How to Set Up a Bird Cage for Beginners – A Complete Care Guide (2025)
Welcoming a new feathered family member into your home is both an exciting and joyful experience! Birds can be lovely companions as they are beautiful, intelligent and social creatures. But, in order to provide them with the best chance at health, happiness, and longevity you must provide a proper environment for them. For first time bird owners, the task of setting up the right bird cage can be overwhelming because there is much more to setting up a bird cage than just simply choosing a nice cage.
This complete care guide on how to set up a bird cage for new bird owners in 2025 will take you through everything you need to know about setting up a properly designed bird cage. This guide will cover how to choose a proper size cage, important items for your bird cage and how to properly place your locations, and maintenance of your bird cage. The objective is to go over all the steps to create an environment where your new avian pets can feel safe and stimulated; and thrive while allowing for natural behaviors! Let's build a great habitat for your new bird!
Why Proper Cage Setting Up Matters
A cage is a bird's home, their amusement park, and the main living area. So, a well set up cage is important because it directly effects;
Physical Health: The correct amount of space, climbing area, and flying area prevents muscle atrophy and obesity. The proper type of perches reduces the risk of foot problems.
Mental Health: Making sure a bird has a diverse environment ensures their mind is active, and helps alleviate boredom, stress, and behavior issues such as feather plucking.
Safety & Security: An enclosed cage allows the bird to feel safe and secure. It prevents escapes, and keeps your bird away from potential hazards around the home, including other household pets.
Hygiene: Having a cage that is easy to clean is imperative to keep surfaces sanitary, to prevent cuts, scratches, and bacterial and fungal infections.
Items Necessary for Your Bird's New Home
Before you get your bird, make sure you have all of these important items prepared to go:
1. The Bird Cage:
Size is the most important: This is the most crucial factor of a cage. Always get the biggest cage you can afford and find appropriate room for. Size matters, the bigger the better. Consider height for climbing, and width for wingspan. For smaller birds, such as budgies, a cage that is minimum 18"L x 18"W x 18"H is suggested, although bigger is always better. For larger birds such as cockatiels, even larger cages will be required.
Bar Spacing: Important for safety. Narrow enough so your bird can’t stick its head through or get stuck. For small birds (budgies, finches), the best is 1/2 inch spacing. For Cockatiels, up to 5/8 inch.
Material: Non-toxic, heavy-duty materials are preferable like powder coated metal. Paint needs to be intact and no rust.
Design: Generally, rectangular or square cages are better than round or weird shapes as there is more usable space and corners for security.
2. Perches:
Variety is Key: Provide various diameters, textures, and materials (natural branches, rope perches and nail health concrete perches). Don’t just offer smooth, round dowel perches! This can lead to serious foot problems.
Placement: Perches should be at different heights and angles to promote climbing and movement. They should not be positioned directly over food/water bowls since poop contamination is possible.
Food & Water Bowls:
Stainless Steel or Ceramic: These bowls are the easiest to clean and the safest from an hygiene and health point of view. Do not use plastic bowls that can harbor bacteria and be chewed.
Quantity: At the least you will need 2 food bowls (1 for seeds/pellets and 1 for fresh food) and 1 water bowl.
Placement: You want the bird food and water bowls secured to the side of the cage (with bolts or brackets) so that the bird can get to them, but should not be right underneath a how perch. You want to be able to have it free from droppings!
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3. Substrate (Cage Liner):
Safe Options: You can use paper towels, newspaper (plain, just black ink), or professional cage liners. These will be the fastest for you to change each day.
Unsafe Options: Do not use wood shavings (could cause respiratory issues or impaction if ingested), cat litter (dangerous if ingested), corncob bedding (could mold quickly).
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4. Toys & Enrichment:
It's Important: Birds need stimulation to prevent boredom and stress. You need to provide a variety of safe toys for chewing, climbing, the ability to forage, and shredding.
Rotate Toys: You can provide new toys, and regularly rotate the existing toys to keep the interest of your bird.
Safety: Use toys that are made from non-toxic materials, without small parts that can be swallowed, and with bird safe hanging mechanisms.
5. Create a Bird Bath (Optional but Recommended):
Many birds love a bath. Make sure you provide a shallow dish of fresh water or a clip-on bird bath.
