Best 5 Cockatiel Cages For Sale: Popular Models For Most Popular Breed

A bird as wonderful as a cockatiel definitely needs just as wonderful of a home. Their easy-going and hard-loving personalities appeal to many and the fact that they’re easy to tame and care for makes them a versatile choice amongst bird owners.

Still, a lot can be messed up with something as simple as purchasing a cockatiel cage so be sure you’ve done your research before purchase. The entirety of the information needed can be found here so you don’t have to keep dozens of tabs open searching for the correct information.

The Summary

What Cage Is Best For Cockatiels?

A cage doesn’t have to be as big since it’s a medium to small bird but should at least be 20-in wide and long. It doesn’t hurt to go bigger either but try and make sure that the length and width are somewhat similar.

Visual Identification And Size

Did you know cockatiels are the most popular pet bird in the US? Still, not a lot of people know that there are variations between them as well. The variations are found in the different feather color produced by meaning pigments and carotenoid pigments.

• Gray Cockatiel
• Yellow Face Cockatiel
• White Face Cockatiel
• Pearl Cockatiel
• Silver Cockatiel
• Fallow Cockatiel
• Pied Cockatiel
• Lutino Cockatiel
• Blue Cockatiel

Things To Worry About Before You Buy A Cockatiel Cage

What Is The Best Size Cage For Cockatiel?

A 20” x 20”  x 24” (LxWxH) cage should be the guideline to go for when looking for a cage size for your cockatiel. You can go bigger if you’d like and we’d advise you to do so. It’s important to make sure that the length and width are about the same though.

Do Cockatiels Prefer Tall Or Wide Cages?

Cockatiels are hookbills and they love to climb cages which would mean that they’ll enjoy a tall cage too. The focus should still be width since birds generally fly right to left and not up and down but if you can opt for both a tall and wide cage, it would be great.

Do Cockatiels Like Round Cages?

Almost no bird will enjoy a round cage and that includes cockatiels. Parts of cages can be rounded like the top but a full round body cage is to be avoided. The lack of corners confuses birds and can lead to serious psychological and physical disorders. When thinking about cage shape, make sure the cage has corners so that the cockatiel can navigate the cage easily.

Materials To Go For

Cockatiels have small beaks so they won’t do a lot of damage to metal but the problem is that certain metal types are toxic to them. The ones that don’t include stainless steel, aluminum, wrought iron, and alloy steel. Rust is still a problem since it’s toxic no matter what unless you have an aluminum cage. Alternatively, you can choose a wooden cage since they won’t get to damage it as easily as a big beaked bird.

Cleaning Problems

The best cage you can go for is the one that’s easy to clean. This would mean that you have easy access to the inside with a decently sized door and that there’s a tray below a wire grid bottom on the cage as well. Some materials are also easier to clean than others:

• Aluminum And Stainless Steel – easy to clean.
• Wood – hard to clean

The biggest problem with cleaning is bacteria infestations that can seriously harm your cockatiel’s physical health so make sure to clean the whole cage at least once a week.

Cage Types

Although most people look to get a regular indoor cage there are other types with different functions that some might find to be useful. Aviaries for one are large enclosures typically made for outdoor use. They allow birds to meet their daily exercise needs while keeping safe from predators. Another type are flight cages that are larger than their close indoor cage relative. They’re identified as being wide but not very deep. These allow birds to partially meet their daily exercise needs.

Wire Info

The only thing to worry about when it comes to wire is the wire spacing. Cockatiels will be the safest in a cage with a wire spacing anywhere between 0.5” and 0.65”.  You might think to go smaller than that and that’s okay. What’s important is that it isn’t too big since that can make the whole cage unsafe for them.

Horizontal Or Vertical Bars: Which Is Better?

Cockatiels have a tendency to navigate the cage by climbing the cage bars. This can lead you to buying a tall cage as well, they’ll appreciate it. What’s more important is to focus on getting a horizontal wire cage since vertical wires won’t allow them to climb.

Can I House More Than One Cockatiel Together?

