How to care for birds as pets

This article compiled from my own experience, advice veterinarian and longtime owners of other birds, from books, internet or wherever information.

1. Realize that birds can live a long time, even outliving their owners!  Research into the lifespans of different types of birds when you are deciding which one you'd like to add to your family.  If you are older and worry about your bird outliving you, consider adopting an older bird.  Older birds can still make wonderful pets and there are many out there that need loving homes.  Because having a bird can often be demanding, there are quite a few that get rehomed once a family discovers they took on more than they could handle.  And don't discount a bird that may have special needs or behavior issues.  Birds are incredibly intelligent and can learn new behaviors. Taking some time to get to know your new companion and using some simple training techniques can turn an 'aggressive mean bird' into a sweet loving companion.  For example:  I adopted an African Grey that I was told was incredibly mean.  These people couldn't, or wouldn't, even handle her and used a stick to get her out of her cage rather than risk a bite.  After a couple of months of allowing her to adjust and using simple training hints I obtained from internet research and getting advice from others, I had a sweetheart and I couldn't imagine how anyone could think she was mean.  Yes I suffered a few bites, it comes with the territory! But she became a bird that loved attention and head scritches and was allowed out of her cage most all of the time.

2. Clear your home of potential bird hazards!  There are a LOT of things that can kill a bird, and you would be amazed at the bond that can be created between you and your feathered friend.  It is devastating to lose a friend that you have invested so much time and attention into, and knowing it could have been prevented can be equally as devastating.  Things as simple as burning a candle can kill your bird.  They have very sensitive respiratory systems which is why they were often used (sadly) in mines to detect fumes that humans can't smell.  Anything that can put an odor or gas or chemical into the air can kill your bird.  Air fresheners, cleaning agents, candles, incense, paints, even Teflon cookware can kill your bird.  And don't think that just because you used it once and your bird lived that it is no longer a threat.  These things can build up in your birds lungs before they kill.  And you often won't even be able to see that your bird is sick before they die.  Because any sign of weakness in the wild is dangerous, birds are expert actors at appearing healthy, even when they may be very sick.  We don't even know all the potential hazards that are out there and some people don't even know why their healthy appearing bird suddenly died.  I lost my African Grey (mentioned above) to something that the vet wasn't even sure of.  She appeared completely happy and healthy one day and the next day I came home to her laying on the bottom of her cage, barely breathing.  The vet said she was underweight and may have had a virus, but I couldn't even tell that she had lost weight or was sick at all.  Not everything is preventable, but knowing you did all you could to eliminate potential hazards will go a long way into extending the life of your treasured pet and keeping you from blaming yourself if something does happen.

3. Consider your living situation.  If you live in an apartment or somewhere with close neighbors, you may not be able to keep a loud bird.  Cockatoos are famous for their screams and you may end up having constant trouble with landlords and/or neighbors that complain about the noise your bird(s) make.  Training can make things easier, but you don't want a completely quiet bird either because that in itself is a whole other concern.  Happy birds are noisy birds!  Sometimes you can somewhat 'schedule' noisy times when your neighbors are at work where your bird can get out some of his or her energy and will be quieter and content the rest of the day.  Turning on some music and dancing and singing around your bird can make them noisy and excitable and get them to use up a lot of their pent up energy.  They love action and attention!

4. Consider the size, type and placement of his cage and/or play areas.  You want a cage made of safe and strong enough material to withstand their very strong beaks, big enough for them to spread their wings but also to fit in a space in your house where they can feel like part of the family.  Birds don't want to be locked away from all the action, they like to be where you are. (Although, If you tend to stay up late, you may want to move your bird to a 'quiet room' at night so they can get a good night sleep. Birds can get cranky just like us when we don't get enough sleep!) Make sure the latch isn't too easy for them to open. They can be very smart and destructive so you want to make sure they can't get out when you aren't home.  It's not unheard of to come home to a bird who has discovered how to lift the latch and get out of their cage and chew up an expensive piece of furniture.  Not only is that a hazard in itself, but you can imagine the frustration you will feel in having to toss out something you spent so much money on!

