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Hey, anyone have a dometop cage? Do you like playtop or dometop better? I can't decide if i should get the dometop mediana from AA or the playtop. any opinions? i just am wondering if the playtop is not tall enough.

Yankee has a playtop Mediana and it is wonderful. I did take the tray off of the top because it made the cage kind of dark and I replaced it with a piece of plexiglass for only $12. It has a wonderful playtop with 2 tall toy hooks, ladders, and food dishes. He had a dome top, but I am limited on space, so the dome top solved the problem of where to put a play stand. I highly recommend this playtop for a caique.

I have a dome top for my quaker, it was Yankee's cage. It is fine, but I wish that it was a play top as well, but I can't afford another cage.

I hope this helps. PM me if you have any other questions. Cathy

I prefer the playtop (flat top) style as it gives my birds another place to play. I don't attach the 'play gym' that usually comes with a flat top, rather, I like to put several toys on top of the cage and the birds can play with what they wish.
All four of my cages are in my dining or living room and the flat top seems to blend in better with the furniture. The dome tops seem to have an ominous presence that I don't like in my decor (for lack of better wording).
It's a personal preference, but I think dome tops just have wasted space.
andrea

Playtop is very messy.

I have no experience, so take this comment for what it is, but: I always liked the "sheet of plexiglass" idea. It covers the top of the cage without obstructing light, it is presumably easy to clean (just wipe it off), and having something cover the top seems like a good safety precaution against bitten toes in case you have more than one bird and the one on the inside decides to get cage protective.

I have 4 caiques in playtop cages and one in a napoleon style king cage which is basically a dome top with weird shapes. The caique in that one usually goes over to the smaller playtop next to him which houses his buddy the sun conure. I have a boing wrapped on the play top and over to the taller cage. That way they can go back and force. The dometop definitely gives them more interior room if they are in there for long days (like when I am at work). They will climb all over both cages. But sometimes I give them treats (popcorn, corn on the cob, other little snacks)just laid on the top of the cage in a dish or on a napkin. I can't do that with the dometops.

My amazon has a large dometop and he loves to be on top. But sometimes I bring him upstairs and let him sit on the playtops and he likes that too. Actually, I have found that my birds all prefer an extra cage to go in and snoop around and play on rather than their manzanita tree with boings and toys and stuff. But caiques do love to explore and I think if they think they are eating someone elses food it is all the more fun. Because even tho they all get the same thing - - they think it is better.

None of my cages are close to one another, but the boing 'bridge' sounds like a great idea.

I think it's easier to toss a towel on top of the top, rather than use a sheet of plex. Plex is slippery and it's simple to just toss the towel in the washer. I've never used the 'trays' on top either. They don't allow enough light.

How are all your kids? Beaker will be 7 this year - I can't believe it! They grow up soooooo fast!.
Andrea

I'm with the rag towel idea. Then it's easy to throw it into the wash after.

Hi Andrea - the guys are all just great.

I like the towel idea too - I sometimes throw a bath towel up there because they like to rub in it too. Sometimes throw cheerios or snacks on it - its always more fun if it isn't in the dish ya know. Sometimes buy the big green leaves (mustard greens or turnip greens, etc) and wah them and throw them on top wet. They will play in them, chew them up or rub on them and flap and get some wing excercise.

But I am going to try getting the little cut off card board boxes at the grocery store. They are usually cut down with the sides only about 3 inches high. I have one on the table now with bird toys that I had washed and Peanut has been tearing apart the sides. They are free and when chewed up or get poopy - just throw them out.

Sparky and Mika have a dome top. We put some toys on top and their hanging gym comes partly over the top. They play up there and don't seem to mind that it isn't flat. It's just another place to climb and play.

We also use bath towels for containing the mess around the house, since they are out all the time. We'll put one on the floor under their window perches. Then Just pick it up shake it out outside to get ride of the wood toy bits and throw it in the washer.