Timneh African Gray Cage Requirements

Timneh African grays need lots of space to stretch their wings. Generally you want your bird to be able to spread his wings out completely and turn around while sitting in the middle of the cage. Provide one or two stable perches of about 1 to 2 inches in diameter for your bird to rest on while eating, chewing or sleeping. Also, provide and rotate three to five bird-safe toys at a time to keep your bird busy and active when it is inside its cage. These toys should be rotated regularly and new toys provided.

  1. Cage Size

    • Timneh African grays reach a size of about 11 to 13 inches long, which means they need a cage large enough to accommodate their height and wingspan. Some timneh owners prefer a cage that is 30 inches long, 30 inches high and 30 inches deep. However, other timneh owners feel a cage that is 36 inches wide and 24 inches deep will work just fine, too.

    Cage Bars

    • The bar spacing for timneh African grays needs to prevent the bird's head from reaching the outside of the cage; thus, the spacing between each bar needs to be at least half an inch to 1 inch between each bar. Bar spacing smaller than this is generally found in cages that cannot accommodate larger birds such as the timneh African gray.

    Cage Materials

    • Timneh African grays require a cage that is specifically manufactured for pet birds. Metal is best because it can withstand the chewing and climbing of large birds. The safest and most resilient cages are veterinary-approved, constructed from stainless steel, and completely zinc-free.

    Cage Door

    • The cage door needs to be able to comfortably accommodate your hand and your bird. The door should allow you to bring the bird out of its cage and place it back inside of its cage while perched erect (not bent or hunched over) on your hand. Additionally, because of the intelligence level of timnehs, some owners will use a locking mechanism such as a bird-safe cage clip to prevent timnehs from escaping.