How to Care for Birds

Learning to care for your pet birds is essential to ensure a long and healthy life. Aside from their basic needs, birds also require a number of things, including fun and companionship to lead a happy life. Educating yourself before you bring a bird into your house will reduce your chances of running into problems later on.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Educate yourself about bird health and diseases. Each bird species is different and requires different care, so it is important that you know in advance the basic needs and requirements of your new pet. The more you know, the easier it will be to share your home and your life with birds, and the easier to avoid problems and health issues.
2. Find a veterinarian that specializes in caring for birds. If you live in a large city, you may be able to find an avian vet, who works exclusively with birds. Otherwise, look for a veterinarian who has taken workshops and specialized classes in bird health, so you can be sure he will be able to handle emergencies and understand bird diseases.
3. Feed your birds a balanced diet. Depending on the type of pet bird you adopt, this may include a selection of seeds, a mix of fruits and vegetables, and nuts. Avoid giving your bird human food and don't assume that seeds are always sufficient as a sole source of food.
4. Provide a proper living environment. For small birds, this may consist of a cage large enough to move comfortably in, toys and company. For larger birds, you will need to provide a perch and time outside the cage. Some species, such as lovebirds, do better when provided with a companion, especially if you are out of the house for a large part of the day.
5. Interact with your birds. Birds should not spend their lives confined to a cage. For a better quality of life, they need to interact with people or with other birds and spend time flying about (make sure the room is secure, there are no open windows or doors and no dangerous appliances on).

Tips & Warnings

• When feeding fruits to birds, make sure there are no core seeds present. Some of them are poisonous if ingested.
• Many of the diseases that affect birds have few to no obvious signs until they are well advanced. Educate yourself on the type of health issues your particular bird can suffer from, so you can learn to care for small problems or look for medical help when appropriate.
• Buy the largest cage you can afford. This will have a big impact on the quality of life of your bird.
• When choosing a cage for your bird, keep in mind not only the size but also where you will place it. Birds need access to sun while being protected from air currents and extreme temperature variations.