Macaw Cages: What Size Cage Does a Macaw Need?

Last Updated on February 8, 2022

Proper housing is necessary for all types of pet birds. If you consider a macaw bird, a suitable cage is required for its healthy life. But you need to know the size of the cell best suited to all macaws. Is there only one size of cage suitable for all macaws? Should it be available in different sizes? 

Depending upon the types of macaws, both larger and smaller cages are available. For smaller macaws, go for 34 inches wide, 24 inches deep, and 36 inches tall cage. While for smaller macaws, 36 inches wide, 48 inches deep, and a 60 inches tall cage is recommended. Bar spacing for a smaller cage should be 0.75 inches to 1 inch, and for large cells, 1-1.5 inches is good.

Selection of the cage for your macaw is not so easy. Other than cage dimensions and bar spacing, the material of the cell is also important. What is the cost of a macaw cage? How many types of enclosures are available? Which material is used? How can you select a suitable cell?

At the end of this article, you learn about selecting different sizes of cages, their proper place, enrichment, and durability.

What Would You Keep In Mind While Choosing A Cage For A  Macaw?

Before selecting a cage for a macaw following points should be kept in mind.

1. Size of a macaw
2. Cage size
3. The inner area of the cage 
4. The specifications of the cage
5. Material of the cage
6. Your affordability
7. Suitable place for a cage
8. Cage type
9. Appropriate bar spacing

What Is A Proper Cage Size For Smaller Macaws?

In the wild, birds live in their natural habitat, where they grow and survive. Similarly, they need proper housing in captivity to stay healthy and safe. A cage is an artificial habitat to facilitate the macaw bird to move and grow. 

The size of the cage depends upon the type of macaw. There are different types of macaws, some are larger, and some are smaller. For smaller macaws, a 34 inches wide, 24 inches deep, and 36 inches tall cage is required. Hahn’s macaw is the smallest and needs a cell accordingly.

Space between bars is also important while selecting a cage for a macaw. It should be 0.75 inches- 1 inch for a small enclosure.

What Is A Suitable Cage Size For Larger Macaws?

Macaws are very social and interactive. They need enough space to move around for healthy growth. The cage should be large enough to complete all activities efficiently. The large macaws like Blue and Gold Macaw, Green-winged Macaw, Military macaw, and Scarlet macaw need a big cage.

A big cage of 36 inches wide, 48 inches deep, and 60 inches tall is suitable for all larger macaws. At the same time, the ideal bar spacing should be 1-1.5 inches.

Larger cages are preferred for the following reasons;

• Larger macaws are big with sharp beaks and long-tailed. That is why they need a large cage to fit nicely inside the cell.
• Mostly live in pairs. So, plenty of space is required for proper growth.
• Mini macaws are very social and interactive. They need more space to move around.

Hence, according to experts, it is good to have the giant cage you can afford.

Why Would The Macaw Need Plenty of Space in the Cage?

As in the wild, macaws can fly freely and take feed from different places on their own. It can flap its wings. It moves around the area and finds its feed. Being very friendly and interactive, it loves to live in pairs. 

A cage with enough room for playing and foraging is suitable for a macaw.  So it is suggested if you have a large area in your home, try to get a large cage to get maximum benefits out of it. It is essential to engage the macaw in playing with toys inside the cell.

Some macaws are long-tailed and need a spare area to move freely. If the bird’s tail does not fit in the cage, it may get boring and goes under stress. They get aggressive and many health issues occur. 

Always provide the best cage as you can. Play top cages are very good because they offer enough space for free movement of macaws. In play top cages, enough space is given where perch is in the center or sometimes, at one side of the cage. The macaws move around the cage just like they move in their natural environment. 

What Is a Good Quality Cage?

A good quality cage must have

• Free area to move
• Proper dimensions
• Made of solid material/ Durable
• Proper bar spacing
• Good cage height for some long-tailed birds
• Equipped with feeding door, entry door, and feeding bowls 
• Removable tray
• Facility of lock
• Free access to water
• Provision of perches
• Enough space for playing with toys

.

The Cage Should Be of Which Material?

The cage, either for small or large macaws, should be made of solid material. Iron and stainless steel cages are available in the market now. Both types of enclosures are durable. Stainless steel is preferred because it is rustproof and has no corrosion, but iron may get rusted and cause many health disorders if licked or eaten mistakenly.

Stainless steel cages are more expensive than iron cages. Selection depends on your affordability. Because of its benefits, mostly people buy the stainless steel cage for macaws.

