Lee Dobbins asked:


One common misconception about pet birds is that they live for hundreds of years and need to be willed to someone in order to ensure their care after you’re gone. While birds do live for quite a long time in the wild, their lifespan in captivity is actually much shorter. Below are some common pet birds and their average life span in captivity given that they receive superior care and a proper diet.

Macaw – 50 years

Cockatoo – 40 years

African Grey – 25 years

Amazon Parrot – 50 years

Conure – 15 years

Parakeet – 15 years

Parrotlet – 15 years

Lovebird – 10 years

Canary – 15 years

Finch – 5 years

Certainly with a lifespan of 50 years, a bird could outlive you however there are many hidden dangers lurking around that can cut your birds life short. Birds are very fragile and need to be cared for properly in order for them to live a long life.

Here are some things you can do to help keep your bird safe and healthy:

One major danger for birds as fumes from chemical products. Aerosol sprays, Teflon pans and even such things as furniture polish can kill your bird. Keep anything that has a strong odor away from your bird and make sure you use it in a well ventilated area. I suggest you get rid of all your Teflon pants however if you insist on keeping them make sure your bird is nowhere near the kitchen when you’re cooking with them and also be sure not to heat them up without food in them as this will cause the Teflon to emit more odor.

Pet birds love to chew on things and will in fact chew on anything they can find whether it’s good for them or not. It’s important not to let them chew on anything that is welded as they can get lead poisoning from the slaughter in the joints. They also will love your household plants and will nibble on them so you need to be sure that any plants you have are not poisonous to birds.

Birds love to eat fresh fruits and vegetables but you need to take care not to leave the fruits and vegetables out too long or they can start to rot. Just like you wouldn’t feed a piece of pineapple that was sitting on the counter for three hours to your family, you shouldn’t be this to your bird either. Something should never be offered to birds as food such as coffee chocolate and avocado as these are toxic to our feathered friends.

The holidays pose a special threat to birds as they may want to fly into your tree and chew on it. You need to be very careful with this, however as many trees are sprayed with stuff that is toxic to birds. In addition, the ornaments, tinsel and electric lights might seem attractive to your pet bird but, of course ,could be very dangerous for him to chew on.

Birds that are allowed to fly around the house can be fun but you need to think of safety first if your bird does not have clipped wings and has free reign to fly wherever he wants. Obviously, you want to make sure your windows are closed so that he cannot get out. In addition, you probably want to pull down the shades or close the curtains when your birds flying around as you don’t want him to fly into the closed window and hurt himself. If you cannot do this, then put some decals on the glass so that your bird will know not to fly into it. The same goes for Mariners or any reflective surface. This is very important as your bird can actually break his neck by flying into them.

Another thing to be careful of is standing water such as water in the sink or toilet you don’t want your bird to get in over his head and drown!

Please refrain from cooking while your bird is flying around as you don’t want him to win on the stove and burn himself.

Finally, make sure that you do not answer the door while your birds perched on your shoulder. Even a bird with clipped wings could get away in an updraft and their many dangers outdoors such as cats and cars that can harm your bird.

Feeding your bird a nutritious diet and keeping him safe may not ensure that he outlives you but it will go a long way to making sure that he has a long healthy and happy life!



Annette

Lee Dobbins asked:


Birds are intelligent creatures with active minds and they can soon become bored if they had not kept entertained. Birds that are bored and start to exhibit a desirable behavior such as squawking a lot and pulling out all the feathers. One way to keep your bird amused even when you’re not around is to make sure that you provide him with a variety of bird toys.

One thing to think about when picking out toys for your bird is whether or not the toys match with your bird size. Toys designed for small bird like a parakeet might not be safe for a large parrot because the powerful beaks of the bigger birds can easily break the toys into pieces which can be dangerous for your pet.

Different sized birds do seem to enjoy different types of toys but one toy that all birds seem to like is the ladder. you want to be careful, however, that you choose the right side letter for your bird obviously smaller birds will meet once with wrongs that are closer together.

Swings and hanging ring seemed to be a bit more popular for the smaller pet birds. That’s not to say that larger birds don’t enjoy them as some do but in general the smaller birds seem to have a lot more fun. Hang a couple in your pets cage and you soon see him swinging around and hanging from them and just having a heck of a time.

