The Perfect Cage for Your Cockatiel.

Finding the perfect cage for your cockatiel is important because cockatiels are very active and need to be in a large cage. Even if you take your cockatiel out at least 2.5 hours a day, they will still spend a large portion of their time in the cage. Thus, it is essential that the cage be large enough to accommodate your cockatiel. The cage should be able to fit several perches, a couple toys, and leave them enough room to stretch out their wings. Cockatiels will frequently hang upside down from a perch and flap their wings as a means of exercise while in the cage. The cage needs to be big enough that the bird can do this without injuring its wings.


According to About.com cages for cockatiels should be:

• At least 20 inches by 20 inches wide, and 26 inches tall as a bare minimum.
• The spacing on the cage bars should be no more than 3/4 inches (any larger is a safety issue).
• Look for horizontal cage bars, as they offer the best opportunity for climbing and exercise.
• There should be enough space to place at least a couple of perches at different levels with enough space to comfortably move between them.
  

I currently have Loki in a Hagen Vision Medium Bird Cage, Model M11. I like this cage and I do believe it has adequate space. I also like that it has a debris guard around the base of the cage to keep Loki's mess mostly inside the cage. However, I am thinking about getting her a very large cage, meant for a cockatoo. I think with cockatiels, or any bird for that matter the bigger the cage the better. She will only enjoy it more and feel more free. I would recommend for any bird getting the next largest size (i.e. for a small bird get a medium cage, for a medium bird get a large cage, and for a large bird get the largest cage you can afford).