Things to know before owning your first pet bird.
A bird is probably the easiest way into pet parenthood for those of us who want to own a pet but are inexperienced. Birds are very intelligent creatures and like being mentally and socially stimulated via solving puzzle-based games when their owners are busy. They will often keep themselves amused by chirping, cooing, flapping their wings and swaying from side to side, which can also sometimes be a signal for their humans to play with them.
Birds are very clean creatures. They groom themselves daily and love taking weekly water baths. Unlike cats and dogs who require regular flea baths and deworming treatments to maintain their health, birds simply need a monthly nail trim and a well-balanced diet to remain healthy, active, and playful. This also makes birds the ideal pets for people who have mobility issues.
Species such as Amazon parrots, Indian Ringnecks and African Greys are fantastic at mimicking human notes. They are also open to pair up with other birds to include in their flock. That being said, a bird owner should always gauge their birds’ body language when getting another flock member incompatible pairs could get into fights that could often be fatal. For instance, lovebirds, that are typically moodier might harass birds such as cockatiels that tend to be more even-tempered.
IT IS THEREFORE IMPORTANT TO BUY BIRDS FROM SPECIALTY BREEDERS INSTEAD, WHICH MIGHT COST MORE IN THE BEGINNING, BUT WILL ALWAYS GUARANTEE A HEALTHIER BIRD.
With the right diet, socialisation skills and exercise, many birds can exceed their normal lifespan. A rather unknown fact about birds is that they have relatively long life-spans and that the rule of thumb about birds is, the bigger the bird the longer the lifespan. For example, cockatiels can easily live up to 15 years if not longer. Parrots, depending on the species, can live anywhere between 20 to 40 years, while bigger birds like macaws and cockatoos can live for as long as 60 to 80 years. The record for the longest living cockatoo is held by a sulphur crested Cockatoo at 96 years old.
So, what are some of the things one should understand about birds before deciding to own one as a pet? First, and foremost, birds tend to hide their illnesses. Most of the time, the only way to tell if a bird is sick is by closely monitoring its diet as well as checking its droppings daily to spot any early signs of sickness. Second, birds in pet stores are crammed together and are cross-bred that increases the risk of diseases and birth defects such as splayed legs or underdeveloped wings. It is therefore important to buy birds from specialty breeders instead, which might cost more in the beginning, but will always guarantee a healthier bird. And finally, birds are social creatures, and it is advisable to buy them in pairs, if possible. If not, it is highly encouraged that the bird’s housing be a cage as large as permissible, and to heavily engage with the bird with out-of-cage activities such as harness training.