The bigger birds seem to like maize toys and puzzles especially if you can put some of their favorite treats inside the toy. They also like ropes that have leather knots which they can unknot with their beaks. This gives them something to work out of their mind instead of hanging around doing nothing.

Birds have the mentality of small child and just like children birds can really get enjoyment out of a play gym. you can find these In all shapes and sizes, but typically they either sit on a table on top of the birds cage and when he is out of the cage they provide him with a variety of interesting things to play on including ladders seesaws and swings. Not only will your bird entertain himself on these though probably entertain you as well!

When you are shopping for bird toys there are some you might want to think twice about buying. Although most birds love mirrors and love to look at themselves, it does might not serve the purpose you want if they actually think it’s another bird they may bond with their own reflection and not care so much about bonding with people.

Always evaluated toy for safety purposes toys that are not well made and can come apart and harm your bird should be avoided. Also toys that have little areas that might pinch your bird’s toes or that he can get his head caught and should be avoided. Remember, your bird can get his little beak into just about anything so you want and make sure the toys are tough enough so that he can’t break anything off and swallow it which could be disastrous and possibly even fatal.

Your pet bird doesn’t necessarily need expensive toys to play with, many birds love things like paper towel tubes and tongue depressors. Just be sure that if you do you keep your bird toy like that that you make sure he doesn’t rip apart and start eating it – it might not be a bad idea to stay around and watch them whenever you give him any new toy.

Because your pet bird gets bored easily you want to rotate his toys. Put a few toys in his cage and then hide the others away where he can’t see them. After a week or two remove the toys that are in his cage and replace them with the ones you hid away. You can take this opportunity to clean the toys that he has already played with, then hide them away for a week or two. When you bring them out again he’ll think he’s got new toys to play with!



Colleen

Lee Dobbins asked:


Many people think that a bird is a fun low maintenance pet that can provide you with good company. While birds are fun, intelligent companions they do require quite a bit of maintenance and care. Some birds require more maintenance than others so here’s some guidelines on bird care that might help you pick a bird that’s perfect for your lifestyle.

First of all you should be aware that all birds will need to have fresh food and water in a cage change daily. Also, birds are messy with their seeds and you’ll soon find seeds all over the floor around the cage that will need to be cleaned each day to. You can buy things to go on the cage so minimize this mess but be prepared to spend at least a half-hour cleaning up and around your birds cage each day. In addition, you want to set aside time each week to wash down the cage as it can get quite messy.

The reason most people get a bird is to obtain friend I can sit in the shoulder and entertain them. But if you want your bird to remain tame and friendly you’ll need to spend some time with it particularly at feeding time when you can choose to hand feed him and also you want to set aside time to take them out of the cage just to play.

If you don’t have a lot of time to spend with a bird but still like the look of these bright little creatures you may want to think about purchasing a canary or some finches. These birds are pretty self-sufficient and won’t pine away if you don’t pay a lot of attention to them. Also, if you don’t want a loud bird that will wake up all your neighbors these have light pleasant sounding voices. Beware, however, that they’re just as messy as other birds so you will need to spend time cleaning up their cage’s.

let’s say you who do have plenty of time to spend training and playing with your pet bird but you just don’t have the room for big giant parrot. For you, the cockatiel parakeet might make the perfect pet. These birds can become very tame and can even be taught to do tricks and in some cases to talk. They are not overly loud so can be good pets for apartment dwellers.

If you want something a little bit bigger, consider midsize parrots like Conures or Senegal parrots. these birds are a bit bigger in size can be fun and entertaining pets but I must warn you they can be very loud. Conyers in particular have an ear piercing shriek that they like to emit first thing in the morning. they’re not the talkers that the larger parrots are but some breeds like Quaker parrot and Nanday conure can talk pretty good.

If you do a lot of time and you want a bird that will talk extensively than you want to choose one of the larger parrots like an African gray or maybe even a macaw. The larger parrots theirs is just as smart as a toddler and will probably require almost as much attention. You need to make sure that you keep your bird from getting bored or providing him with interesting toys that you change out every once in awhile and by interacting with them yourself. If you buy a large burden and spend time with it you’re just asking for trouble as they can be quite destructive and loud.

