Hi I have gotten so many different answers to the question of what is the best size cage for 1 cockatiel. My cage is only
18x18x18. I was told this size is fine for a single cockatiel. My Buddy is very happy there but I feel it should be bigger. What is the best size?

There are a variety of recommended minimum sizes depending on which source you look at, and 18x18x18 is common. But beyond that there isn't anything that's considered to be perfect. "Bigger is better" is a common recommendation, and a bigger length/width is considered to be more important than a taller height. So any size you like is fine, as long as the bar width is appropriate for a cockatiel and it's a safe design.

Prevue Hendryx makes a couple of nice big cages that aren't terribly expensive. I have the one in the second link below and the quality is great for the price:

http://www.amazon.com/Prevue-Products-W ... B00176F5L0

http://www.amazon.com/Prevue-Hendryx-F0 ... B0002AQ228

I also have one about that size for my 2 tiels...
Its what you can afford...
If your bird is happy in his cage, don't worry, keep him there, think about
a bigger cage when you can..
Its also, do you have the room for a larger cage?

Some birds who get a lot of out of cage time actually seem to prefer a smaller cage. I think it's like their cozy little sanctuary that they can go to when they've had enough fun in the bigger environment of the house.

It's actually been proven some birds prefer a smaller cage, particularly birds that prefer cuddling, like lovebirds and cockatiels, because of close proximity. Not always though, the tiels are very active and love all the space. My crazy lovebird was the most hyper bird of all who loved to move, stayed happily in his tiny Petco cage. I gave him 2 bigger cages and he hated them both. He actually got sick twice because he got too stressed with all the room. He got lots of out time and lived a happy life with his small cage.

Thanks, he really does like his cage. I don't have room for a really big cage I was thinking of getting one just a few inches bigger, but I'll wait and see how it goes, he seems very content and yes he does like to cuddle.

I have a very small cage that nobody uses right now, sitting on the table with a bowl of food on top of it. Very often at bedtime I find one or two of my birds napping in it... You really never know with them.