Homemade Acrylic Aviary

As a bird owner, you probably want to provide a safe environment for your birds but also want its environment to complement their home décor. Building an indoor aviary is the perfect solution. An acrylic aviary not only provides safety for the birds and other pets outside the aviary, but it helps lower the sound effects created by large birds.

  1. Size

    • An aviary gives your bird the illusion of being free but keeps it safe in a virtually indestructible environment. You'll need to build an aviary large enough to provide plenty of space for your bird. The width of an aviary should be at least two times the wingspan of the bird. The height should be 4 to 6 times the length of the bird. For example, an aviary that measures 4- to-8-feet-wide and 8-feet-tall will house 20 parakeets, two cockatiels or one Amazon parrot.

    Location

    • Like most bird owners, you want your birds to be with and be part of the family. Acrylic aviaries are either portable or secured to the interior or exterior structure of the home. An outdoor acrylic aviary protects birds from the weather, yet provides your birds with a sense of being out in the open where they live in nature. With indoor aviaries, acrylic provides a backdrop for attaching posters of outdoor scenery that complements your home décor as well as gives your birds a sense of being outdoors.

    Materials

    • Large birds are extremely destructive and can severely damage people and property. Acrylic sheets used in the making of an aviary helps reduce damaging events caused by birds. Birds are also very messy with their food. An acrylic aviary prevents seeds from leaving the area, keeping your home clean. A wire floor a few inches above the acrylic bottom of the aviary catches seeds and droppings. Don't forget that the area should have good ventilation, which may mean installing a fan in the roof portion of the aviary or making one of the sides of the aviary out of strong wire.

    Construction Tips

    • Although sheets of acrylic are expensive, you save a lot of money when framing. Acrylic does not need framing; the panels you cut attach to each other using metal hinges or brackets and screws. When cutting acrylic, clamp a straightedge at both ends and scribe a break line at least half way through the acrylic to avoid uneven breakage. Predrill holes slowly while holding the drill at a 90-degree angle.