No matter what type of bird you choose, you want to make sure you get one that has been hand fed since it was a baby. This bird will already be quite tame and used humans and be ready to adapt to his new home and willing to learn to talk and do tricks from you. It’s a bird that is not tame or friendly may have problems and may never learn to trust you, therefore not making a good pet.

It can be exciting to adopt a pet bird but you need to make sure that you make this decision carefully. Buying a bird that you do not have the time for will be a disappointment for both you and the bird and will not work out in the long run. Before you make your purchase, be sure that you will commit to caring for your new feathered friend and you will find that you have a wonderful companion.



Jesse

indigoleo27 asked:


I have a Peach-Fronted Conure that was given to me a few years ago. This owner got her from a pet store.

I also have a parakeet that I purchased from a pet store.

Neither of them had papers that they came with. I will be moving in the future and I know I need proof of ownership. How do I provide this?

Phillip

kathyseyes asked:


My friend had a parakeet, not a Budgie, a Parakeet. To watch them interact was heartwarming. My friend would say, “Give me a kiss Larry” (the bird’s name) and Larry would give him a kiss. Wherever he was, my friend would just call, “Hey, Larry!” and Larry would come. But Larry only liked my friend. Not his wife, not his kids, not his friends. Only my friend. Is this usually how it is with pet birds?

Thomas

Hannah asked:


I’m looking into buying a small bird, like a parakeet. What types are the best for indoors, particularly which ones are the most quiet?

Leon

Lance Groom asked:


Birds make great pets and are relatively easy to take care of. There are many different types of birds. There are birds that sing and birds that have beautiful colors. Although there is some work and planning that goes into having a bird.

There are several types of birds that are bred in captivity. A few of the most popular birds are parakeets, canaries, finches, and cockatiels. These birds are comfortable in most homes and are usually pretty well behaved.

Your bird should have a safe secure cage. The cage should be large enough so that the bird can fully extend it’s wings. Finches and canaries need room to fly short distances. Parakeet and cockatiels need room to climb. The bars should be 3/8 to 1/2 of an inch apart. This way the bird cannot escape or get stuck. You should line the bottom with hard wood shaving.

Place the cage away from drafts and away from direct sunlight. Birds are very sensitive to noise, smoke and large activity, so the cage should go in a quiet room. You should also place the bird at eye level. If you have other pets, such as dogs and cats you should make sure you put the cage in a place safe from them.

You should also put all kinds of toys in your birds cage. This will keep your bird occupied and will also keep him active. Another thing that birds like are mirrors. They enjoy talking to their reflection. You need to place different levels of perches around your birds cage. This way the bird can fly from perch to perch and get some exercise.

Feeding your bird isn’t that complicated. You can get a high quality seed mixture that is made especially for your type of bird. These include all the vegetables and fruits your bird will need. You can find that at most pet stores and even some super markets.

You should probably get a cuttlebone for your bird. A cuttlebone is a type of bone that your bird can pick at. There is calcium in this bone. That way your bird will get all the calcium it needs. You will also need a bird grit to help digestion. Another thing your bird will need is a supply of fresh water. You can keep the water in a little dish in the cage at all times. Make sure that it is always available. It is a good idea to give your bird little amounts of fruits and vegetables sometimes.

Birds clean themselves, so you don’t need to worry about giving them a bath. But you do need to clean your bird’s cage about once a week. You should change the saw dust and clean all the toys to get the bad germs off.

Most birds are very sociable. Parakeets, finches, and cockatiels get along with other birds. It would be okay to keep them in the same cage with another bird. But make sure that the cage is big enough for both birds.

You should take your bird out at least once a day. Try to get the bird used to being with humans. Most birds enjoy climbing on your head and nestling in your hair. But if you are going to let your bird out of it’s cage be sure that its wings are clipped. You will know when it is time of a clipping when your bird can start to get some flight.

Birds like everything else get sick. Some signs of sickness are dull and limply feathers, discharge around the eyes and noise, and wet and dirty around the ****. If you notice any of these signs you should take your bird to the vet. The vet will probably put your bird on some kind of medication.

Birds are very enjoyable. They are not that much work, but do show affection. They can be very comical too. They can do some pretty weird stuff. You can also teach them to talk and sing. Birds are very fun.

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Delores