Should You Buy A Pet Bird?

Before you even begin choosing which species of pet bird to obtain, you need to know is a pet bird right for you. Too many people buy pet birds with unrealistic or uninformed expectations and then find themselves sorry. The bird may then become abused or neglected. This is unfair to the poor bird that didn't ask to come into that person's home. The bird is miserable and so are the bird owners. So, is a pet bird right for you?

Pet birds are frequently long-lived pets. In fact, if you purchase a macaw when you are an adult and you care for the parrot properly, it is completely within the realm of possibility that your pet bird will outlive you! African Grey parrots have been documented having lives over 129 years!

Next, determine what size bird might be best for you living arrangements. Sure, the big beautiful macaws are gorgeous but they can be loud, take up a great deal of space, require expensive cases, create bigger messes and can eat your sofa for lunch. Little birds create smaller messes, live happily in table-top cages that are affordable and while they can damage things if not supervised, they won't eat furniture completely. If you live in a small apartment, a small bird will require less space for its cage and playground.

If you want a bird that will play and interact with you over one that perfects to remain in its cage, you'll want to select a hand-fed baby bird that has recently been weaned or an older bird that is already tame. Taming a pet bird can require a great deal of time and dedication and can be all but impossible with birds that have bonded to an untamed mate.

Deciding On The Right Pet Bird

When deciding what is the right bird for you, consider special diets and maintenance requirements. Lorikeets, although beautiful, require a nectar diet and therefore have runny droppings all the time. These can soon result in dirty walls around the cage because the droppings can be transported quite a distance when the bird defecates.

You should determine how much you want to invest in the pet bird and its cage, food and toys before choose the species. If you are on a strict budget, a hand-fed baby cockatiel can be a great choice and you can often get all set up for about $100 while other parrots like the macaws can cost in the thousands just for the bird. The cage for a large bird can cost a great deal also. The foods and toys are much more costly than those for a parakeet, cockatiel or small species of conure.

When you are deciding which is the right pet bird for you, remember that birds require a consistent commitment of your time. Cages must be cleaned, fresh food and water provided each day and tame birds require time out of their cages to interact with their human flock. If you have minimal time, a very small bird like a canary or finches might be the best choice for you.

If you choose the species that is the right pet bird for you, you'll have a fun, entertaining companion for years to come. Don't purchase a bird as an impulse reaction to how pretty or cute the bird's antics may be. Commit wisely to a new family member.

So develop a broader sense of birding. Bring birds around more often and dance to the tune of their music while you get and keep them in your area longer with bird feeders.

Learn a lot more: The “Everything You Want to Know About Birdfeeders” Guide