How big should a budgie cage be?
Figures read 2026-11-02 from the sources named below.
This guide compares the cage dimensions and bar spacing listed by three sources for budgies, including guidance for one bird and for pairs.
Published cage dimensions
The MSD Veterinary Manual table “Minimum and Bar Spacing Recommendations” lists a minimum cage size of 20 x 20 x 30 inches (length x width x height) for budgerigars, cockatiels, lovebirds and parrotlets. Its listed bar spacing for these birds is 0.5 inch.
The Budgerigar Council of South Australia (BCSA), in “Budgerigar Cages” (December 2023), gives different dimensions for one budgie: about 91 cm (36 in) wide, 76 cm (30 in) long and 46 cm (18 in) high. For pairs, it says to double the width to allow space for shared flight.
Bar spacing
The MSD Veterinary Manual table lists 0.5-inch bar spacing for budgerigars and the other birds in its group. BCSA lists bar spacing of 1 cm (1/2 in) or less. These are the bar-spacing figures stated by the two sources; the recommendations are presented separately here rather than combined.
Comparing the guidance
MSPCA-Angell’s “Suggestions for Housing Birds” says wire or mesh cages should be at least 1.5 to 2 times the bird’s wingspan in all directions. It also says to “get the largest cage you can provide.” This guidance uses the bird’s wingspan rather than giving a fixed set of budgie cage dimensions.
The sources differ in how they describe minimum cage size, so this page does not average their figures. A cage larger than any of the stated minimums is fine. The specific guidance for pairs in the BCSA source is to double the width; it does not give a different length or height for pairs.