How to Move Birds to a New Cage

It's time for your birds to move into their new home. But if your birds are not accustomed to being taken out of their cage by hand, persuading them to make the move can be challenging. Chasing the birds around in their cage and catching them by hand is traumatic to everyone, so use it as a LAST resort. First, try this.

Things You'll Need

  • Measuring tape
  • Portable tables
  • Books
  • Millet spray
  • Assistant
  • Metal clips or plastic cable ties
  • Long, thin perch or dowel rod that fits between the bars
  • Dark blanket
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Instructions

  1. How to Move Birds to a New Cage

    • 1

      Measure the height of the bottom of the door on the old cage. Using tables, books, and engineering skills, temporarily position the new cage in front of the old one so the doors line up. You might need an assistant to hold the new cage while you slide books underneath.

    • 2

      Hang millet spray inside the new cage. Remove food dish from the old cage, but leave water in place. Clip door on new cage open, but leave door on old cage closed.

    • 3

      Line up cages, door to door, and clip together, using metal quick-link clips or plastic cable ties. Make doors as flush as possible; don't leave a space big enough for the birds to escape.

    • 4

      Carefully raise the door on the old cage. Slide the perch or dowel rod so that it passes through the doorways of both cages, creating a natural perch "bridge" between the cages.

    • 5

      Cover the old cage with a dark blanket, blocking out as much light as possible, but leave new cage uncovered. Wait patiently. If you can make the set-up secure enough, leave it overnight. Eventually, one of the birds will hop down the perch towards the light and millet, into the new cage. Once one does, the others will follow. When all birds are in the new cage, slide the doors closed, un-clamp the cages, remove the old cage, and fill the food and water dishes in the new cage.