Hubby just asked me when we are getting Z's cage? Now the big questions....is a 36x23x64 dometop a good size? I don't want it too big, or too small. I have heard you can never have them too big, but I have also heard that you can! Help! I really need to focus on this now. Hubby wants playtop, I'd like dometop. Maybe the ones that open up are good? Whats all your opinions? Thanks all!
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Get and big cage and put cereal boxes on the bottom to start. I like playtops but that is my personal preference.

IMO no such thing as a too large cage. Whoever said that is justifying why they dont want to spend the money on the proper size cage imo. A whole room wouldnt even be too large.

The only time a cage is too large is if the bird is clipped and can fall. Sorry I forgot about that point since I'm so STRONGLY against clipping.

I dont like fancy tops because you lose alot of space. The dome, or "victorian" or whatever they call them are just for the humans. Because the curves mean you cant do anything in there. If you're a bird. You can only utilize the center. I like a plain square top.

I prefer a play area OFF the cage so the bird doesnt get stuck always having to be ON or IN the stupid cage day and night. Also leaving the playtop thing on the top makes it dark inside.

As far as the dimensions you posted. My two Parrotlets are in a cage that size almost. 32 wide, 21 D and 36 high. And I would want them in double that but I cant find one that's sturdy enough with half inch spacing. There is a double breeder 64 wide but it's wobbly and I cant wheel it around comfortably.

Remember the bird needs to at least be able to jump around and FLAP if not FLY and of course flying around is a million percent better. So these small cages give one big perch cutting right across the center so they cant do anything. Even if you replace it with two perches and one boing you've lost all the interior space. So they're stuck again crowded.

Look at the INTERIOR space when they say 64 they usually include the stand which insnt for the bird. It might be more like 36 or 42 inside. Unless that IS the interior space.

Also plan out where you're going to put the full spectrum lighting hanging down so your cage can fit where that can go or where you can get an outlet installed.

The bigger the better. Some people say that greys need smaller cages because of their 'nervous nature'. I think that whatever they are used to is what they're going to be most comfortable in, so if you start them out big they'll be just fine. Ollie is going to be getting a much bigger cage in the future.

I have a playtop for Ollie, and I hate it. Dakota has a dometop, which I love. Reasons why I don't like her's: Full spectrum lighting is necessary. With a gym on top it's impossible to get the light close enough to do any bit of good. Most of the playtop gyms just consist of a wooden dowel perch and a few food bowls. Ollie has many other gyms that are much more fun, and before I even took the playtop gym off, she was never even on it. It's boring. Now with the gym removed, she still often likes to sit on the top edge, or run across the top grate. This means that every time she comes out of her cage, I have to slide the top tray in so she doesn't poop down into her bowls/toys. Then when she goes back into her cage I have slide the darn thing back out again because it's so dark in the cage. It's a big hassle. I probably move that tray in and out 15 times a day.

I don't like the cages with opening tops. They're too dangerous. If that perch that holds the doors open were to slip....bye bye birdie. Also, I've heard of birds getting their toes stuck from the inside when the doors are shut. They aren't heavy enough and they can wiggle their toes between the doors.

If you can afford it, go with stainless steel. Ollie's is a regular powder coated, and after 2 years it's already starting to rust in some places. I'm saving up for a huge SS. They last sooooo much longer, and are supposedly much easier to keep clean as well.

Post links/pictures when you find some cages that you like, and we'll be sure to critique them for you!

Oh, bar spacing no bigger than 1 inch.

You beat me Cindy!

Question for you: I guess I've never seen a large parrot sized flat topped cage that isn't a playtop (Maybe I'm just not paying enough attention when I look a cages. I always think it's either playtop...or dometop. Do you have an example handy? I will never buy another playtop, for the reasons that you and I both stated, so I'm looking at other options.

I like the dometop, simply because I think it would prevent Ollie from wanting to be on top of her cage. Dakota never gets on his. I think that if you get a huge cage to begin with, having a dometop isn't going to affect the size any. I actually think it makes Dakota's cage much roomier.

oops sorry, also you need to measure carefully since cage placement can be an issue. They like to have their backs to at least one wall but I always do two in a corner. Preferably in a corner next to a window so they can see if possible. Without it being near or in front of a tv or close enough to chew any wood.

And lately I've seen cages for the corner with the front round but I would steer clear since round cages make them nervous. Even if there is one angle straight I wouldnt chance it.

Here's a possibility for Ollie's future cage: Stainless Steel Largo Dome Top by Invision Bird Cages

LOL but you said the most important thing about stainless. Or at least a high quality coating.

Actually I never noticed that square tops were hard to find in a Grey or larger size. And I probably assumed you'd just remove the play top since its on a square top. I've been always searching for half inch spacing now so never even got that far. But for two Parrotlets in a Macaw size cage it wouldnt matter if it had the stupid Napoleon or whatever they call it top LOLOL

If I see any I'll post it, I'm always looking....Kings has one that's only curved on the sides without a sharp angle so it's like a square top with curves. I'll see if I can find it.

I've been looking a little bit. Seems like most sites have these categories for large parrot sized cages: Dome top or Play top, and some use the term Fancy top (which would be like this: http://www.bird-supplies.net/mexico-...stainless.htm).

The only problem with simply taking the gyms off the play tops- The top grate isn't attached to the cage (at least on mine its not), it just sits there. Meaning that when I hang heavy things, like Ollie's boing, the grate bounces and moves A LOT. It's just not very sturdy. Actually, a bird more motivated to escape than Ollie could easily get out, or get their head stuck in the process. It's much safer with the tray staying in it. Maybe it's just my cage that's made like this...would anybody else with playtops confirm or deny this?

Here are some pictures to help explain:

Lifting the top grate up- it's not very heavy by the way, especially so if I don't have very heavy things hanging from the top.




How it looks normally:


I feel that the dometop is much safer in this respect. And like I said earlier, if the cage is already huge, then cutting out a few corners isn't going to make any difference, IMO.

I found a flat top: Little KahunaTM Flat Top40" X 40" X 79"Free Shipping!: BIRDCAGES4LESS.com. If Ollie got on top of there I'd need a ladder to get her down!

It's not SS...still haven't found one of those.