Do you bring the baby home and wonder what accessories are essential for the well-being of your new baby? Well, we have the perfect list to complement your shopping spree. Straight from the recommendations of caique owners there are some tried and true accessories that can’t be missed. We’ve got your back (and your fids, too).
essentials
The Cage – This is the most important aspect of your bird’s environment and one that needs the most consideration. Powder-coated or stainless steel finish depends on your budget, but no matter the finish, when looking at a cage, consider the various aspects. A cage size of 24 by 36 is recommended, with less than an inch of bar spacing. Cages that open at the top are not recommended and look for cages that have parallel bars so your bird can easily navigate. The author of this article prefers flat cages, but it all comes down to personal preference. Food and water dishes that extend outside the cage (giving more space inside the cage) are recommended.
Perch- A minimum of 5 is recommended. Choose different textures, shapes, and sizes to give your bird a variety of perches. Caiques like to chew and shred, so natural branches that have bark attached are recommended so the bird can enjoy stripping the perch of its bark. Also enjoyed was the cholla perch area, which is made from a natural cactus material. Slippery hangers such as manzanita and dragonwood are not recommended. Rope perches are a favorite among caiques as they can bounce and play, chew and rub against the soft cotton material.
Food dishes- Stainless steel or ceramic is recommended. Buy an extra set so you can toss the dirty ones in the dishwasher and have a clean set on hand. Stainless steel pans are often sold as ‘coop cups’ and can be purchased to fit your existing food pan holder, or come with their own attachment so the cups can be strategically placed inside the cage. Caiques tend to enjoy knocking their food bowl over, so consider a bowl like the Quick Loc Crock, which literally locks into place.
Toys: Caiques love to play with toys, that’s a fact. The brighter, bolder, louder, the better. Quick tip: Check out the baby section of your local discount store. Hard plastic keys, teethers and rattles are safe for birds and fun for caiques. Tried-and-true bird toys include the crushable parrot piñatas, the mind-bending crazy leather box, or the Brainiac chewy block. All of these toys challenge your birds’ skills and increase activity while increasing boredom. The recommended number of toys is no less than 5 at a time in the bird cage. With a caique, the more the merrier, so don’t be stingy when it comes to game items.
Emergency Medical Kit: If your bird breaks a blood feather, hits a toenail, or injures itself in any way, you need to be prepared. Accidents happen, and caiques seem to be especially accident-prone. A good basic medical kit will include self-adhesive gauze (veterinary wrap is a popular choice), clean gauze, tweezers, hemostats, a pair of sharp scissors, antibacterial cream, and a warm compress. Many different types of medical kits are included, with the most comprehensive ones containing everything from emergency hand-feeding formula to forms that include your veterinarian’s contact information.
Accessories
The Water Bottle: Caiques are bird chefs they want to be. His speciality? Parrot stew. Everything that can go in the potter, in this cage, water the dish. Sometimes it can make providing a clean source of water frustrating. Especially when you go to change the water and wonder why the heck it turned a bright blue color, and what the heck are those floating things. Trust me, you don’t want to ask questions. Some caiques, clever as they are, don’t seem to realize that submerging that big, brightly colored lump of wood in water doesn’t make the wood any easier to chew. There is a solution: water bottles. A water bottle can be hung, providing your pet with a constant source of fresh water, even if you’ve turned the once clean water bowl into something less than delicious. When buying a water bottle, the recommended ones are made of glass (stay away from plastic ones) and have stainless steel spouts and fittings. The Lixit brand is highly recommended.
The Snuggle Buddy – While this is the name of an actual product, in this article we refer to the Snuggle Buddy as anything your bird likes to sleep on next/at night. Most caiques enjoy having a ‘happy shack’ type tent to sleep in at night. There are a variety of tents and cabins available for purchase. Look for one made of a durable material like wool, with the hanging hardware made of something similar to a plastic chain link. Otherwise, the accessories that hold the hut to the cage can easily be chewed off by a bored bird. Other snuggle materials can include wool swings, large cotton rope toys for the bird to snuggle in, and other similar materials.
Feeding System: Feeding is an important part of the wild and natural behavior of your birds. While we highly recommend a model feeder feeding system, because this theory and research is still relatively new and conventional, we classify a feeding system as an “accessory” rather than an immediately required part of your birds’ environment. Creative Foraging Systems is a new company that has a fantastic line of feeders and toys that are perfect for caiques. Allowing your bird to work for their food allows them to recreate natural behavior that can potentially curb future behavior problems. You’re spoiled for choice when it comes to foraging, but we highly recommend a food system as your primary feeder and an accessory like the ever-popular Crazy Maze as a companion item.
In conclusion
This is just a sample of the items that can be purchased for your bird and are highly recommended by owners. Look for other articles including detailed product reviews, food recommendations, gym accommodations, and much more.