If you’re wondering what bird supplies you’ll need for a new pet bird, this comprehensive list will set you up for success:

Bird Cage
You’ll want to buy a bird cage that is as big as you can afford. Birds were created to fly, so your cage should allow as much room for movement, fluttering, exercise and even short flight as possible. You will need to get advice from the pet bird supplies store as to what kind of cage is best suited for the bird of your choice; a Macaw would make short work of a cage suited for an African Grey, while a parakeet would escape from a cage suited for a cockatoo. Make sure you buy a bird cage with the appropriate bar spacing so your bird won’t get its head through the rungs.

Travel Cage
You’ll also need a small cage for transporting your bird to and from the pet store and vet.

Perches
Buy perches in varying shapes, textures and sizes. Bigger parrots will destroy perches rather quickly (they have a tendency towards chewing up perches), so make sure the perches are big and strong. It’s a good idea to buy a rope perch, a natural wood perch and a sandy perch. You want to give your bird a variety of places where it can rest its feet, and you want the grips to vary so your bird does not get cramps in its feet. In the wild, your bird would have branches of varying sizes to choose from; make sure it has options in its cage as well.

Toys
Do your research to discover what kinds of toys your type of bird will prefer. Quakers like toys they can shred to build makeshift nests; cockatoos want wood to chew on; cockatiels love to sing to mirrors; African Greys love to solve puzzles to get treats. While you want to invest in several toys to keep your bird entertained (especially if you are not home during the day), you want to make sure you don’t stuff in so many toys that your bird cannot get exercise in the cage. The best case scenario is to buy a big cage and lots of toys.

Dishes
Make sure you buy stainless-steel dishes so you can put them in the dishwasher and clean them easily.

Bird Cage Liners
You can either buy liners or use paper to line the cage.

Bird Cage Cover
You’ll want to invest in at least one bird cage cover. Most birds need 12 hours of sleep at night, meaning you’ll want to cover the cage long before you go to bed each night to avoid a cranky bird. A good rule of thumb is to cover the cage as soon as it’s dark enough to turn on the lights in the house.

Bird Cage Cleaning Solution
While you can get away with mild soap and water, you’ll find it’s worth it to buy cage cleaning solution. You’ll know it’s safe for your bird, which is most important, and you’ll find it really is much easier to clean a cage when using the proper solution.

Bird Food
Your bird should primarily eat a pellet diet suited for its species, supplemented with fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Do not feed your bird a seed-based diet or it will consume too much fat each day, which will threaten its health in the long run.

Safe Stop Powder
Make sure you keep blood-clotting powder on hand in case of a broken blood feather. If you happen to run out, corn starch can be used in an emergency.

Play Stand
Unless you buy finches or canaries, your bird will need out-of-cage time daily. Invest in a play stand (portable, table top, floor or hanging) for your bird to play on while enjoying its freedom.