Be sure your new bird cage does not contain lead or zinc which are toxic to birds.  Bird Cage Portal's cages and other products are safe and do not contain any toxins in the metal or finishes.

Choose a rectangular-shape cage rather than a round one. Hexagon and octagon are ideal substitutes for a round cage.  There is a brief explanation of their benefits below.

A round cage does not have a corner for the bird to escape to if it becomes frightened.  Round cages normally have all vertical bars which make climbing more difficult.  They sometimes have converging bars that can trap a bird.  Round cages may also affect a bird's tail feathers.

Good alternatives for a round cage are hexagon and octagon stylecages.  They afford more room, have horizontal bars for easy climbing and a number of other features sought in quality cages.

Be sure all welds are smooth and the bird cage doesn't have any sharp edges.

All cage doors should have closures that are escape-proof and are designed so that clever birds cannot unlatch them from the inside.

Choose a cage that is either stainless steel or powder-coated with a non-toxic finish.  Be aware that some wrought-iron painted cages have unsafe finishes that are dangerous to birds.  Bird Cage Portal's cages are completely safe.

I selected cages for my own use that have a glossy type of finish to the powder-coat.  I've found these cages very easy to clean.  For more information on these cages just click the Live Support Link, go to the Customer Service page, or give a call 760-723-8667.

Choose a bird cage with appropriate bar spacing and bar dimensions for your bird.  Birds can become wedged between cage bars or break the bar welds if placed in cages not designed for their size and strength.

Be careful when adding cotton rope perches because threads and strings can come loose.  If you add this type of perch for variety be sure to monitor it and remove anything that may pose a hazard to your bird.

When covering your cage it is safer to use a cage cover manufactured for that purpose, like a Cozzzy Cage Cover.  Covering your cage with towels and sheets allows the bird to chew the material so that strings and threads become a hazard.

Parrots are clever creatures so it is essential to purchase a bird cage that has secure, escape-proof latches on all doors ... the main door and any doors that allow access to food bowls and breeder boxes.

A parrot's strength and cleverness should never be underestimated ... especially the larger parrots. 

Choose the safest cage tray liner or litter for the bottom of your bird cage.  Corn cob litter and walnut shells are particularly bad choices because birds can ingest them with bad results, and they harbor fungus and bacteria.  Cedar bedding material is toxic to birds.

Good cage bottom liners include include paper (packing paper or black/white pages of newspaper).  For convenience and the added benefit of helping to reduce mold and bacterial growth consider Cage Catchers or Kageliners. Also available is Neater Tweeter Mess Magnet for small cages.  These products can be found here.

A healthy, environmentally safe litter choice is Earthsafe-Luv My Birdie Litter.   The Luv My Birdie Litter product is 100 percent natural recycled wood which reduces the development of mold and the respiratory diseases it can cause.  Use with a grate to prevent your bird from accessing the litter.

Although minimum cage size guidelines are offered by cage manufacturers and others, as provided at the link below, please understand these are the approximate spaces a bird can live in.

It is generally accepted, and I whole-heartedly agree, that you should purchase as large a cage as you can afford keeping in mind the appropriate cage bar spacing and diameter appropriate for your bird.  The result will be a happier and healthier avian companion.

For more information about cage sizes please visit General Bird Cage Size Guide.

The subject of bird perches may seem like a simple one ... afterall the name just implies something a bird sits on.  In fact is there is more to consider when it comes to choosing bird perches.

Pet birds spend most of their lives, whether awake or asleep, standing on their feet. Standing and even using their feet to eat exerts special stresses so it is important to provide a variety of shapes, sizes and textures. Offering a variety will help alter the weight-bearing areas of the foot which allows the bird to exercise, strengthen and condition their feet, and lessens the chance of serious foot problems and sores.

There are several choices of perching material.  Wood is by far the most commonly used material, with natural branches being ideal, such as: manzanita, eucalyptus, fruit and nut trees and Java wood.  Branches offer a bit of nature with tapering widths ideal for our pet birds.  Birds enjoy peeling the bark from these natural woods which provides stimulation and entertainment for a caged bird.

If you make your own perches be sure to choose a safe, pesticide-free wood that does not have excessive sap.  Wash it well with soap and water and let it dry thoroughly before putting it in your bird's environment.  It may be best to rely on commercially available perches so you can be assured they are appropriate and safe.

To make slippery wood easier to grasp it can be distressed by sanding, sandblasting or scoring with a router for secure textured footing.

An important factor in selecting perches is stability. Be sure to mount perches securely.  A loose, wobbly or slippery perch may contribute to falling accidents and undermine your parrot's feeling of security.

Perches should be mounted to cage bars with lag studs, washers and wingnuts.  Another method is to cut your perch approximately 2 inches longer than the cage dimension and notch both ends deeply enough so the perch can be held in place by fitting it over the cage bars.

Psittacine birds are agile climbers and usually prefer the highest perch. However, it is best to provide at least two perches of varying thicknesses placed at slightly different heights. Three or four perches are ideal if they do not cause overcrowding. Cage birds such as finches, which prefer flying or jumping rather than climbing, should have at least 2 perches, one at each end of the cage.

Cage bar spacing must be considered when choosing your bird's cage.  If cage bars are too widely spaced a bird will poke it's head through them and become wedged between the bars.

Cage bar diameter is also important, especially for large birds.  If the diameter of the bars are too light weight for the size of bird they will be able to dismantle the bars, risking injury or worse.

Choose the right size cage bars for your bird.  Here is a General Cage Bar Size Guide.

Cleaning bird poop from cages and nearly anything else is now an easy and safe activity.

Not only is it now possible to remove bird droppings from bird cages, perches, carpet, toys, walls, clothing, etc., you can do it without harming yourself, your bird/pets or soiled surfaces. This is all possible due to a product called Poop-Off. 

Poop-Off works instantly to separate bird droppings from a surface whether the matter is fresh or old and dry.  It took the creator of Poop-Off a total of 6 years to formulate his non-toxic, biodegradable solution of special cleaning agents, active enzymes and proprietary lubricants.  Bird owners have discovered this product really works and it is now an international favorite.

The #1 best and safest product for bird cage disinfecting as well as a list of other uses is Pet Focus.