Along with budgies and lovebirds,  cockatiels can easily be paired with a cage mate. You can actually house a budgie and lovebird with a cockatiel or you can go with 2 cockatiels. If you have a female and male, make sure you learn about bird breeding first cause it’s bound to happen eventually.

Where Should I Put My Cockatiel Cage?

A high traffic room or a room with a TV will work as well. They are very social birds so they will enjoy the constant company. Make sure to avoid kitchens and windows. Kitchen smells might be harmful to them and things outside can easily scare them.

Best 5 Cockatiel Cages For Sale

Although you’ll find some minimum recommended cage size models here, most will be bigger than that since we’ll advise you to get a bigger cage if you can. You’ll find indoor cages, flight cages, aviaries and cages made from different materials, all safe for cockatiels, of course.

Caitec Stainless Steel Bird Cage

The cool thing about this cage is that you can actually fold it along with the stand it sits on to store whenever you’re not using it. It comes with seed guards placed on the outer edges near the interior bottom to keep our floor clean.

The only real issue is the vertical bars that will kind of prevent your cockatiel from easily climbing the cage bars. Nonetheless, it’s an awesome cage that can actually house more than one cockatiel inside.

It features a dome top and as an added extra, it has 2 loopholes there so that you can easily place hanging toys there. The dome top also adds a bit of height to the interior, making it spacious but still looking elegant.

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A&e Cage Co 001908 Bird Cage

The best way to describe this cage in one word is to use the word antique. Apart from the angled straight legs, it has a victorian style top. The top does double as a rest area since it features two doors and you can place a perch in between them.

It does feature horizontal wires so your cockatiel will have no problem climbing the cage bars. In fact, you can house 2 inside it. The front door would be better if it was a little bigger but you’ll have no problems accessing the inside through it nonetheless.

Apart from the rest top perch, it comes with another wooden one for the inside. Its sides feature smaller feeding doors and you can place the stainless steel bowls on them to easily replenish food and water supplies.

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Prevue Hendryx Designer Bird Cage

Even though it’s 2-in off in both width and length to satisfy the minimum recommended cage dimensions for cockatiels, it’s only 2-in so with plenty of out-of-cage time, it shouldn’t be a problem.

You can use it as a decorative cage as well since you can hang it and it looks amazing with its wire details and a curved top. The top wires all meet in the center, making this area harder to clean than the rest though.

It only comes with a single perch and 2 food cups which are all plastic. Due to its size, you can actually use it as a travel cage as well. The base is plastic and features a plastic slide out cleaning tray.

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Yaheetech Flight Bird Cage

This wrought-iron cage is coated with anti-rust hammered paint which will protect it well from any premature rust and corrosion. The only real issue with the finish is that it’s black so it might be harder to blend it into your home.

It’s a large cage that can house multiple cockatiels at once. We wouldn’t recommend it as a flight cage for cockatiels and other small birds since the wire spacing is too big for birds like budgies and lovebirds.

It’s easy to move it since it sits on a stand with wheels. It even features a storage shelf so you’ll find it easy to organize supplies and accessories. It has 2 front entrances although both are small so it will be harder to reach inside.

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Pawhut Aviary Bird Cage

If you want to make the most out of placing perches inside a cage, this is the cage aka aviary to go with. The reason why is simple, it has a hexagonal shape so you can fully use its six corners to place perches outside of the cage center.

The hexagon shape also helps make its inside spacious. Your cockatiels will have no problems exercising inside it. You can easily customize it since it features a double-door entrance that’s around 41-in tall and 22-in wide.

The top features a canopy roof covered with waterproof asphalt roof material to keep your birds dry even if it rains. It’s painted with a weather-resistant finish. It doesn’t feature a bottom so its use is limited to the great outdoors.

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Caring For Your Cockatiel

Is It Cruel To Keep A Cockatiel In A Cage?

What’s cruel is to keep a bird in a cage that’s just too small for them. What’s also cruel is never letting them out of their cage. You’ll end up with an unhappy bird that will most definitely end up with psychological disorders like depression.

