Overview of Suncatcher Cage Materials | CustomCages.com

Our Suncatcher packages come standard with 1” x 1” x .120” wire for birds and 1-1/2” x 1-1/2” x .092” for cat/small animal cages. Many other opening size and wire gauge options are available as well, just use the drop downs on the panel configurators within the package specials to get prices. Please see below an overview of the many other panel Suncatcher cage material choices that are available for any panel of your cage, built to order! Our Suncatcher enclosures include the following types of materials that can be configured to any panel type: powder coated steel wire, stainless steel wire, glass, acrylic, thermofused laminate, aluminum laminate, and perforated aluminum.

Anodized Aluminum Frame

Black anodized aluminum frames (silver/gray frames available for a small extra charge) are now STANDARD for all our Suncatcher® cage frames (was previously a significant upcharge, but now comes standard!!!). This is a big difference compared to other cage manufacturers that are almost all imported powder coated steel, which can rust, chip, and corrode, particularly in saltwater environments. The anodized finish also adds significant durability to the product, making it much more difficult to scratch and is very attractive. This material also makes our cages great for outdoor use.


  • Suncatchers come standard with 1” x 1” x .120” powder coated wire for bird cages and 1-1/2” x 1-1/2” x .092” wire for cats/small animals. Be sure to select the appropriate size opening for your particular bird or small animal as the needs can vary from species to species.
  • Square, rather than rectangular openings make the panels stronger for a given wire diameter, more visually appealing, and allow better climbing surfaces!
  • Our powder coated welded wire is extremely high quality. Over long periods of time it is possible in an outdoor situation if the wire were to sustain a scratch or chip, it may eventually have rust spots (much like a painted car or ornamental railing can develop rust over time). However it can be touched up easily with commonly available rustolium spray or brush on paint that can be found at any hardware store. And of course, the frames all come STANDARD with anodized aluminum which can never rust, chip, or corrode. If you want a truly all weather solution that will never rust, chip, or corrode, stainless steel wire upgrades are available for any panel for an extra charge.

Powder coated wire panels are available in the following sizes:

  • ½” x ½” x .063 Powder coated Wire – (finches, small birds only, thinner guage wire)
  • ¾” x ¾” x .092” Powder Coated Wire
  • 1” x 1” x .120” Powder Coated Wire
  • 1-1/2” x 1-1/2” x .092” Powder Coated Wire
  • 1-1/2” x 1-1/2” x .162” Heavy Duty Powder Coated Wire
powder coat wire 1.5 x 1.5

1.5 x 1.5 x 0.162″
powder coat wire 1.5 x 1.5

1.5 x 1.5 x 0.092″
powder coat wire 1 x 1

1 x 1 x 0.120″
powder coat wire .75 x .75

0.75 x 0.75 x 0.092″
powder coat wire 0.5 x 0.5

0.5 x 0.5 x 0.063″

  • Crimp-locked stainless steel wire. Stronger than carbon or standard steel, rust-proof, non-toxic coatings. Available in 4 sizes in multiple wire gauges as an upgrade to the standard powder coated welded wire.
  • Square, rather than rectangular openings make the panels stronger for a given wire diameter, more visually appealing, and allow better climbing surfaces!
  • We are extremely confident that a macaw or other strong destructive bird is NOT going to be able to chew through it (for large cockatoos, greenwings, hyacinths, and other extremely destructive birds, be sure to order the .162” diameter Heavy Duty gauge wire). Most cages have welds that create a soft point at the joint of the steel. We commonly have bird owners call us to buy a cage because their bird broke the welds in their current cage. This can not happen with our crimp lock wire mesh. In addition, most cages with a welded construction use a secondary coat to hide the welds because the welding process leaves burn marks.
stainless steel wire 1.5 x 1.5

1.5 x 1.5 x 0.162″
stainless steel wire 1 x 1

1 x 1 x 0.162″
stainless steel wire 1 x 1

1 x 1 x 0.120″
stainless steel wire .75 x .75

0.75 x 0.75 x 0.092″
stainless steel wire .5 x .5

0.5 x 0.5 x 0.092″

Stainless Steel Wire Mesh is available in the following sizes:

