Looking it bird keeping

[InkMinx]

Im looking for advice and recommendations really. Im new to bird keeping (apart from chickens lol) I have been doing general internet searches but would appreciate help from actual bird keepers. I would like to keep a small group of small birds in a good sized cage in my living room. So a cage like this will fit well in the space I have in mind http://www.cagesworld.co.uk/p/Voltrega_ ... _Birds.htm

So Im thinking of either assorted finches or lovebirds. How many of either would be comfortable in a cage this size. Am I better off getting single sex group and what would be the pros and cons of either?

[Eric&Rebecca]

I think finches are great although I believe they are prominently aviary birds. I particularly like Zebra finches, although I've never kept any. Lovebirds are lovely but I believe (althoguh I may be incorrect) that keeping a single sex flock could results in fighting. Also I'm not sure this cage would be suitable for lovebirds although there's some great ones on this website that are... particularly the Rainforest, Montana or Kings cages. Again, I keep cockatiels but if you're looking to have them as birds you can let out to fly, train and tame I would start with a single lovebird (or a pair of same sex if my fighting conclusion is incorrect). They make great companion birds once tamed down. I have friends with two pairs however they are separated. Finches, I'm not aware can be tamed in quite the same way as parakeet type birds but its certainly worth looking into.

Household birds will require a massive lifestyle change inside the house. No teflon cookware, no candles, air freshners, deodrants or strong fumes. When letting them out to fly you will need to bird proof the house and probably spend some time trying to train the lovebirds or finches (if possible)

Have you considered an outdoor aviary? Or perhaps a larger cage suitable for outdoor and indoor movement. Aviaries, are not as expensive as you would think. Or perhaps buy that cage for outside and another for inside or a completely different cage you can move inside and outside. Birds love to get the fresh air as much as possible.

[marie83]

Right I used to have an indoor aviary full of various tiny birds including zebra finches, they originally came from an outdoor aviary and were supposed to be going into our aviary in the garden once we had repaired it.
The finches would have done better outside but were ok in the indoor cage, we would let them all out inside for a good fly about and they got good at going back in their cages at feed time. However, little finches starve to death very very fast and food management in this way needs a hell of alot of caution, alot more so than parrots but finches are far too active to spend all day in a small indoor aviary like the one you posted. If you are going to go for it you need a cage which is much longer and wider to enable more flight space. Finches are also not very interactive but may learn to feed off of your hand.

I have no idea of how suitable lovebirds are for such a cage as I've never had any, I believe they may chew meaning the wood is unsuitable as the cage will damage quickly. They are also noisier but more interactive with the owner when tamed and trained.

[Eric&Rebecca]

That cage for a lovebird probably wouldn't be suitable because they'd get their feet stuck and its generally just not an amazing cage if I'm honest. If you're going down the lovebird route you'd be better with the mini versions of the Montana range, perhaps a San Remo or a San Diego with the correct bar spacings. King's do cage with the smaller bar spacings too which is good. Either of these cages would be ideal for a lovie I should think. However, this would only be big enough for maybe one or 2. Larger cages or aviaries would be better for a flock rather than your living room.