Birds make fascinating pets. They come with captivating personalities and hidden talents. In addition, many birds will live longer as a house pet than they would in the wild. For example, the parakeet can usually live ten to fifteen years with good care. Except for a few of the more exotic and larger birds, most birds are relatively easy to take care of and maintain as pets. In this article, we will look at some general guidelines for caring for your feathered friend, as well as some important precautions for maintaining your bird’s best health.
Bird Cages
The minimum cage size for a single bird is one wide enough for that bird to stretch both wings without touching either side, and tall enough so that the head and tail of the bird never touches the top or bottom. This is the bare minimum size. Larger cages are always recommended. Even if a cage looks big enough for your bird when empty, it can quickly become cluttered with the addition of food bowls, toys, and perches. Birds are made for constant movement if not flying, so it is your responsibility to your pet to provide a home capable of entertainment and exercise.
Round cages are no longer recommended for most birds. Canaries and finches prefer rectangle-shaped cages that are more wide than tall. Other birds are happier in square or tall rectangular homes. Take note of bar spacing and thickness as well. A bird should never be able to stick its head through the bars as it may turn its head and get stuck. Thin bars spaced 3/8 to 1/2 inch apart are fine for finches, canaries, parakeets, lovebirds, and cockatiels. Larger and stronger birds such as conures, cockatoos, and parrots require heavier bars that are spaced about 5/8 to 1 inch apart. Many of these birds are very active and powerful, so make sure to get strong and high-quality cages for them.
Finally, get a crushed cob litter or something similar for putting on the bottom of the cage, and change this lining at least once a week. The bird’s cage should be placed in the room where the family or owner spends the most time, but not the kitchen (the reasons for this are described below in the Precautions section). Depending on the size of the cage and the weight of your bird, the cage can be hung from a wall bracket or a ceiling chain, or placed on a table or some other stand.
Food and Feeding
Some cages come with feeding dishes that hang just on the inside of the cage and that can be retrieved through smaller side doors. This will make daily maintenance considerably easier than those having loose dishes inside the cage which have to be retrieved out through the main cage door. Most birds should have at least 2 dishes in their cage: one for formulated/vitamin-enriched pellets or seed, one for water. Keeping your bird’s food and water fresh is very important. Clean and change the water and food bowls daily to avoid the growth of bacteria. It is also important to keep your bird’s food and water replenished. A bird can starve in a short amount of time if it runs out of food.
Besides the regular bird food and water mentioned earlier, it is also good to offer your bird a cuttlebone and some millet sprays. A cuttlebone will provide a bird with the calcium it needs, and help keep the bird’s beak trim and from becoming too long. Millet sprays are a favorite snack of birds and it is also very entertaining to watch birds eat them. Lastly, there is an optional item for birds called grit. Grit is made from small pieces of sand and oyster shell. It is used to aid digestion in birds who eat their seed whole, such as doves, canaries, and finches. Some cuttlebones come with grit in them already. Parakeets, cockatiels and other hook-billed birds crack their seeds before eating and do not need grit.
Birds can generally eat anything humans can eat – as long as it is healthy! Chocolate, avocados, and onions are considered to be toxic to birds and should never be allowed. Foods which are high in fat, sugar, salt, grease, preservatives and other artificial fillers should not be fed either. Dairy products should also be avoided as most birds are lactose intolerant and cannot digest these foods.
Most birds also enjoy supplements of raw fruits and vegetables, but they should be offered in moderation. Also, when feeding fresh foods, never leave them in the cage for more than a few hours. Bacteria can quickly build up on such items, causing your bird to become ill. Vitamin supplements can be good for birds (but make sure not to overdose), especially if your bird is a picky eater and won’t eat its vegetables. If your bird is eating a pellet diet, vitamins are not needed.
Precautions
Air is the biggest concern for a bird owner. Birds have a respiratory system that works very different from ours. For example, a bird can breathe in air four times as fast as a human, and therefore it can breathe in much more toxic fumes, smoke, and other pollutants than a human. Some major things to keep away from your bird are:
- Gas and kerosene heaters
- Aerosol spray products (hair spray, water-proofing spray, air freshener spray)
- Cigarette smoke
- Rodenticides, flea/tick controllers and other pesticides
- Nail polish or other kinds of polish (floor polish, shoe polish, nail polish remover)
- Plug-in air fresheners and scented candles (in addition to the fumes, the burning wick puts out enough carbon monoxide to harm your bird’s health)
- House paint, paint thinner, paint remover
- Teflon cookware (When heated, Teflon cookware emits a fume that is extremely dangerous to birds. The fume does not harm us, but can kill your bird)
- Keep your bird away from houseplants, as some can be poisonous to your bird
The above is not a complete list. Most items that emit any sort of unnatural fumes and scents are potentially harmful. The rule of thumb is simply not to use scented products around your bird, for example do not wash out your bird’s cage or bowls with scented detergents. This does not mean that you cannot use any of these items. However, anytime your home must be sprayed or fogged for some reason, remove your bird from the home completely, and the house must be thoroughly aired out before the bird can be brought back in. Dust and fumes are also often associated with home improvement or remodeling. In addition, such projects can also cause stress for your bird. Again, if needed, simply place your bird in a different room or take them outside.
Make sure to wash your hands before handling your bird. This is to prevent what is called “fouling the feathers” – the rubbing off of nicotine, tar, cleaners, salt or sugar from snack foods, or other pollutants from your hands on to the bird. Of course, for your safety and cleanliness, do also wash your hands after handling your bird as well. A humidifier can be added to your home to benefit your bird’s skin and feathers (as well as your skin and hair), and it may also have other health benefits.
All birds should be watched for signs of illness. Illness takes its toll on birds especially quickly, and their health will deteriorate very rapidly if untreated. Birds which may be ill include those who sit motionless and fluffed up, those who are reluctant to eat, and those who have discharge coming from their mouths or nostrils with sneezing or wheezing.
If you decide that you want to let your bird out of the cage once in a while, it is strongly recommended that you clip your bird’s wings short so that it cannot fly. A bird will easily fly out any open or cracked windows, and may even fly into closed windows. Birds who can fly will also usually perch on top of open doors, becoming injured or killed when the door is unknowingly closed. Birds will drown quickly as well – so keep toilet bowls and other water-filled containers covered. Always keep your bird’s wings clipped to avoid such tragedies. Finally, clipping a bird’s wings will make it easier to tame.
Avoid putting the bird cage near a heating or cooling vent due to temperature variations and fumes which may be harmful. Although birds enjoy looking out the window, the cage should not be placed where drafts can come in or sunlight can overheat the cage. Most birds are quite comfortable with temperatures around the 60 to 70 temperature range. Full-spectrum lighting commonly used for reptiles can be used to help heat and light the bird cage. Do not leave your bird in the car during warm months or place them outdoors in direct sunlight. Signs of overheating include panting or holding the wings out from the body.
As mentioned earlier, your bird should not be allowed in the kitchen, whether it is in its cage or outside of its cage. For loose birds, dangers in the kitchen include open pots of boiling water or other heating foods, as well as hot stoves. For caged birds, the kitchen still offers toxic fumes as well as hot temperatures.
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