Budgie cage bar spacing

A reference to budgie cage bar spacing, including the measurements listed by three sources and a simple way to check the gaps between bars.

Spacing figures

The MSD Veterinary Manual table lists budgerigar bar spacing as 0.5 inch. BCSA Budgerigar Cages, dated December 2023, gives 1 cm (1/2 in) or less. These are the measurements stated by those sources; BCSA explicitly describes its figure as an upper limit.

The two sources express the measurement in different units. BCSA pairs 1 cm with 1/2 inch, while the MSD Veterinary Manual lists 0.5 inch. The sources we read do not explain the difference in wording. Check the cage maker’s specifications or ask the organiser or official source if you need clarification about a particular cage.

Measure between the bars

Measure the open gap from the inside edge of one bar to the inside edge of the neighbouring bar. Do not measure from the outer edges. This is the method specified for checking bar spacing, and it gives you the distance to compare with the figures listed by the MSD Veterinary Manual and BCSA.

Use the same inside-edge measurement for each gap you check, then compare it with the stated maximum. BCSA gives 1 cm (1/2 in) or less, and the MSD Veterinary Manual table lists 0.5 inch. If a cage’s product details use unclear units or do not state the spacing, the sources we read do not settle that question.

A finger-width check

MSPCA-Angell suggests holding up a finger about as thick as the bird’s wing beside the bars. If that finger fits between them, MSPCA-Angell says the spacing is not proper. This is a separate check from measuring the gap and is described by that source as a way to assess whether the bird can escape.

The finger check does not give a measurement in inches or centimetres, so use it as the specific visual test MSPCA-Angell describes rather than as a replacement measurement. For a numerical comparison, measure between the inside edges of neighbouring bars and refer to the MSD Veterinary Manual or BCSA figures.