How to Make a Safe Environment for Your Pet Bird

Caring for a pet bird is like caring for any other pet, with the exception that they need a little more care in the safety department. To keep your pet bird safe familiarize yourself with common, household dangers, and your bird will be ensured a good life.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Select a safe cage for your pet bird. Older metal cages may contain lead. Inspect the cage to ensure all door fasteners work and that the coating is not peeling or flaking.
2. Identify a safe location for the bird cage. A family room is ideal because your pet bird is a social creature. Make sure the area is draft-free and not in direct sunlight.
3. Familiarize yourself with potential air toxins to birds. The biggest culprits are nonstick coatings on cookware and other household appliances. Many heat sources are dangerous including irons, curling irons and blow dryers.
4. Turn off ceiling fans, close curtains or blinds, cover mirrors and shut doors to any rooms your bird can escape through when handled or allowed to fly out of the cage. It's a good idea to have a perch that the bird can return to on top of the cage or another familiar location.
5. Keep track of your bird when near open water sources. A wet bird cannot fly. Even steam from a cooking pot makes a bird wet enough to fall from flight. It's always a good idea to keep birds out of the kitchen.
6. Remove your jewelery when handling your bird, especially earrings. Swallowing an earring back or a chain link results in surgery for the bird. The fragile respiratory system of a bird makes surgery high risk.
7. Check a bird's toys periodically for loose metal objects it can swallow or dangling strings in which the bird can get caught. Pet birds love to chew and climb, as such, their toys receive significant wear. Always purchase toys appropriate for the type of bird you have.