Cheep, Cheep – Birds Can Be Pets too!
If you are interested in a pet bird, there are many things you need to consider before you settle on a species. Such things as how much time you can devote to a bird and how much noise you can tolerate will help you make a good decision and find a bird that will be a good match for you. It is essential to find a bird that matches your personality, lifestyle and household.
Birds can cost anywhere from less than a hundred dollars to many thousands of dollars. The more exotic birds of course will cost more. You also need to consider the cost of the cage and other equipment you will need for the bird. Hand raised birds are also more expensive but have proven to be healthier in the long term.
Most birds are noisy and love to screech so you need to consider the level of noise that you can tolerate as well as your living arrangements and whether you are in an apartment where your neighbors will also have to tolerate your noisy bird. If noise is a concern finch, doves and canaries are good choices.
You need to consider space and how much room you have for a cage. Even smaller birds need sizeable cages because they generally get their exercise within their cages. Parrots and some other smaller birds need time outside of the cage for extra exercise. For these birds it is good to give them their own play area outside of the cage.
Birds can be extremely messy both inside the cage and outside the cage. The mess is not easily contained in the cage. Some birds produce a significant amount of feather dust and also will chew on things when they are outside of their cage. It is important to protect your possessions from destruction but also to prevent injury to your bird.
Some birds require very specialized diets while others have less complicated dietary needs. You need to find out exactly what your species of bird will require before acquiring the bird to make certain you can provide what the bird needs.
There are breeds of birds that bond very closely with their owners and not only love to cuddle and be held but actually expect it. There are other birds that do not really like to be handled at all. The more social birds can be very demanding of attention and if denied the attention they need and want they will resort to unsavory behavior.
Many people will choose parrots because of their ability to talk. There are many species that are famous for their talking and their mimicry ability but the ability to talk varies greatly among individual birds. Some of the birds can be taught simple words and sounds while others will speak with a full vocabulary and can even be trained to whistle songs.
Once you have decided on the type of bird you want you the best option is to get it from a reputable breeder. It is important to get birds that have been handled and worked with since birth and experience continued handling after weaning. There are pet stores that get their supply of birds from reputable breeders and are fine to purchase from as long as the baby birds are raised in good conditions with proper infection control procedures and regularly handled. You will need to get a bird that is already weaned and has begun socialization. However, watch out for older birds because it is extremely difficult to tame an older bird that is not already tame and socialized.
When you purchase your bird you need to get a purchase contract. This will protect both you and your bird. This contract can be informal but should always include:
- Make the purchase conditional to a veterinarian check up.
- The hatch date, band number, scientific name and sex of the bird if known should be listed.
- The amount and method of purchase.
- The conditions of the sale and under what circumstances the bird can be returned.
- If you bird is imported make sure to get all the documentation. If you ever need to move your bird you may need these papers.
When choosing the bird that will be a part of your family for many years you need to consider their activity level, overall health and their attitude to other people. If you pay attention to the critical aspects of purchasing a bird, you can enjoy a long life with your new pet.