Birds As Pets: What to Consider
When we think of pets, we usually think dogs and cats. But there is a large part of the population that has chosen to enjoy their lives with birds. They are entertaining, colorful and are the perfect pet for someone who may not have the space for a larger animal.
As in any home, there needs to be a match between the family and the pet, or you may end up with an unhappy situation and an unwanted pet. Often the first choice is a big, colorful exotic bird which may seem like a great idea but this type of bird may be too much to handle for a first time bird owner.
It’s not just about a bird in a cage with food and water and occasionally talking to it talking to it when you have the time. There are a variety of factors that need to be considered before making the decision on which type of bird would best suit your family. Each bird species has different dietary essentials, social needs and space requirements.
What to Consider
Bird Size – A good rule of thumb is the bigger the bird, the bigger your commitment level. Larger birds are beautiful but they also require more space and more care.
Budget – Exotic birds are expensive to purchase and costly to maintain. They are a huge commitment as they have an extensive lifespan. However, they are incredibly smart and easy to train.
Temperament – Different species have different behaviors. Some people may like their birds to come out of the cage and socialize, while others don’t. You will need to decide what is best suited to your family.
Time – How much time are you willing to spend on care and attention? If there is training involved how much time can you commit?
The Right Bird for You
It’s always best to start small and go with a smaller sized bird becoming familiar with its needs. They are easy to care for, easy to handle and perfect for a beginner.
Parakeets and Budgies are the most popular choice among bird lovers. They are colourful, smart and a great source of entertainment as they can be tamed quite easily.
Canaries and Finches make good pets for those who would prefer to enjoy them visually but rarely handle. Their songs are sweet and though they are small, they can make quite a mess so be prepared with adequate space.
Doves are known for their cooing and their calmness. They are affectionate and can be hand fed for those who would like a more hands on bird. However, they are larger and can make an impressive mess so space will need to be considered. Also of note, their cooing is indeed beautiful, but constant. You may need to cover their cages in the evening for quiet.
Cockatiels are relatively quiet and can be quite affectionate. They are smart, easily trained with some consistent effort and are the perfect choice for one who wants to interact with their bird regularly.
Even though birds are smaller pets, they still require attention and care. Before choosing, do your research into each species you are interested in and what is involved in their care and maintenance. Keep personality in mind and the time you and your family can commit to. Having a better understanding of the bird you choose will be a wonderful beginning for your new pet and your family.
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Birds and Their Cages
One of the first things to do when one wishes to have caged birds is precisely to choose the cage. Healthy birds need a cage for their convenience. Whether canaries, parrots, parakeets or finches, for example. There are many varieties of bird cages in the market – wood or metal, but it safest to find one that will best suit the species and size of bird you have chosen. Happy bird is a bird that has a nice clean cage tailored to their needs and size.
Whichever bird it is, a bird cage should always have a considerable size. Birds love, as we know, to fly and jump from branch to branch and that must be taken into account when selecting the bird cage. Large birds like the large birds require a birdcage of 32 inches (length) X 24 inches (depth) x 62 (height).. A good bird cage must be at least 40 cm in height and 60 cm in length for the smallest birds. The gap between the bars should be somewhat smaller than the width of the bird’s head; otherwise, it can get trapped and hurt itself.
Cages are made of different materials, including wood, acrylic, stainless steel, metal and iron. When searching, if you are considering buying a bird cage made to cut, make sure you find the right one. When you want to buy a bird cage that is very solid and will last for the entire life of your bird, remember that stainless steel is your best bet. You must visit all the merchants to find the brand you want to buy. Ensure that the spacing between the bars is not too large. If you make a replacement of an old bird cage for a parrot, it is important to have a cage with a similar color but make sure it is lead free.
A bird cage can be bought much cheaper and with the money saved, you can buy better food or toys for your pet. A bird cage can be any shape you want. The roof of the cage can be curled, sloping dome, or flat.
A bird cage must be equipped with sticks or branches that the bird can sit on and there must also be a water bowl and a feeding bowl. If the bird likes to swim, the cage can also be fitted with a bath bowl. The bottom of the cage must be plastic, so that husks and feathers remain inside the cage and not fly around the room. The cage should be cleaned every week and the water should be changed every day. Birdcages of all sizes can be purchased from pet shops.
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Knowing Your Cockatoo
People tend to get a false idea of cockatoos because of their tidy look and fluffy plumage. Alba cockatoos are relatively calmer than their smaller congeners such as Goffin. They are birds who like to show off and get the utmost attention and to do so, they will dance, sing, tumble, sometimes cry excessively. They also have their moments of relaxation during which they want to be cuddled and rocked. cockatoos like alba birds are very demanding although good education involving life skills and training do help, but this does not lessen the fact that the cockatoo wants human attention several hours a day. One should be absolutely aware that cockatoos that are poorly educated (mostly male) may become a dangerous animal by its size, strength, and his combative attitude. Some of the types of cockatoo that are available are:
Cockatoo Rosalbina (Eolophus roseicapillus) or Galah cockatoos.
Greater Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita).
Umbrella cockatoo (Cacatua alba).
Goffin’s Cockatoo (Cacti gof-over).
Moluccan Cockatoo (Cacatua moluccensis).
Cockatoo is very nice but generally not a good speaker. It is very intelligent and can learn lots of stuff. These birds are noisy and tend to make the pecking chronic when left alone and unattended.
Cockatoos like to destroy everything that falls under their beaks. Just like macaws, they have a very powerful beak which has added a remarkable dexterity. These parrots are highly accurate to search out what is inside of an object. They particularly appreciate the removable of buttons, pegs, and growths of all kinds. As Cockatoos gets bored very quickly, you need a wide range of toys for these parrots. They like to undo the knots, loosen objects or open the doors of their cages especially hooks, insert objects into another, screw and unscrew. Often, cockatoos work on two toys at the same time. Their beak is as sharp as a knife and they can totally destroy an apartment in less time than it takes to say the word devastation! These parrots do not like games that are complicated or require time and reflection. They have a philosophy of immediacy.
Cockatoos want their playgrounds to be very clearly selected. If the parrot does not have its own facilities for play it can destroy the apartment. Ideally, the cockatoo should have more facilities in the house because it wants to follow its favorite human around. Bringing it to forage is a good way to prevent depression and to the pecking, hence the importance of foraging toys like acrylic puzzle toys to encourage it to work for its treats.
To hold all the toys, and to deploy such beautiful and large wings, it is obvious that a very large cage is required.
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