Are Cockatiels Parakeets?

Although parakeets and cockatiels both belong to the parrot family that has over 300 members, they’re not one and the same. Cockatiels are known for their crested head which makes them related to their bigger brother, the cockatoo.

How Many Hours A Day Should A Cockatiel Be Out Of Its Cage?

Two to 3 hours a day of out-of-cage time would be ideal. If you can go for more we definitely advise you to do so. Just be aware that you’ll have to keep your eye on the bird. You don’t have to play with them for the whole duration though.

Taming A Cockatiel

It’s important to take things slow. You’ll want to make slow introductions and talk with the bird away from its cage. As time goes by, move closer. Then it’s time to get them used to your hand. Start small and don’t try to grab them right away. Never place the hand above them. You can also hand feed them after this stage as well.

Do Cockatiels Like Kisses?

They’re likely to be overly affectionate so yes, they love kisses and cuddles. When a cockatiel shows affection, they’re likely to preen you. This is an excellent sign when it comes to most birds too.

How Do You Play With A Cockatiel?

There are plenty of ways to play with cockatiels. You can teach them tricks, try and teach them how to talk, you can even play music and they’re likely to dance to it as is their relative the Cockatoo. As for toys, anything that they can safely bite will be fine. This includes rope toys, perches, cuttlebones, and even newspapers.

How Do I Know If My Cockatiel Is Bored?

Feather picking, screaming, and commonly biting are all signs of a bored bird. Another sign of boredom is if they’re destructive of things that they shouldn’t be destroying. Playing with them and getting their attention are all problem solvers in this case. Also, remember to rotate toys and extras frequently inside the cage.

Can My Cockatiel Sleep With Me?

Even though it might be appealing to sleep with your lovely bird, the answer is a hard no. They’re just to small to be safe in your bed and with you so big. You’re likely to suffocate them if you place them in bed with you.

Do Cockatiels Need A Mirror In A Cage?

It’s hard to debate whether or not they need a mirror in their cage. On the one hand, cockatiels won’t recognize their reflection in the mirror and will view it as fellow cockatiels which can be considered cruel. On the other hand, it’s a fun way for your cockatiel to play with themselves. If you do have a mirror, in case the bird gets too attached and turns aggressive, remove it immediately.

What Type Of Toys Do Cockatiels Like?

Movable parts is what will get a cockatiel going. They also like to chew (wood especially) so make sure you provide them with enough chew toys. Keep it colorful since birds do see color and enjoy it. Climbing toys and swinging toys are also a must. You should also play with your cockatiel.

Making Your Own Cage

Smaller birds allow you to make your own cage with much more ease than if you were to make let’s say a macaw cage. They’re cheaper to make and it can be a fun little project if you know your way around a toolbox.

The things you’ll need for this cage are wooden bars, glue, screws, metal brackets, nails, wire mesh, PVC boards, and plexiglass.

1. Take the wooden bars and cut 4 them to be equal in size. Repeat the process for other frame parts. You’ll have to make a total of 12 bars, 3 x 4 of the same length.
2. The fourth pair of bars will go on the bottom into the frame and will make up the empty space where you’ll eventually place the slide-out cleaning tray. The fifth pair of bars will be used for the door frame.
3. Take the metal brackets and screw them in on the far end of some of the wooden bars. Then, take another bar and start putting the frame together, To secure them, glue them first.
4. Take a hammer and nail the corner bars to the already made frames.
5. It’s time to cut the plexiglass to fit the size of the large back wall and smaller side of the cage. You’ll have to glue it to stick to the frame.
6. Take your wire mesh, place it on the cage frame and cut it to size. Secure it to the top, you can use a stapler for this or a hammer and nails
7. Then, you’ll make the door frame. You’ll place it on the left side of the cage so make another frame to fit the size of that side. Then take the door hinges and connect the door to the cage frame.
8. The back wall will be made with wood or other material like PVC to give cockatiels some privacy and a feeling of security.