Are you looking for birds? Obviously you will be searching for the fun chirpy kind of birds and not ominous ravens or rooks. An extremely popular choice of a pet bird is the love bird. These cute birds are extremely friendly and will capture your heart at first sight, staying true to their names. Maybe you have just got your pet love bird or love birds (since they are seldom found as a single bird) or you might be thinking of getting love birds as pets. One thing you must absolutely know about is, how to take care of them.
Any genuine pet lover would not even think of getting a pet without learning to take care of them. The first important step is figuring out your love bird’s living arrangements. Love birds, which belong to the parrot family, are loud and active birds. They are impulsive and stubborn and would definitely require a certain amount of attention from you. Here are a few guidelines to housing your pet love bird.
Cage:
Obviously, you would require a cage for your pet love bird. However the size of the cage plays a crucial role in ensuring that your love bird is comfortable. Even though they are small birds which typically grow to 13-17 cm in length, they require spacious cages for their active personalities. A cage which is of the size 20 inches x 20 inches would do well. At the same time make sure that the holes in the cage are not too large, the maximum space should be half an inch. It would be better if the cage is longer and wider, rather than a cage which a greater height. The reason is because birds fly horizontally and your pet love birds can fly around with ease. Of course, there are wide varieties of cages available for birds, so you have a lot of space to explore and pick out a cage that suits your personality and which is also much appreciated by your love birds.
Perches:
Once you have got your cage down pat, the next step in making a homey place for your pet love birds would be to get perches for them to rest on. Perches are a must for your cage and it would be a good choice to purchase a wide variety of perches. The cage must be fitted with perches of varying lengths at different height levels. This would ensure that your lovebirds have various places for them to rest on. Just like cages, perches are also available in abundance in different materials ranging from wood, plastic, and metal to even concrete. It would be a great idea to buy perches of different diameters as it would ensure that the birds would exercise their leg muscles too while they perch on them. Here is a tip, place the perches away from the water and food bowl as this would ensure that the bird’s droppings do not fall into their food.
Dishes:
Once the perches are good to go, the next thing you should invest for your love birds would be their food and water dishes. There is no specific material from which you need to buy dishes. Just ensure that the dish is not made of any toxic substance which might slow poison your birds. Your most important duty would be to endure that the food and water dishes are always clean. Remember, raising a pet is fun but you should also ensure that you are fully committed to task, which includes all the cage cleaning and no dirty dishes!
It would be best if you could have around 3 dishes in a cage for your pet love birds. One dish would be filled with water, another would be for the commercial seed mixes which would be what you would be feeding your love birds on a regular basis. The third dish is for the chopped fruits or vegetables which you may place as treats for your love birds from time to time. When you do feed them fresh fruits or vegetables, make sure you clean the dishes even if the birds don’t consume them, as rooting fruits or veggies are thriving grounds for bacteria which may infect your birds. Thus, it would do good to go with the ideal 3 dish combination.
Toys:
There is no fun for kids without toys, and your pet birds are no exception. They do require something to spice up their boring caged life and fill them with enthusiasm in their constraints. Toys would fulfill your bird’s fun quotient. Love birds love toys that swing and also those which jingle like bells. Make sure these toys are made of materials which do not cause harm to the birds and those which do not unravel easily. Positioning of toys is as important as the toys, as they should be placed in a way that it does not clutter the cage and make it difficult for the love birds to fly around in their cage. Surprise your love birds by switching their toys from time to time. Go creative and try to even create your own toys for your pet birds, as long as they do not contain small parts which could be pecked out and swallowed, you could be an expert toy crafter for your pet love birds.
These are a few essentials on housing your pet love birds, and ensuring that they are as happy as they can be! Remember to position the cage in a proper spot for your birds. Once everything is set, it is time to lean back and watch your pet love birds flutter around as they chirp with joy!
