Small birds, such as budgies and parakeets, thrive in a 24 in (61 cm) square cage. Medium birds, such as lorikeets and cockatiels, work well in 35 in (89 cm) square cages. Large birds, such as cockatoos and macaws, will be happiest in 60 in (150 cm) square cages.

Use your plan to help you calculate how much wire and wood to buy. Create your own plan that is appropriate for the number and size of birds that you have. Feel free to be creative and make your own design for the cage.

Use wire with 0. 5 in (1. 3 cm) spacing and a thickness of 0. 0787 in (2. 00 mm) for small birds. Opt for wire with 0. 75 in (1. 9 cm) spacing and a thickness of 0. 1 in (2. 5 mm) for medium-sized birds. Use wire with 1 in (2. 5 cm) spacing and a thickness of 0. 137 in (3. 5 mm) for small birds.

Purchase 6 stainless steel wire mesh sheets in the screen doors section of your local hardware store. If you are buying a large mesh sheet, simply cut it down to size. If you are unsure if the wood has been treated, check with the shop assistant. Whilst any untreated wood will work for this project, 2 in (5. 1 cm) x 4 in (10 cm) wood panels are a cheap and easy option. Simply trim them to the correct size. You will need 24 panels to create your frame.

These instructions create a square cage. If you want to make a rectangle cage, use 2 longer pieces of wood and 2 shorter pieces of wood to create the frame. Ensure that the nails are completely hammered into the wood to avoid anyone scratching themselves on them.

If your wire isn’t pre-cut, use wire cutters to trim it to size. If you don’t have a staple gun, use a hammer to nail in building staples. This helps to stop the birds from escaping and prevents predators from getting in the cage. Repeat this process for each of the 6 frames.

Wear gloves when cutting wire to avoid getting scratched.

This creates the door for your cage. To open the door, undo the padlock and lift up the wire square. This will reveal the hole in the wire mesh and allow you to freely enter the cage.

If you prefer, you can use a nail gun for this task. Once you have joined the frames together, position the cube so that the frame with the door on it is on the side of the cage. If your nails go through the wood and poke into the cage, pull them out and re-nail them into the wood, as exposed nails can be a safety hazard for your bird.

Once again, ensure that this wood isn’t treated.

Purchase bird bowls, dishes, and toys from a pet shop.