Many people keep their pet birds in bird cages for amusem*nt, whereas others feel it as cruel. In this case, what’s your opinion? Do you think birds shouldn’t be caged or caged? Well, keeping birds in the cage becomes cruel when they lose their rights.
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If the cage is firm and well decorated, then it won’t be cruel. You can cage them. Eventually, there are many homemade bird cage ideas, but one of the easiest ways is making a birdcage with wire. Now, the question is how to make a bird cage with wire?
- Sketch the design and estimate the size.
- Collect essential materials.
- Make the frames.
- Attach the mesh wires to the frames.
- Create the door.
- Attach the cut mesh on the hole (4 inches).
- Join the frames.
- Place a piece of wood under the bottom.
- Provide food and water.
- Follow all instructions and precautions.
Don’t you know how to utilize these steps to make DIY bird cages? Don’t worry! In this article, we’re now going to elaborate on all of the steps below. Irrespective of talking about how to make a wire bird cage, we’ll answer some frequently asked questions below.
Handy Hint: To read more about birds, visit our other article about how to stop birds from flying into windows [Click here], rid of bird nest [Click here], How To Attract Bluebirds [Click here], How to attract woodpeckers [Click here] and hummingbirds migrate south [Click here]
Step 1: Sketch the Design and Estimate the Size
If possible, make a design of your wire bird cage with a pencil and paper. Estimate your cage’s size according to the bird size and how much place it should have to move freely. For example—
- A small bird needs a cage of around 24 × 24 × 24 inches.
- A medium-size bird requires approximately a 35-inch birdcage.
- A large bird needs a cage of 60 square inches.
The configuration of your birdcage may vary, depending on its size and the number of birds. If you want to cage more than one bird, then multiply it with the number of birds.
Step 2: Collect Essential Materials
When it comes to collect bird cage building materials, wire mesh is the first and foremost material for your birdcage. Meanwhile, a few more things are needed to collect for making a wire birdcage. The things include wire mesh (as we have already mentioned).
The thickness of the wire should be appropriate in regard to the bird size. Ensure that the space between two wires is not much so that the bird flies away, or the cage isn’t narrower, causing discomfort to the birds.
- For a small bird, the thickness of the wire should not be more than 2 mm.
- For medium size bird, the wire of the cage should not be more than 2.5 mm.
- For large-sized birds, the wire’s thickness should be within 3.5 mm, but maintain the space between the wires.
You shouldn’t colorize the wire for bird cages because it’s harmful to the birds’ health, especially when it engulfs. You should electroplate the wire for the best results.
Next, buy some staple nails and normal nails. Be sure the nails are not toxic. Try to buy according to the number of cages. In so many cases, people require 100 staple nails and 24 regular nails to accomplish the DIY project.
The third item you need is untreated wood. This is because treated wood is soaked in pesticides, which could be harmful to the birds’ health. If you’re not sure about the right length and size of untreated wood, buy a 2-inch and a 4-inch wood panel. So, you can trim it to the right size according to demand.
Step 3: Make the Frames
If you intend to make a square-shaped frame, use 4 pieces of wood of the same size. However, they should be 2 mm wide, and then nail them to join.
If you’re willing to make a rectangle-shaped frame, use 2 pieces of wood of the same length. Then, use 2 more wood pieces of the same size but shorter than the previous two. Nail them carefully to make a sturdy and sustainable frame.
By following the same instructions, you have to make 5 more frames. Those are for the top, bottom, and side of your birdcage. Nail properly to avoid undesired scratching.
Step 4: Attach the Mesh Wires to the Frames
Attach the mesh with a staple nail by a staple gun. But it has to keep in mind that mesh size should be the same as your frame. This is because it’s necessary to provide a firm attachment to the cage.
According to the instructions, the cage will help prevent your bird from predators and flying away if you do. You simply need to staple each 1 inch of the frame to secure the firmness of mesh. Follow the same instructions for making 6 frames of the birdcage.
Step 5: Create the Door
To create a door for the birdcage, cut around 4 inches of square space hole (for small birds) or 8 inches of square space hole (for large birds) with a wire cutter at any side of the frame. When you’re making the door, use hand gloves to ensure your safety.
Step 6: Attach the Cut Mesh on the Hole (4 Inches)
The hole you have cut should be on any side of the wire mesh. Then, attach the wire mesh to the hole. You can use a 10-inch wire mesh to cover the hole. Tie it with wire mesh with cables at the top of the hole, but you need to use a padlock at the bottom.
Therefore, when the bird wants to access the birdcage, you can simply unlock the padlock. So simple!
Step 7: Join the Frames
When you’re going to assemble the frames, you should take high precautions. You have to use 1 nail at each corner of the frame, but it should be 1 inch away from the edge. The frame will probably take 24 nails to be assembled.
Step 8: Place a Piece of Wood under the Bottom
Once you’ve joined the frame with the birdcage, you have to place an untreated wood at the bottom of the wire cage. This will keep birds from falling. Most importantly, you can easily rinse it after it gets dirty.
Step 9: Provide Food and Water
You may know that any animal has the right to enjoy five freedoms. As a part of it—free from hunger and thirst, you have to put food and water repeatedly. You need to care about the environment of the cage. Make sure there is no sharp thing inside the cage.
Step 10: Follow All Instructions Carefully
In this guide, we have already mentioned what to do to make a birdcage with precautions. You just need to follow the above steps, one after one, to make a decorative and sustainable DIY wire bird cage.
Related blog: To read more about birds, visit our other article about what do cardinals eat? [Read here] and how to attract cardinals? [Read here]
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What material is used to make a bird cage?
Answer: A birdcage can be made from different materials, but the best and one of the most common materials is steel. This metal consists of carbon and iron. If you leave it untreated, it may oxidize pretty easily.
What wire is safe for birds?
Answer: The only safe wire for making a birdcage is stainless steel wire. This metal is more expensive than others, but it doesn’t rust and corrode. Besides, PVC coated wire is also safe for birds. However, this can be a good choice for non-chewing birds, like softbills and finches, because birds can remove and chewed a thin layer of the plastic coating of the wire.
Can I hang my birdcage?
Answer: You can hang the birdcage only designed for hanging, coming with a hook on top of it. This allows you to hang the cage anywhere you want. If a birdcage doesn’t come with a hook, don’t try to hang it.
Final Words
Now that you know how to make bird cage with wire, you can easily make a sustainable and well-decorated bird cage using a few materials. Avoid using galvanized wires (to coat iron or steel with zinc) because they can be harmful to many birds.
However, this article has helped a lot to prepare a lovely birdcage for birds. If you have any queries regarding the article or any experience of preparing a birdcage, you can let us know below in the comment section.
