Birds are the third most common pets after dogs and cats. They are the creatures living the dream of people like us. We all dream of having wings and fly high in the sky, but cannot achieve this dream. The closest that we can get to flying is using airplanes for having a flight. The advanced technology does allow us to fly, but still, the freedom of flight that the birds enjoy can not be enjoyed by us so far. So, in a way, birds are really inspiring pets, giving a lesson of flying and going on, despite of whatever problem you are facing at the moment. Birds make really good pets, but they need not be caged. They can be left free, and on giving proper training, they would return to their own house, which will, by then, be the same house in which, you reside in. A few things, that you need to keep in your mind before getting a pet are mentioned here.
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Cleaning Up
Birds are messy pets. They create a mess around the place they live in, especially during the time, they are trapped in a cage. If you are going to adopt a pet, keep in mind that there would be a need to devote some of your time towards cleaning the cage everyday. Many kind of disease causing micro organisms keep the tendency to survive in places where birds have created a mess. The excreta of birds also attract such organisms. So, regular cleanliness need to be done, and changing of bottom sheets every week should be done.
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Safety
When we talk about safety of these small little creatures, we are talking about two types of safety. Firstly, the birds shouldn’t be caged for whole of the day, so when they are set free, either provide them proper training so that they can return to you after having a good flight, or just give them their open space in some closed room. The problem in letting them fly in a room is that these birds can land up on small pieces of mirror or unprotected live wire or other such stuff, through which, they could harm themselves. So, try bird proofing the room, in which, they are going to enjoy a free time. Secondly, if you have other pets like dogs and cats in your house, you need to be extra careful for your pet, as it may get attacked by them. Cats’ favorite meal is a bird, so unless they become friends or acquainted to each other, keep them as far as possible from each other. Remember Sylvester and Tweety, the cartoon series? Some extra preventive measures may include that a few birds can drown easily, so keep a shallow bird bath.
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Diet
It is usually said that birds feed only on seeds, while just giving seeds to them as a dietary supplement maybe dangerous for their system. On an approximation, 50% of the total bird’s diet must be seed, and the rest must include nuts, small pieces of meats and insects. If these supplements are taking your heads over heels to find, then there is another option for their diet. Fruits and vegetables, cut into small digestible portions are also meant to be really healthy for the same. In addition to this, your regular diet, again cut into small portions, can also be a treat for them, which can include chicken, noodles etc. At a whole, they need ample amount of vitamins and minerals to keep them active. Also, never let them thrive of thirst. Refill their water bowls everyday with fresh water. Some birds consume really less amount of water, but they still need this as a supplement.
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VETerinarian visits
It is a really common case that the pet bird suddenly dies, which is because the owner of the bird doesn’t get to know when it is sick. Birds do show symptoms of being ill, but we fail to notice them, as we are just not looking for them. These symptoms include change in the colour of their excreta, which from white changes to black, or mustard colour, followed by change in dietary habits. They usually start consuming much more water than they usually consume. They stop chirping and start feeling lethargic. Whenever you observe any of these symptoms, take the bird to your vet and treat them, or they would not see a good fate, as they are not much strong creatures. In addition to this, regular vet visits need to be marked on your calendar. Birds have a good life span, and a few of these pet birds are known to live for decade or more. In nature, they can survive in one way or the other, but when they are under your surveillance, you need to take proper care of them.
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GROOMING
When you pet a bird, you have to go through a painful seeming procedure, that is trimming their wings. This process becomes mandatory as the birds can fly into sharp objects or strike the cage, and can harm themselves. So, for preventing this, their wings need to be trimmed, which can be done at home, after getting proper training, or an expert can be referred to perform this procedure. Also, their nails also need to be trimmed on a regular basis, sop that they don’t harm anything or anyone, including themselves.
Domesticating a bird seems to be a good choice, but if you are going to treat it as a slave, and are going to trap it in a cage for whole of the time, then avoid getting a bird pet, and go for something else. Birds are meant to fly, and pet them only if you are ready to give them freedom by providing them enough room for performing their flight exercises, just like you give your pet dog a walk.