A very small part of the welded wire market is for cages. A smaller percentage of that market is aviary wire. Most of the wire sold through hardware stores for cage wire is galvanized before welding. Many distributors and consumers focus more on the wire spacing for square corners rather than on the galvanization process. Preparation of any wire is a critical step in cage construction.
Most wire is coated with an oil before shipping.
A potential toxin in itself, this must be removed before the cage houses a bird. The process of galvanization can leave tags of zinc on the wire. These must be removed with a steel brush. These tags can pose a hazard to birds that might eat them. Most experienced aviculturists carefully brush the wire and also allow it to cure outside before it is used.