For anyone who's considering upgrading their small birds' living spaces, but can't afford a large cage, there are other options. I took the cage my parents' gifted me two years ago and used rope and natural perches to attach it to the cage I already had. Because I don't used the grates that come with cages, I also used quick links and an extra grate I had to create and extended play gym.The difference in Jasper and Felix's personalities after I expanded the play areas was incredible! Their cage is opened whenever I or my parents are home, and are free to go in and out as they please. They have no shortage of toys and wood to climb on and chew. While their wings are clipped, they are still able to fly around a good amount. They're free to fly up to the curtains of the family room, where they often hang out while we watch TV in the evening. After giving them more freedom and variety, I noticed they had more energy, were constantly chirping and playing, and were more inclined to eat the healthy vegetable mash I feed them.
Altogether this entire setup could add up to about $300 dollars. And that doesn't include the toy box they have stored underneath the table which is stuffed to the brim with toys. I know that this is a lot of money to spend, but there are ways to make it hurt less! I was lucky enough to receive this cage as a gift, but I was shopping around a lot and had already begun to save up for a larger cage. I stock up on toys and perches when they're on sale, and my family pretty much gifts me all bird items now. Amazon on Black Friday is how I happened to grab the large mopani tree you see next to the UV lamp. The entire setup took about a year to come together, and I'm constantly looking for ways to change it up. You don't have to spend all the money at once, and if you already have a cage that may be too small, you don't need to throw it away. You can always recycle and turn it into something even better!!