FINCHforum

I want to buy this cage, but have a question about it. Does the bottom grill come out? And if yes can I keep it out, without my birds escaping? Please help would like to order cage as soon as possible. Thank you

Most of these inexpensive 24x16x16 and 30x18x18 have fixed bottom grates which cannot be removed. There are some now that are being offered for sale with removable grates, you have to check the description to make sure, as the majority do not. Most of these cages depend on the fixed grate for stability in the cage, so you cannot cut them out either.

Well won't be buying this cage then. The search continues. Thank you for the help

Hi all
I have a similar cage because it was the only one I could find of the size. I don't care for bottom grate either and Sally is right, grate can not be removed.Farther more when I tried to put in perches front to back they were slanted. It is relatively cheap though which is nice. Thing is that "can not" is open to interpretation.I am a bit of a tinkerer and deferentially have OCD -so to work I went. The connections are by looped wire ends which can easily be pried open. Back panel flipped - and perches are straight - loops of course re cramped. Grate removed same way. the loops have been straighten (sort of) at the back so grate can easily slide in now suspended in the back and by open hooks in front. good for when I clean because of bottom gap. Cage became very wobbly as per what Sally said. 15 $ got me a cards pliers and cards - had to wait a long while till it came all the way from china but cage is better put together than when it was new. Didn't like the feeders either and actually bought cheep small cages just because feeders suited my bill.They hang on the outside now and are closed so no soiling and don't take cage space. I am pleased and so seems my canary. Next step is to make it easier on the eyes with wooden skirts bottom and on top.Once I find how to load pictures I will post about the hole contraption. Next cages (Yasha needs a mate) will be much easier because I have already worked up the system. Actually enjoyed the hole drill.
Yossi

How many birds do you estimate would fit comfortably in the 18 x 18 x 30 size?

Not an expert. I keep 1 canary in it and intend to use it as a breeding cage for canaries in the future. Not really a finch man but from all I read - about a pair of zebras / societies and the like.
Yossi

Vera

Two birds in an 18×18×30.

Well maybe I'm bad but I've gotten away with six small finches, as many as four parakeets, if you set it up with enough perches, branches, enrichment to occupy them.

I have been thinking about getting a cage that size to put my two Gouldians in so they are not with the societies as I would like to breed them.

A pair of finches would fit comfortably in one of these cages. It also allows for some extra room if they breed and have chicks in there. I would recommend moving the chicks out after they are weaned though to prevent squabbling or feather plucking.

Vera

2 finches in that cage.

NO parakeets. They need MORE room than finches. I've seen people who ought to know better that an 18x18 cage is fine for parakeets. That's just cruel.

I wouldn't feel right keeping them even in the Prevue F070/F075 which is 36" long but only 20" or so high.

Chrismurdoch3 wrote: A pair of finches would fit comfortably in one of these cages. It also allows for some extra room if they breed and have chicks in there. I would recommend moving the chicks out after they are weaned though to prevent squabbling or feather plucking.

Chrismurdoch3 wrote: A pair of finches would fit comfortably in one of these cages. It also allows for some extra room if they breed and have chicks in there. I would recommend moving the chicks out after they are weaned though to prevent squabbling or feather plucking.

Oh yes I would only put them in that cage for breeding and remove them after they are weaned

30 x 18 is perfect for a breeder pair. For non-breeding, it can fit more if it's set up right.

I had six societies in a 30 x 18 for a year and there was no aggression. Four nests, branches to hide in, lots of perches. It can be done. The birds showed no indication of stress whatsoever. Lots of singing, lots of cuddling, and room to flutter about.

I routinely housed four budgies in cages this size when I had a lot of them. As long as you are not breeding, if you put in enough swings and perches for everyone to have one to themselves, it is absolutely spacious enough in my experience. Bigger is always better, but bigger is not inherently required.

Vera

It will be fine for that, and as it will be temporary housing, I wouldn't worry about leaving the bottom grate in. I take the grates out of all my cages (various Prevue cages) but in these cages, the grate just sits in there above the litter pan and is not part of the actual cage structure. Makes it easy.

Taking the grate out of that cage CAN be done but then by the time you rework the cage so that its stable without it (and come up with a way to keep them from escaping out the bottom, etc) you might as well have invested in a better cage to start with.

Swings and toys and whatnot are all well and good, but all birds need a clear flight path. The cage is too short in length to put more than one swing in there without impeding the flight path, and its too short in height for climbing birds to get much exercise that way either. Fortunately we're talking about temporary quarters for breeding pairs of finches, so that's not a concern.

Given breeding birds aren't going to be doing a lot of playing around OR flying, these cages are fine for breeding, then removing birds to a larger permanent cage in between.

They also make good quarantine quarters, though they are not, IMO, sturdy enough to make good transport cages if you have any other choice.

Vera wrote: How many birds do you estimate would fit comfortably in the 18 x 18 x 30 size?

2 birds would be OK in a 30"