We are buying Scarlett's cage tomorrow at the bird fair. What type of cage should I look for? I am going to go no smaller than 36x23x30. But should I get a dome top or a playtop or what? Is the dome top going to be difficult when I add lighting? Any suggestions would be great!

Also toy and perch suggestions are welcome. What perch thickness should I look for?

Good Morning Tiffany...... IMO, I always feel bigger the better (bigger mostly in length of course). I never did like the look of Dome Cages myself, therefore I would either get a playtop or just a rectangular huge cage, bar-size appropriate for a Grey. A corner cage may be more to your liking if space/location is an issue?

My first model choice/suggestion - if ya have the room - would be the huge rectangular "MaCaw type cage" (80x40 plus heigth). Check out at www.birdsupply.com

If ya were in my area or knew someone driving up, I could get that one for ya (through a friend) for approx. $525 (total) to give you a reference price when ya go to the Bird Fair (less if buying more than one cage of any style).

After ya check the site I mentioned, give me whatever model # you decide you like & then I can give ya the approx. best price you could get it for.

Don't be overly concerned about the perch size, what comes with the cage is usually adequate/fine to start with. But feel free to add natural safe branches for better foot exercise etc..... Most species-appropriate-sized toys are fine also but be careful with metal parts that can be chewed/broken off & swallowed and also about any twine type toys etc. where the strands can wrap around a bird's leg and cut into it, thus cutting off circulation etc..... Be careful with any lengthy type rope or chain that could get wrapped around the bird's neck and strangle it etc..... I would consider also removing the closed ID band on the leg (if it has one) when ya bring Scarlett home = safety precaution IMO... Good luck.

My 2 cents. I have a dometop for Dakota, which I love-its more open and bright. Ollie has a playtop. It is a pain in the BUTT with her lighting hanging above her cage. I had to remove the playgym so I could get the light close enough to her highest perch, but yet far enough away so that she couldn't very easily reach it, and now when she is out, I have to have the tray in because she loves to run across the top of her cage and then I run the risk of having her poop into her cage, and then when she is IN her cage, I have to slide the tray out and stow it away somewhere so the light actually goes into the cage. Her next cage will most definitely be a dometop! It would be much easier with lighting, and I wouldn't have to worry about Ollie running across the top of her cage and playing Tarzan from the light fixture.

A variety of perches is best. Throw out the wooden dowel that comes with the cage, they aren't good for our birdies feet. Right now Ollie has a sandy perch (which I keep in her cage at all times; have never had to clip her nails since I got it), 2 wood perches (store bought), and a rope perch in her cage. Most Ollie's perches are probably about an inch and a half in diameter. Some perches will be labeled by size with charts on the "tag" for you to compare. Ollie is usually a medium. I would assume a TAG would be the same.

Can't wait to see pictures of your set up!

And I must say - this is just what works for ME. And it's a little trial and error on these things I think before you know what is right for you and what is too
much of a pain in the a**.

For Tuki, I have the playtop cage (flat top) and for us that is best because of my choice of a floor (full spectrum) light. (with bending arm)



I leave the metal tray out all the time and just swing the light to the side of the cage to allow Tuki to play on top. He prefers to play on the top grill to the metal tray anyway.

For perches - Tuki mostly prefers his boing - curly hanging rope. He loves that thing and even sleeps on it.

Ollie would prefer to play on the top grill as opposed to the tray as well, but we run into problems when she sits on the side bars and poops onto her toys, perches, food and water, etc... It's just a hassle to always be looking for poop that may have run into the cage. Much easier to just slide the tray in and out, although that gets annoying also.

Ollie LOVES her boing, although hers is too big to put in her cage so it hangs from the ceiling. I definitely recommend a rope boing!

I got Scarlett's cage today and we just finished setting it up. I still need a concrete perch and her happy hut and pinata are at the breeder with her. Let me know what you think. Anything I should add?

And that is not where we are keeping it so don't worry about those metal things in the background.

That looks VERY similar to Ollie's cage, but the food bowls are a little different, and the door latch appears different as well. I've also removed the playtop to hang her light above it.

I would be careful with those plastic links you have on the back of the cage. I've heard of birds getting their beaks caught in the openings. I use them to hang some toys, but only outside of her cage when I'm around to keep an eye on her.

Other than that, it looks great! Now you just have to wait for the baby to put in it!!

Okay I'll take out the links. Doyle has some but they are on the outside, so that means he is always supervised when using them. Thanks for letting me know!

And yes, now all I need is my baby to fill it!

nice cage. did you clean it off real well if it came from a bird fair?
I dont perticually like the metal cage skirts. I have always taken them off because I know too many people who have had greys fall on them and cut themselves badly requiring surgery.

It came in the box off a truck. It was never inside. But I am going to wipe it down before she comes home and of course all the bowls will go through the dish washer.

I added a few more toys in there today that I made. I am getting really excited!