they call me a leprechaun (sp) and the fact I sound like a little kid...LOL But I will say I agree with the mum. Flat tops are easier for smaller individuals and children. THOUGH I LOVE the dome tops because I can hang more toys and fun stuff. The dome tops do not get as many kitty visitors on top either.

Defiantely the flat tops. However, I care not that it has a playtop on it as i have only 1 bird that i allow to play on top his cage anyway and that is my grey.And his is a flat top. All the other birds play on stands or playgyms.But i do have 1 dome top. It came with the bird. Nice cage but wouldnt buy one. Cant keep toys in place. Domed looks fancier ill admit but i dont care for them. I do have one with a play top but i dont let bird up there. Someday i might.Anyway JMO.

Thanks guys. I'm really leaning toward the dome top. I have playgyms in the living room and dining room, so that's not an issue and I really like that they will let more light in and everything. But, if I find a really good deal on a playtop I'll give it some real thought. We're going to the Bird Expo in Salt Lake next weekend and I'm hoping to find some really good deals there. I've saved and saved and we just got hubby's truck fixed so we're taking it down and loading it up. This week and next is also me & hubby's B-Days so we're going down sans kids and we got a nice hotel room and we're going to make a weekend out of it for just us. --- And I'm not coming home till I'm broke LOL

Oh that Amey, sound like trouble's a brewing with this one...not coming home till your broke...Could prove to be interesting alright enough..LOL

Well Have fun! stay out of jail...LOL

we4 have a dome top and my qp climbs all over. we have toys hanging on the outside and he climbs and hangs upside down. he does try to run but it is easy to get when i want him to step up.