Okay, so I got a (free) used bird cage from someone on Craigslist. One of her parakeets died, and she let the other go because she was moving, so she was giving the cage away. I took it, not knowing the sizes or anything until I got there. It's almost three feet high, and 18 inches wide and long. Is it too thin? I'm getting a baby quaker sometime soon, and I want it to have the right kind of cage.

If it's not too small, how should I clean it? I washed it and bleached it twice, and plan on washing it a few more times without bleach to make sure all the bleach is off. After that, should I repaint it with babysafe paint or something? I don't want the bird to get sick from the bleach or from anything the other bird left behind..

Would the best idea be to just buy a new cage? :\ My parents don't really want to spend a fortune on a huge cage, and jumped at the chance to get a free one. They're fine with buying a bird and it's food and toys and such, but I'm not sure they'll be okay with getting a big expensive cage.

18" is the absolute minimum for putting a Quaker in.

As for the repainting, in my opinion, this is never a good idea for a bird's cage, as most birds will chew on the cage, thus chipping off the paint.

You can get some great deals on used cages, but they should be in great condition. If this one needs to be painted, then I think I'd pass on it and get a new/different cage.

Cages are relatively inexpensive nowadays, how much are your parents willing to spend on a cage?

You should only use a cage that small if you intend to have it out most of the day. For a quaker that sized cage is about the same as an adult human being locked in a medium sized closet all day long. There is enough room to spread your arms but how long could you be comfortable sitting in there.

As for painting the ONLY paint save for birds is Krylon which I used on Griffins cage with no problems. Griffin however is not a bar chewer because he doesn't live in his cage he only sleeps in it but I have heard good things from people who used it on their macaws cage with no problems. Just make sure and leave it dry for at LEAST 1 week before putting your bird inside.

If it were me I would buy a new cage. I got a 36" wide and tall and 20" deep cage for $48 brand new from a local family owned pet store. I personally believe shopping at family owned businesses is better than shopping at petsmart because you get ALOT more for your dollar if you know what I mean.

It doesn't need to be painted, I was just wondering if it would be better. It looks pretty new, actually.

It's probably going to be out for most of the day until summer ends.. When I'm at school it'll be out before for about two hours and after until it's time to sleep.. Is that enough?

My parents are probably willing to pay 50-70 bucks at most. But we don't have any family owned pet stores around where I live, just petsmart and petco. The cage I got for free was 82 bucks there. :\ When I asked the bird specialty person, she said it would be fine for one quaker as long as I took it out pretty often, and added a few perches.. I'll have a playgym and stuff as well, so it'll get plenty of excersize.

Whoops, I take it back, there are a few little, nice pet stores around here. I'm looking at some of them right now to see if there are any good bird places.

Also, I'm not sure how to go about convincing my parents to buy a bigger cage.. They're gonna say "Oh, you already have one. The lady at petsmart said it was fine.." And yeahh.. Do y'all have any tips on how to get them to listen? And if they absolutely refuse and think I'm being irrational, do you think the cage I have would be alright? Like, as a last resort? :\

((So sorry about the double post, but it wouldn't let me edit it.))

If I'm envisioning the cage you have correctly, it's about the same size as Clyde's and he likes his very much. We leave the door open when we can be nearby to supervise, and he'll come out and hang around on the outside perch a while, then he goes back in on his own and sits inside, even with the door open. When he's tired of waiting for someone to come and get him, he lets us know. But his is just a bit taller than three feet and maybe 20 inches wide. If you're going to have your bird out regularly, and get extra perches and toys, I don't see why that cage wouldn't work. Can you post a picture of it?

She let her other bird GO? As in, turned him loose outside to fend for himself???? It took a moment for that to sink in. If that's what she did, that's AWFUL.

Haha, Clyde sounds adorable! I'm hoping that my bird would like it in there, it seems pretty nice.. Plus, I'm getting a baby, so wouldn't it take at least a few months for it to get full grown? Yes, definitely getting a bunch of toys and perches. Umm, here's a picture of a similar cage. I think it's about the same measurements, but mine has a different base.

http://pet.imageg.net/graphics/product_ima...S-3761732dt.jpg


I know!! I asked her when she had done it, and I was actually looking for it for a while, but I couldn't find it anywhere. It was horrifying.. Poor bird. I sprinkled some of the bird seed she gave me on the grass as well, hoping it was still around so it'd have something to eat. :[ It was reallyyy sad.

I was able to get this cage for Pugsly on ebay for $145 shipped and brand new in the box. It would be well over $300 at a petstore. I know $145 is a little over twice what your parents are willing to spend, but maybe they can meet you half way if you are willing to save up for the rest. In the grand scheme of things, a cage like this is a bit more money up front, but over the period of your bird's life, it's really not that much at all...cheaper than a yearly check-up for my guy. I fully expect this cage to last him many, many years. I believe it's approx. just under 6 ft tall with stand, 2 ft deep and 2 1/2 ft wide.






Even if you just use the free one to get started, you can always save for an upgrade later.

I have the same cage as the pic here. (scarlettangel) just got it yesterday from craigslist. Mr. Pickles loves it already!!

If it's clean and disinfected, you could consider it a good starter cage.

The size is adequate, though it is about the minimum size for a quaker. But, as long as he gets lots of time out of the cage, he should be ok.

In the meantime, you can start saving up and shopping around for something nicer.

I've bought several used cages off of craigslist, and got some great deals. I see nothing wrong with using a used cage as long as it is clean and safe.

If you are looking for a new cage any time soon, I'd check out www.birdcages4less.com. They have free shipping on just about all their cages and the quality is outstanding. I'd recommend them to any of my friends. Good luck!