5. Give your bird things to keep himself entertained. Providing plenty of toys and things to chew on to keep him busy while you are away will go a long way into discouraging trouble.  Rotating and or switching his toys out with new ones will keep him from getting bored.  Bored birds have been known to become pluckers, which is a hard habit to break.  If you see your bird starting to pull out their own feathers, you need to get to the cause as soon as possible to stop the behavior.  And often giving your bird a little more to keep entertained is all it takes! You don't have to buy expensive toys either. It isn't hard to learn how to make your own very inexpensive toys. One of my birds can entertain himself for an hour with a plain cardboard box!

6. Consider your birds diet.  You want to feed her the best foods possible to keep her as healthy as you can.  Just like a child, birds will eat junk food over healthy food if given the choice.  Treats are fine, but you want to make sure the majority of their diet is healthy, good quality food.  In my research, it seems a high quality pellet diet supplemented by fresh fruits and veggies is most recommended.  Nuts and seeds are high in fat and many pet stores carry bird food mixed with them.  Birds like to pick through their food and will eat what they like and throw the rest out.  Nuts and seeds can be fed as treats, but shouldn't be provided already mixed in with their regular food.  Otherwise, they will tend to eat a mostly high fat diet, which isn't healthy for anyone.  Vets say that they see many birds come in with health problems related to their diets and will recommend a high quality pellet over a mixed blend any day.  And making sure they get a nice variety of fresh fruits and veggies is great too because no one food can really supply 100% of what your bird needs by itself.  Variety keeps them from getting too bored with their pellets as well.  But be aware that there are some foods that are toxic to birds, so you will want to find a list of those foods and make sure these never get within reach of an avian beak! Don't immediately change your birds diet when you bring them home though. If they haven't been on a good diet, you can gradually add in good food and decrease the bad until they are 100% on the better diet.  You don't want your new bird to resent you for taking all her yummy junk food away right when you bring her home!

7. Remember that every bird is different.  Just like people, birds can vary in their habits and personalities like night and day!  You may be completely charmed by a friends bird, only to be disappointed when you bring yours home and they are nothing alike.  Give yourselves time to learn about each other.  Some birds love attention and will beg to be held and scratched and talked to while others are content to just sit close to you.  Remember that you are choosing to bring your bird into your home, your bird really isn't choosing you (although it's very true that some pets and owners do choose each other!).  Its up to you to adapt to your birds likes and dislikes.  Don't rush out to get another bird because your first one isn't making you happy.  It's not fair to your bird and they can get jealous and come to resent you for it.  Talk to other bird owners to see what works for them, or research the internet.  Remember, you are basically choosing to live with a 2 year old toddler that will never grow up!  Birds are demanding, loud, messy, destructive and prone to tantrums.  But they can also be sweet, loving and extremely entertaining as well!

8. And the most important step of all:  Make a lifetime commitment!  It is hard on a bird to be rehomed.  Its traumatic and will make it harder for them to learn to love a new person if they are afraid they aren't going to stay.  Its really not fair to the bird if you decide you can't live with them when it was your decision to bring them home.  Just like you wouldn't rehome your child because he or she has some annoying habits.  If you have a problem, do all you can to solve it.  Consider allergies, moving, important life changes (such as marriage, divorce, job changes, having children, etc.) before you bring your new baby home.  If you are concerned about a possible allergy, spend time around other people's birds first to see if you have a reaction.  If you are a neat freak, you may not want to consider at a bird at all.  They are extremely messy!  If you have a child and are worried about him or her getting bit, take some precautions.  Birds have successfully lived with all kinds of families and there really isn't any situation that can't be fixed.  Take time to educate yourself both before and after you bring your bird home.  It can go a long way to ensuring a happy home!