 
Birds make fantastic pets
and come in many varieties from the smallest finches to the
large parrots and even peacocks and farm birds like ducks, geese
and chickens. I'll never forget the day I came home with 2
ducklings and told my husband we had bought 2 new pets and they
were called "Donald" and "Daffy". My dear husband promptly
replied, "Oh you haven't bought mice have you?" I have had many
different types of birds - my earliest was a galah named Henry
that I found and brought home while still at primary school. I
have bred budgies and lovebirds and had a cockatiel named Wilbur
for many years that loved sitting at the computer with me. They
were all much loved pets and provided my family with much
pleasure, entertainment and even affection. They are highly
recommended as a pet but the larger birds have quite a long life
span so be prepared for them to maybe outlive you! Nowadays I
have many wild birds that I feed on my back fence and they are
the ultimate low maintenance pet!
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QUICK
FACTS: |
Life Span - Up
to 65 years
Care - Medium
to High Maintenance
Food - Bird
seed, fruit and vegetables depending on the type of bird
Housing -
Cage or bird house
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GENERAL
INFO:
 Birds make good
companions, are fun to watch, and fill a home with sound,
sometimes too much sound! We had to unfortunately donate one of
my galahs to an aviary when it became too noisy for my new baby.
What sort of bird is best for you?
Canaries and finches are known for their song,
colour, and activity. Finches are extremely social and are best
kept as pairs or groups where they will form bonds. A single
galah or cockatiel may be more suitable if you want a bird
as a companion as they will soon bond with you. If you want a bird to talk, try a cockatiel, galah or parakeet. Try and find a
hand reared bird as they are more likely to adapt to being
handled and trained. Male birds are more likely to talk than
females and a single bird will talk better than one with a
companion.
Birds will not be happy if placed in a
secluded part of the house and ignored. Toys should be provided
for entertainment. Select your toys with the birds safety in
mind. A bored bird is an unhappy bird. When deprived of
attention or environmental stimulation they often become
destructive of their surroundings and sometimes even to
themselves. If your bird is allowed to fly free in the house
make sure all dangers like electrical cords are safely out of
its way. Paint should be lead free as birds like to chew on
things and this could be very dangerous for them. Indoor plants
must be non poisonous.
One simple rule is that the larger and
less common the bird, the more difficult his care. Canaries
are usually kept for their song, colour, and activity but they do not
usually form close bonds with humans. Canaries' small size and
history of cage-breeding make them easier to manage.
Likewise, parakeets (or budgies) and cockatiels are much
easier to care for than are the larger parrots.
Here's a table
with the life span of some birds just to give you an idea of how
long you may have your bird for:
|
Bird |
Life Span |
|
Finches, Canaries, Budgies |
15 years |
|
Cockatiels, Lovebirds, Doves and Pigeons |
20 years
|
|
Macaws |
60 years
|
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Cockatoos |
65 years
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SETTING UP THE BIRD CAGE :
-
 Birds need
plenty of room so make sure there cage is big enough for
them to stretch their wings and even fly around a bit.
-
If your bird is confined to a cage for long stretches make
sure they plenty of toys to keep them occupied. Bored birds may
pull their feathers or exhibit other distressing behaviours.
-
Make sure they have clean water daily and plenty of
containers in the cage to eat and drink from.
-
Don't use plastic perches, wooden ones give a more natural
feel for the bird and they can chew on them if they need to.
Make sure the wood is safe for the bird.
-
Don't use sandpaper
perches as they can cause serious foot problems, including
chronic ulcerated sores, and do little in regards of wearing
down the nails.
-
Parrots and budgerigars like a cuttlefish attached to
the side of the cage to give them iodine and salt.
-
Cages need to be cleaned once a week. Line
the bottom of the cage with paper.
-
If the cage is kept outside make sure it has
a cover for night time. This keeps the bird safe and warm
and keeps it quieter in the morning.
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PRO & CONS: |
-
 Be prepared for a long commitment as many parrots live as
long as you will.
-
Each bird has his
own personality and you need to find the bird that best
matches your need and environment. A noisy galah in an
apartment or unit would soon make you very unpopular with
the neighbours.
- Birds respond to repetition and reward, so if you want
to train your bird, you must be gentle and patient. Your
bird may be more receptive to training at certain times of
the day so are you willing to fit in with its schedule?
- Do you have a place to put the cage that is stimulating
for your bird (e.g., where your bird has a view outside),
but is away from drafts, hot sun, and potentially dangerous
odours?
- Did you know
many household items are toxic to birds? Birds have very
small lungs and fumes from any aerosol may kill them.
Don't think your bird is trying to
bite you when it comes to sit on your hand. Birds almost
always "test" a perch before stepping onto it, and will
often touch its beak to your hand before stepping onto it.
It is very
cruel to lock the bird up all day long. They are very
intelligent and need to be let out daily.
Never buy a wild caught bird as this is
encouraging an industry that causes great suffering
and needless death and threatens the very survival of some
bird species.
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