🐦 How to Set Up a Parakeet (Budgie) Cage
Parakeets (budgies) fly horizontally, so a cage should be wider than it is tall — width for wing-flapping flight beats height. Go as big as you can; a rough minimum for one or two budgies is about 18 inches in each direction, and bigger is always better. Bar spacing should be about 1/2 inch so they cannot get their heads stuck.
Vary the perches. Cages often ship with identical plastic dowels, but birds need different diameters and textures — natural wood branches and a rough perch — to keep their feet healthy and prevent sores. Place perches so droppings do not fall in food or water.
Add toys, a cuttlebone, and daily out-of-cage time. Budgies are smart and social and can get bored or lonely, so provide chewing and foraging toys and ideally a companion bird. See our best pets for apartments and best pets for kids guides.
🛒 Recommended supplies
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🧽 Cleaning & maintenance
Daily: swap the cage-floor liner or paper, wash the food and water dishes, and wipe up scattered food and droppings. Weekly, scrub the perches, toys, and bars and change any substrate. Once a month, deep-clean the whole cage with a bird-safe cage cleaner, rinsing and drying fully. Use only bird-safe products and never anything with strong fumes near birds — their airways are extremely sensitive, so skip aerosols and keep them far from nonstick-pan fumes. Two sets of dishes and liners make daily parakeet cleanup fast.
Cleaning supplies for this habitat. Affiliate links — we may earn a commission. The $/$$/$$$ badges are a rough budget guide, not live prices.