The renovated (and originally badly planned) breeder cage

It's often cheaper building your own cages than buying one at the local pet store. Not all wire is safe, so there's some precautions and notes you need to know before you plow head long into birdy home renovations. Despite this, it's easy to make your own cage as long as you have the right tools and take safety precautions. When buying hardware cloth, make sure you buy a size that won't trap your birds' heads and make sure to scrub it down REALLY GOOD with vinegar and a stuff brush. Rinse well! Some places, such as welder shops and furniture manifacturers will powder coat your home made cage for a premium price. It's not always cheap and in many cases you'd be better off buying a brand new cage. Some people prefer to paint their cages. If you take this route make sure you use TOY SAFE PAINT. Or NURSERY SAFE PAINT. That way you won't poison your bird if they try mauling your cage bars :-) .

I apologize for the crappy photos! I have no scanner.

When in doubt, remember this rule about cage size: BIGGER IS BETTER!

Cockatiels and Conures and Finches, OH MY!