Play Stand On Top Of Cage? Yay or Nay?

[MrsKahle6868]

I’ve been cage shopping a lot lately and I’ve noticed a lot of cages come with a play stand on top of the cage. Is it a good idea to get a cage with a play stand on top or not? The only reason I ask is because my dad had an African Grey that refused to come down once she perched on the top of her cages play stand. My dad said the vet told him to take it off because it was causing her to be aggressive about the play stand because it was on top of her cage and was considered her territory? She did seem to step up better off a play stand that wasn’t connected to her cage but that could of just been her personality. Would you guys recommend a cage without a play stand to avoid this with birds who are prone to be cage territorial like quakers or conures?

I have two cages picked out and the only difference is the play stand or not.

All opinions are welcome. Thank you.

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

They do like to play on top of their cages even when their is no play stand. Are you tall enough to be able to clean it daily?
Casper's cage has a domed top that opens up. He likes sitting up there keeping an eye on what we are doing. If we forget to open it he climbs up the outside of the cage and rattles his beak across the bars, just to make a point :)

[Dragonlady2]

I personally like the play area on top of the cage. With more than one parrot, I really appreciate the ability of them being able to entertain themselves if I am busy with something else. The height dominance theory has been around for a long time. I haven’t found that to be so with my flock, however, I myself am tall and that may be a factor. As well, my birds are flighted. They can be with me or not...it’s their choice.
I have one dome top cage, but I have created a play area using a hanging orbit and boing over the top.

[MrsKahle6868]

They do like to play on top of their cages even when their is no play stand. Are you tall enough to be able to clean it daily?
Casper's cage has a domed top that opens up. He likes sitting up there keeping an eye on what we are doing. If we forget to open it he climbs up the outside of the cage and rattles his beak across the bars, just to make a point :)

I’m quite short so I might need a step stool to be able to clean it daily, which isn’t a problem. Casper sounds like a cutie pie.

[MrsKahle6868]

I personally like the play area on top of the cage. With more than one parrot, I really appreciate the ability of them being able to entertain themselves if I am busy with something else. The height dominance theory has been around for a long time. I haven’t found that to be so with my flock, however, I myself am tall and that may be a factor. As well, my birds are flighted. They can be with me or not...it’s their choice.
I have one dome top cage, but I have created a play area using a hanging orbit and boing over the top.

I think you are right. I’m quite short myself so they might prefer to play up there to be able to survey the whole room. I can’t really stop him or her from climbing up there anyway whether there is a play stand up there or not so I guess it doesn’t matter. I’m more concerned with getting a large sized cage to give our future feathered friend as much space as I can. Thank you so much for your input.

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

The cage we bought came with plain dowel perches. Those have been replaced with a variety of different perches of differing textures and diameters. There is a flexible rope thingy, a couple of perches cut from trees in the garden and several short perches just attached at one end. The one he sleeps on I had to screw a slightly larger diameter acrylic disc on the open end as Casper managed to fall off the end a couple of times when he wasn't thinking about where he was putting his feet. :oops2:

[MrsKahle6868]

The cage we bought came with plain dowel perches. Those have been replaced with a variety of different perches of differing textures and diameters. There is a flexible rope thingy, a couple of perches cut from trees in the garden and several short perches just attached at one end. The one he sleeps on I had to screw a slightly larger diameter acrylic disc on the open end as Casper managed to fall off the end a couple of times when he wasn't thinking about where he was putting his feet. :oops2:

Thank you so much. I’ve read that dowel perches aren’t good for birds’ feet and to use a variety of different diameter perches in different materials (nothing rough or sanded). I like natural tree branch perches the best and will definitely be outfitting the cage with those. I will also be getting a boing rope hanging perch because I’ve read great thing about those as well. 🙂

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

The back of the sofa, next to the radiator is comfy too :)

Or by the fireside
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Warming his tail by the fire ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]) by Jean-Pierre Declemy ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]), on Flickr

[MrsKahle6868]

The back of the sofa, next to the radiator is comfy too :)

Or by the fireside
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Warming his tail by the fire ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]) by Jean-Pierre Declemy ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]), on Flickr

Awe he is so cute! ❤️

[Lady]

Hi Kahle,

My Lady loves her top of the cage playtop. She spends hours there playing with her toys. She enjoys a cover slightly over it so she can have some privacy. I've been trying to get her to play peek a boo so when I ask where's Lady (and she's not to busy) she will come to the opening and show herself.


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[rivx]

Gracie doesn't actually use hers for playing, but she does like to sit up high and watch everything, so I like having the ladder there for her. I've heard most 'tiels are laid back like that, though, so maybe it's just a species thing.

I do like having toys up there -- it makes it easy to switch toys out with new ones every so often, and I can keep the old ones she came with up there for safe playing.

Here she is on her stand last year. She would still much rather her toys give her scritches than be chewed up. :th_smile:

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