  • ½” x ½” x .092” Stainless Steel Wire
  • ¾” x ¾” x .092” Stainless Steel Wire
  • 1” x 1” x .120” Stainless Steel Wire
  • 1” x 1” x .162” Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Wire (Cockatoo, Greenwing, Hyacinth etc…)
  • 1-1/2” x 1-1/2” x .162” Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Wire (Cockatoo, Greenwing, Hyacinth etc…)

  • ANY panel has the option of clear glass giving your enclosure unmatched viewing! When ordering glass, there may be additional charges as all glass units must ship freight (can not ship fedex due to risk of breaking).
  • Glass is very scratch resistant, easy to clean, and will never yellow.
  • Tempered glass is available for an extra charge. Although most panels are encapsulated in aluminum and silicone on the edges, making them pretty strong, tempering is highly recommended in high traffic areas, particularly for the door material where slamming a door shut may create a risk of breaking the panel. Tempering makes the glass up to 10X stronger than non tempered. Also, when tempered glass breaks, it breaks into little pieces rather than large sharp shards making it much safer than non tempered glass in the event of an accident.

Any panel of our cages may have acrylic substituted. See our panel configuration drop downs on the specials product pages to find pricing of the substitutions.

  • One of the hardest forms of clear plastic available, hard to scratch or gouge.
  • Excellent UV properties – very clear and will not yellow except in the most extreme circumstances (takes about 10 years of direct sunlight to start to yellow).
  • 5 times stronger than glass and is extremely hard to break with side impact. In tests, a 14” x 20” tightly clamped piece of the same thickness we use can withstand a 45mph fast ball without breaking (our cages can withstand a great deal more because the panels are larger and the edges are not tightly clamped).
  • We do not drill any holes in the panels for fastening. Rather, all panels slide snugly into grooves in the framework of the enclosures. Drilled holes leave vulnerable spots for cracking and breaking. With our design, it is nearly impossible for very large birds, reptiles, or small animals to break out.

Pros of Using Acrylic Instead of Glass

  • More impact resistant, stronger than glass.
  • It is very difficult to break with impact.
  • It is much lighter weight than glass (for a swinging door frame for example, will cause less wear and tear over time).
  • Much less likely and improbable to damage during shipment or storage.

Cons of Using Acrylic Instead of Glass

  • Can scratch much easier than glass an be more difficult to clean.
  • Will yellow over time when exposed to sunlight.

We have a selection of 4 different wood grains and 2 granite colors available. The surface, front and back of the panels are a very hard, durable, washable, non-porous material (similar to a kitchen counter top). This makes any outside or inside surface of the cage resistant to harboring bacteria, odor, or waste, and very easy to clean. Many modular furniture pieces you find in a catalog or department store are made with a much weaker vinyl surface that has a similar look but can tend to peel. The material we use is much more durable.

These panels will come completed encapsulated with aluminum frame sealed with silicone all the way around the edges making them suitable for outdoor use. Below is the selection of panel colors available. Also, you can have a custom background laminated to your back panel for a distinctive look.

Cambridge Cherry
Cambridge Cherry
English Oak
English Oak
Golden Oak
Golden Oak
Prestige Maple
Prestige Maple
Black Granite
Black Granite
Natural Granite
Natural Granite

Any panel of your enclosure can have aluminum laminate panels substituted for your standard panel. The panels have a black coated aluminum on both sides with a PVC or ABS core. Our aluminum laminate panels hold up extremely well in very wet conditions, are scratch resistant, light weight, and extremely sturdy (stronger and lighter than our thermofused laminate panels). It is highly recommended to use aluminum laminate whenever your cage is being used for outdoor purposes or other high moisture circumstances. Because the thermofused laminate comes in a better variety of colors, is much less expensive (reduces price of cage), and is ideal for most circumstances, we make laminate our standard and offer the aluminum laminate panel as an upgrade at an additional charge. These panels are available in black only, see center insert for substitution pricing. Aluminum laminate comes standard in black, but can be custom painted for an extra charge.

Aluminum Laminate Diagram

  • Allows for ample ventilation where air flow is desired yet semi opaque visibility. Round staggered holes also help diffuse the light so you are not looking directly at the bright lighting fixtures from outside the cage.
  • Aluminum material will not rust and will last very long in virtually any environment.
  • Openings are 3/16″ in diameter and spaced 1/4″ apart, with approximately 51% open space; small enough for crickets to not get through but large enough to allow sufficient light, heat, and air flow to enter the cage.
Perforated Aluminum
Perforated Aluminum