Birds are great pets, lovely and entertaining, that allow their owners to get on with their lives, without requiring all their time and attention. However, this convenience doesn`t imply that birds do not need care. They are not decorations; they are feeling beings, having their own particular needs, even if they do not need us to devote all our time to them.
Before bringing a bird in your house, you should make some basic preparations.
Consider its surroundings
First of all, you must buy a cage. Cages have different sizes and you should consider one suitable for the type of bird you will get. You must find a safe place in your home, for the cage, in order to keep it away from cats and dogs and being able to secure it in order to prevent it from falling.
Consider cleaning the cage every few days, by wiping it down with a damp cloth, replacing the sand paper, providing fresh water and food and cleaning the bath water recipient.
Once in a while, you should also consider sterilizing water & food bowls, as well as the perches, by sinking them in boiled water. Do not use bleach or other toxic substance.
Food
Some people may think that a bird`s diet is limited to seeds, but this is not true. Birds should be given a balanced mix of seeds and pellets, as well as fruits and vegetables. Of course, you will need to talk your vet first and find out which ones are safe and which ones are dangerous for your bird. You can introduce fruits and vegetables in your bird`s diet anytime. If it is afraid of the new food, keep offering, sooner or later it will realize this is actually food and will start enjoying it.
Be extra-careful when you offer your bird fresh-food. Use a separate dish and do not allow it to stay in the cage for more than a couple of hours, considering that bacteria grow easily.
Make sure your bird has access to fresh, clean water and also permanently keep a mineral block in the cage.
Social interactions
Most birds enjoy company and social interactions, especially if owners are not at home all day long. If you have only one bird, make sure you keep it mentally and physically stimulated. There are toys that you can buy from pet stores that mimic natural colors, textures and sounds, being very appealing to birds, keeping them interested, stimulating their feet and mouth. Make sure you choose appropriate sized toys otherwise birds may get scared or injured.
Medical attention
You must find a veterinarian who specializes in bird care, before any emergency happens. Observe your bird carefully; signs that should make you worry are decreased appetite, change in droppings, sleepy mood, sitting down at the bottom of the cage etc. Besides consulting a vet, it is not bad idea to prepare for emergencies, because you will be able to deal with the most common ones. Buy an Avian First Aid kit and read anything you can about bird pet emergencies.
