All About Pet Birds

Why are birds such wonderful pets? Well, I can tell you from first hand experience that they are awesome pets to have.

At the moment I own two cockatiels, two budgies and one bare-eyed cockatoo. A few years ago I had an aviary full of budgies and cockatiels, as well as an Amazon parrot. The reason I did away with the aviary was because I wanted birds that could be trained pets, and in an aviary it gets too impersonal.  My Amazon Parrot unfortunately passed on, so I now have the bare-eyed cockatoo.

So let’s look at pet birds in general and  see  just  why  they  are  so  special.

All About Pet Birds

Birds, like dogs, have been associated with man from the early ages, and due to this, pet birds have become one of man’s most favored pets of all time. Parrots type birds, the ones with the hooked beaks, come at the top of this list when it comes to domestic pet birds. This includes any type of parrot, like budgies, cockatiels, ring necks, etc.

There are many different species of parrot, and some are quite rare. The more rare the pet bird, the more expensive it will be. The great news is that if looked after well, pet birds have a long life expectancy, and thus they become members of the family. The bigger the parrot species, generally the longer they will live.

Most parrots are very good at mimicking sounds and are relatively easy to train, especially if they have been hand reared. Parrots make excellent pets, and are more trainable than other pet birds like finches and canaries.

When you buy a pet bird, make sure that you get one from a reputable source. Most people buy pet birds for their ability to talk. Keep in mind the bigger the bird, the louder they will be. They also tend to mimic sounds such as doorbells ringing, or other household noises. In some species, only the male birds talk, while in others both the male and female can be trained equally, so make sure of what you want before you buy.

Make sure that you also have adequate time to train your pet bird, as they can become tyrants if not trained properly, by screaming and biting. Remember that parrots can also be moody and temperamental at times and you need to learn to accept this.

When choosing your pet bird, look for the most alert, intelligent and social looking bird, rather than the one that cowers at the back of the cage.

When training your parrot, the command that is easiest to start with is letting the bird perch on your finger when the finger is extended. This should only be attempted once the parrot is comfortable with you, or you could be missing a finger if the bird has a big sharp beak.

Gently press your finger into its chest and the bird should automatically step onto your finger.

What are the Most Popular Parrots?

The most popular pet birds to keep are:

Cockatiels

African Grey Parrots

Budgies

Conures

Macaws

Cockatoes

Amazon Parrots

Pionus Parrots and Quaker Parrots

Out of the above ten pet birds, cockatiels ranked as the favorite, as they are affectionate, extremely trainable, easy to look after and small enough not to present harm to children.

Budgies are also extremely popular, and they are the cheapest parrot type to purchase.

All About Pet Birds Illnesses

Pet birds do get sick from time to time, and some of the above species are prone to certain illnesses.

Cockatiels:

Chronic egg laying, egg binding, Giardiasis, Candiddiasis and Chlamydiosis

African Greys:

Feather picking, Hypocalcemia syndrome and Aspergillosis

Budgerigars:

Neoplasia and mites

Cockatoos:

Blood parasite problems and behavior problems like self mutilation.

Behavior problems:

Self-mutilating cockatoos chew their bodies open, especially the chest and legs. This is extremely difficult to cure.

Before you buy a pet bird, make sure to educate yourself on the different types of bird, so you know exactly what will suit your home, budget and family.

What type of pet bird do you have?