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Step by Step Guide to Setting Up the Cage
Once you have all your products, you can set up your bird's new home by following these steps:
Step 1: Assemble the Cage
Assemble the cage according to the instructions provided by the manufacturer. Ensure you have assembled all the components appropriately, with no loose or missing parts. It is essential that your cage is not only put together properly, but that there are NOWhere gaps for your bird to escape or squeeze their body into (as domestic birds may generally be tender and impractical – they are also good at getting themselves into trouble).
Step 2: Clean EVERYTHING
Even newly purchased cages should be cleaned prior to use. All, yes ALL, parts should be cleaned in warm water and a mild, bird-safe disinfectant (you can use a mild solution of white vinegar, in just about anything). Make sure to rinse thoroughly to ensure there is no residue left. Make sure everything is air dried completely.
Step 3: Add Substrate
Add your substrate (paper towels, newspaper, or cage liner) to the bottom tray in the cage. You will be thankful you did this for quick and easy clean-up later.
Step 4: Position Perches
Perches should be added at varying heights and angles throughout the cage, making sure the highest perch is not positioned directly under the top of the cage so your bird can stand comfortably.
Differences in the diameter of perches is important to exercise your bird's feet. Some can be placed near food/water bowls and some can be placed away from all the bowls for really resting spots.
Step 5: Attach the Food and Water Bowls
The food bowls and water bowls must be clean, securely attached to the cage bars, and made easily accessible for your bird while not being too readily accessible to their droppings.
Put fresh water in the water bowl and the appropriate diet food in the food bowl (please consult with your veterinarian for a specific diet for your type of bird).
Step 6: Attach Toys and Enrichment
Using a combination of toys, attach them throughout the cage – at varying heights and locations. At this point in time, your goal is to create an environment for the bird to explore and play.
Toys also can also be a danger if there are so many toys that your bird cannot move about, flap its wings or climb freely.
Choosing the Right Location For a Cage
The placement of your bird's cage is nearly as important as the cage itself:
Main Living Area: The cage should be placed in a busy, central area of the house (possibly the living room) where your bird can feel like they are part of the family. Many people may have their bird cages in their home office, which is often too quiet and boring for the bird. Birds are social creatures and thrive on interaction.
Avoid having drafts or direct sunlight: The cage should not be placed near doors or windows that are prone to drafts, or anywhere that has direct, strong sunlight where the bird can overheat.
Stable Surface: The cage should be on a sturdy level surface or a purpose-built bird stand
Avoid hazards: Make sure there are no toxic plants, flames, hot appliances, and open windows/doors (while the bird is out to fly), or other companion pets, especially other cats and dogs, near the cage.
Doing temperature extremes: Simply maintain a consistent room temperature; sudden temperature changes may stress your birds.
When the bird arrives and is ready to be placed in its cage:
Gentle move: Move your bird gently into the prepared cage – do not chase or force her.
Space: Give your new bird a few hours or even a day to settle in to her new location before you interfere too much.
Calm observation: Simply sit quietly and observe your new bird movement. Speak softly to her.
Ongoing Care and Maintenance
Keeping your bird's cage clean and mentally-engaging is an ever-ongoing endeavor:
Daily:
Change out the cage liner.
Wash food, and water dishes in very hot soapy water.
Wipe down any soiled perches or cage sides.
Weekly:
Disinfect the entire cage - including the bars, tray and all toys - with a suitable disinfectant for birds. Make sure to rinse and dry.
Change and rotate toys for mental stimulation.
Monthly/bi-monthly:
Thoroughly clean.... with scrub for nasty build-up.
Inspect any perches and toys to check for wear and tear and replace when necessary.
Fresh Water & Food:
You should provide fresh water and the appropriate daily food.
Final Feathered Thoughts
Setting up your bird cage with adequate space is the start to a long, healthy, and happy life with your feathered friend. By dedicating time and thought to a safe, spacious and fulfilling environment, you are not just providing a personal cage, you are creating a home. With this complete caring guide for beginners, you are well on your way to developing into an awesome bird owner, and enjoying years of companionship with your bold flocking friend(s).
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