Macaws are birds who like to chew. Because of their sharp and curved beaks, they are used to chew all the things around them. They also try to chew the bars of their cage. But it should not be encouraged. They get sick if they chew the hazardous material of the cell or swallow.

Why Is a Lock Necessary For The Cage?

Macaws are curious and brilliant parrots. They are tricky and very active. Their ability to unlock the cage is due to their learning capacity. They learn fast and find a way to open up the locks of the cell.  When you are away or not attentive, they may open the door and escape.

So, engage them by playing with toys.

Where to Set a Cage?

Once you have purchased the cage the next step is to set it in the home. What should be the proper place? Keep it in a good place by keeping a few points in your mind.

• Keep the cage in no traffic area of your home.
• No interruption
• Keep it away from the center, The place where you can interact with your toy.
• Avoid placing it near the kitchen and bathroom.
• Foul odors may cause some allergies.
• The stainless steel cage is expensive but durable and safe.
• The cage must have multiple doors and a removable tray. One entry is for the macaw to enter, and the other one is the feeding door. A removable tray is used to clean the cage regularly.
• Security lock can avoid the escape of macaws in your absence.
• Cover the bottom with newspaper. It will absorb all the droppings.
• Free access to water is very healthy.
• Cover the cage when it is night, and you are not sleeping. Macaws need 8-10 hours to sleep for proper health conditions.

How to Improve the Cage Environment?

After setting the cage, the next step is to enrich the enclosure. It includes 

• Perches inside the cages
• Provision of toys 
• Suitable pots for feeding
• Regular cleaning

Why are Perches in the Cage Necessary for Macaws? 

Perches are very important for the physical and mental health of macaws. Your bird is not flying all the time. If you observe, you will rarely see your bird sitting when it is not passing. Macaws do the same. Perches for your macaw have great importance. The macaws use these perches for their regular activities as well as entertainment purposes. 

In the wild, macaws fly all around the day, moving from one tree to another tree. The branches of trees are the perches that help macaws to climb and play, even chew when needed. They use them for climbing, standing, rubbing, playing, chewing, and cleaning their beaks. In captivity, nests in the cage will enhance their activity, and they feel it like their natural environment.

Both artificial and natural wood perches are available in the market. Give at least one in a cage so that macaws will stand and play. Chewing the objects is the natural process of macaws. They enjoy chewing perches inside the cell to stimulate their mental growth and satisfaction.

Therefore, perches should be disposable. Eucalyptus branches are commonly used as natural wood perches. The macaws can chew them easily. Always keep one extra branch in hand. Discard the older branch if broken. Clean the broken pieces of wood as a result of chewing.

How do You Offer Toys to Your Macaws in the Cage?

• When you introduce a new macaw, it is shy and not familiar to you and your surroundings. It also takes time to bond with their owner. Place some toys inside the cage to make them used to the environment.
• To keep them active and engaged, offer colorful toys. They attract different colors and become happy.
• Keep rotating the colorful toys daily.
• When you offer a new toy to your macaw, play with it in front of the macaw. It will encourage your macaw to try a new toy.
• Toys should be chewable. Macaws chew and bite the toys and feel happy.

Playing with toys is a healthy activity. It helps your macaw to be healthy by reducing stress. You should offer toys;

How do You Encourage Foraging in the Cage?

In the wild, parrots go out, climb from one tree to another for foraging. It helps to keep them physically active and busy while searching for their feed from different parts of forests. That is why they are engaged and do not get bored.

We also encourage foraging while staying in the cage in this way.

• Give nutritious feed regularly. Macaws eat seeds, vegetables, fruits seeds, nuts, and herbaceous parts of many plants. 
• Keep a good feeding tray or pot inside the cage. Fill it up with seeds and pebbles so that they will explore and find out their food from the feeding pot.
• Hide the feed in the toys. 
• Spread the food in different parts of cages.
• Keep herbaceous plants like kale inside the cage. Sometimes on the perch. Always wash the herbs before giving them to your macaw to keep them safe and pesticide-free

How is Cage Cleaning Necessary for Macaws?

As we like to stay in a clean and comfortable environment, macaws do want the same thing. If housing is not appropriate, macaws’ health will be affected, and it will be uncomfortable. It may cause many infectious diseases. Sometimes due to stress, their overall efficiency also decreased. Cleaning if cage must include

• Daily cleaning 
• Pick all the discarded food parts
• Cleaning of feeding tray daily
• Provide fresh water in a clean pot.
• Wash the droppings daily. It is challenging to walk in a dirty place.

Are you keeping macaws in captivity? If yes, then you may also want to read about: How Long Do Macaw Parrots Live In Captivity?