How to Care for a Caique

The caique is considered to be the clown of the bird family. They are always playing and full of energy. They are great at repeating sounds, but have only a limited vocabulary. Caiques love to take baths and some people have been known to even shower with their bird!

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Enclosure
• Three food/water dishes
• Corn cob
• Bird toys
• Perches
• Play gym
• Bathing dish

1. Get a bird cage that is 24 inches by 24 inches by 30 inches. The larger cage you can provide for your bird the better because they will enjoy the extra room to move about.

2. Place three food and water cups in the cage. Fill one with non-chlorinated water, one with fortified seed or pellets and the other with fresh fruits and vegetables.

3. Use a thin layer of corn cob on the bottom of the cage as a substrate to collect waste.

4. Change the substrate and food/water dishes on a daily basis. You should also fully clean and disinfect the cage, perches, toys and bowls once a month.

5. Locate the caiques cage in an area that is not prone to drafts or direct sunlight. Your caique will do fine in normal room temperature.

6. Fill the cage with a variety of toys, play gyms and perches. The caique loves to play and will need plenty to keep it occupied.

7. Provide non-chlorinated lukewarm water in a large dish for bathing. Mist the caique with a spray bottle as an alternative to bathing.

8. Take your caique to the veterinarian annually or any time it displays signs of illness to ensure proper health.

Tips & Warnings

• Use both cement perches and natural perches to help promote the health of your caiques feet.
• Avoid using non-stick cookware in the vicinity of the bird. The fumes can be toxic.
• Do not feed your caique avocados, chocolate, caffeine or alcohol as these can kill your bird.