Macaws are bright, colorful birds that belong to the parrot family. In an urban setting, they might look very conspicuous with their bold red, yellow, and green plumage, but in the South American rainforests, they are completely at home blending well with the green leaves and colorful fruits. Macaws are very intelligent and loyal birds, and like most birds they are monogamous in nature. These qualities make them excellent pets, especially the ones that are captive bred. Their natural ability to learn things quickly also comes as a boon. Things to Consider When looking for pet enclosures, you need to consider the size of the animal and its lifespan. In case of macaws, the size ranges between 30 cm to 85 cm―depending on which species you take into consideration―while their lifespan is of around 50 years or so. You will have to keep the two things in your mind, when buying a cage for your pet macaw. Additionally, you need to understand that macaws are intelligent birds and need to be active to stay healthy. So, you will have to buy a cage that is big enough to facilitate free movement of the bird; where it can play and have fun. When buying large cages you should not forget about the large and powerful beaks these birds have. In the wild, they use their strong beaks to crack strong nuts. In a domestic setting, they can use them efficiently to break thin-meshed cages. The Right Size To house a macaw, buy a cage which is minimum 32 x 24 x 60 inches in size, with a bar spacing of 1 to 1.5 inches. It should preferably have a play top. Having the right-sized cage is very important because a small cage can cause discomfort to the bird and might even hurt it. The wings of your macaw can get stuck in a small cage. Injury to the head is also a possibility. The bird can also damage its beak due to lack of space. The safety of the bird should be paramount; make sure the hinges and the locks on the cage are strong and secure. A free bird can cause harm to itself as well as others. Some toxic materials that are used to make metal cages can be harmful―even fatal at times―for these birds. One example of the same is zinc, which can be found on cages made out of galvanized wire. It is better to avoid buying such cages. Get a welded bar design with the bar thickness of around 6 mm. The cage should not have any exposed screws. If you are planning on getting two macaws, make sure it has a sturdy frame that can hold the weight of two birds. You can get a 'bolt into frame-construction cage' from your local pet store. If you can't get a new one, you can always go for used cages. Accessories for Your Macaw Cage Accessories are very important, as they provide much-needed stimulation to these active birds who love to learn tricks. You have to place wooden perches in the cage, for these will help you replicate their natural surroundings and, more importantly, keep them from hurting their claws. For your convenience get three feeder trays: one for water, one for soft food, and one for seeds and nuts. Cages with toys are also available in stores. The right toys can keep these birds happy. Just make sure that your pet birds do not choke on these toys. Some cages come with an in-built bird bath which looks very beautiful and thus, is quite a functional accessory to have. Some stores have majestic cages, but these can be expensive and require a lot of space in your house. So, you need to take your budget and the size of your house into consideration before you head to the pet store.