Will Your Pet Bird Outlive You?

One common misconception about pet birds is that they live for hundreds of years and need to be willed to someone in order to ensure their care after you’re gone. While birds do live for quite a long time in the wild, their lifespan in captivity is actually much shorter. Below are some common pet birds and their average life span in captivity given that they receive superior care and a proper diet.

Macaw – 50 years
Cockatoo – 40 years
African Grey – 25 years
Amazon Parrot – 50 years
Conure – 15 years
Parakeet – 15 years
Parrotlet – 15 years
Lovebird – 10 years
Canary – 15 years
Finch – 5 years

Certainly with a lifespan of 50 years, a bird could outlive you however there are many hidden dangers lurking around that can cut your birds life short. Birds are very fragile and need to be cared for properly in order for them to live a long life.

Here are some things you can do to help keep your bird safe and healthy:

One major danger for birds as fumes from chemical products. Aerosol sprays, Teflon pans and even such things as furniture polish can kill your bird. Keep anything that has a strong odor away from your bird and make sure you use it in a well ventilated area. I suggest you get rid of all your Teflon pants however if you insist on keeping them make sure your bird is nowhere near the kitchen when you’re cooking with them and also be sure not to heat them up without food in them as this will cause the Teflon to emit more odor.

Pet birds love to chew on things and will in fact chew on anything they can find whether it’s good for them or not. It’s important not to let them chew on anything that is welded as they can get lead poisoning from the slaughter in the joints. They also will love your household plants and will nibble on them so you need to be sure that any plants you have are not poisonous to birds.

Birds love to eat fresh fruits and vegetables but you need to take care not to leave the fruits and vegetables out too long or they can start to rot. Just like you wouldn’t feed a piece of pineapple that was sitting on the counter for three hours to your family, you shouldn’t be this to your bird either. Something should never be offered to birds as food such as coffee chocolate and avocado as these are toxic to our feathered friends.

The holidays pose a special threat to birds as they may want to fly into your tree and chew on it. You need to be very careful with this, however as many trees are sprayed with stuff that is toxic to birds. In addition, the ornaments, tinsel and electric lights might seem attractive to your pet bird but, of course ,could be very dangerous for him to chew on.

Birds that are allowed to fly around the house can be fun but you need to think of safety first if your bird does not have clipped wings and has free reign to fly wherever he wants. Obviously, you want to make sure your windows are closed so that he cannot get out. In addition, you probably want to pull down the shades or close the curtains when your birds flying around as you don’t want him to fly into the closed window and hurt himself. If you cannot do this, then put some decals on the glass so that your bird will know not to fly into it. The same goes for Mariners or any reflective surface. This is very important as your bird can actually break his neck by flying into them.

Another thing to be careful of is standing water such as water in the sink or toilet you don’t want your bird to get in over his head and drown!

Please refrain from cooking while your bird is flying around as you don’t want him to win on the stove and burn himself.

Finally, make sure that you do not answer the door while your birds perched on your shoulder. Even a bird with clipped wings could get away in an updraft and their many dangers outdoors such as cats and cars that can harm your bird.

Feeding your bird a nutritious diet and keeping him safe may not ensure that he outlives you but it will go a long way to making sure that he has a long healthy and happy life!

How To Choose The Right Bird Toys To Keep Your Pet Bird From Getting Bored

Birds are intelligent creatures with active minds and they can soon become bored if they had not kept entertained. Birds that are bored and start to exhibit a desirable behavior such as squawking a lot and pulling out all the feathers. One way to keep your bird amused even when you’re not around is to make sure that you provide him with a variety of bird toys.

One thing to think about when picking out toys for your bird is whether or not the toys match with your bird size. Toys designed for small bird like a parakeet might not be safe for a large parrot because the powerful beaks of the bigger birds can easily break the toys into pieces which can be dangerous for your pet.

Different sized birds do seem to enjoy different types of toys but one toy that all birds seem to like is the ladder. you want to be careful, however, that you choose the right side letter for your bird obviously smaller birds will meet once with wrongs that are closer together.

Swings and hanging ring seemed to be a bit more popular for the smaller pet birds. That’s not to say that larger birds don’t enjoy them as some do but in general the smaller birds seem to have a lot more fun. Hang a couple in your pets cage and you soon see him swinging around and hanging from them and just having a heck of a time.

The bigger birds seem to like maize toys and puzzles especially if you can put some of their favorite treats inside the toy. They also like ropes that have leather knots which they can unknot with their beaks. This gives them something to work out of their mind instead of hanging around doing nothing.

Birds have the mentality of small child and just like children birds can really get enjoyment out of a play gym. you can find these In all shapes and sizes, but typically they either sit on a table on top of the birds cage and when he is out of the cage they provide him with a variety of interesting things to play on including ladders seesaws and swings. Not only will your bird entertain himself on these though probably entertain you as well!

When you are shopping for bird toys there are some you might want to think twice about buying. Although most birds love mirrors and love to look at themselves, it does might not serve the purpose you want if they actually think it’s another bird they may bond with their own reflection and not care so much about bonding with people.

Always evaluated toy for safety purposes toys that are not well made and can come apart and harm your bird should be avoided. Also toys that have little areas that might pinch your bird’s toes or that he can get his head caught and should be avoided. Remember, your bird can get his little beak into just about anything so you want and make sure the toys are tough enough so that he can’t break anything off and swallow it which could be disastrous and possibly even fatal.

Your pet bird doesn’t necessarily need expensive toys to play with, many birds love things like paper towel tubes and tongue depressors. Just be sure that if you do you keep your bird toy like that that you make sure he doesn’t rip apart and start eating it – it might not be a bad idea to stay around and watch them whenever you give him any new toy.

Because your pet bird gets bored easily you want to rotate his toys. Put a few toys in his cage and then hide the others away where he can’t see them. After a week or two remove the toys that are in his cage and replace them with the ones you hid away. You can take this opportunity to clean the toys that he has already played with, then hide them away for a week or two. When you bring them out again he’ll think he’s got new toys to play with!

Choosing a Bird Cage – Size Does Matter

Having a pet bird certainly provides a great deal of enjoyment in our daily lives. Listening to them chirp and sing is a lot of fun for those who love birds. Along with having a pet bird comes the need in having a good quality bird cage.

While you will find all types of bird cages made from everything from plastic to bamboo, the most important aspect will always be having the right size of cage for your pet bird. Here are some tips to help in selecting the best bird cage.

1. Where will you keep the bird cage?

Knowing where you will be keeping the cage in your home will help in knowing how big it should be. You shouldn’t keep it in direct sunlight throughout the day or right next to an ac/heating vent.

2. What size is your bird?

Knowing where your bird cage will be in your home will let you know how big it can be. Now you can select a pet bird. Parakeets, finches and canary’s can all be housed in smaller bird cages without concern over space.

Larger birds such as parrots will require much larger cages to have the extra room they need to move around.

Why is size so important? Birds do not like to be in small, restricted spaces. They become unhappy when they can not at least be able to spread their wings out and walk around. No different than how you would feel being cooped up.

3. Buy a good quality bird cage

Instead of cheap plastic, buy a good steel or wooden bird cage. Keep in mind that steel is much easier to maintain than wood, but both can provide durability and life.

Add some toys in the cage to let your bird play and have fun. Don’t forget perches and food trays.

Keep these tips in mind when purchasing your bird cage and you both will be very happy with the results.

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3 Most Popular Companion Birds Kept in Bird Cages

Birds make fabulous companions for the right people. They are dynamic, beautiful creatures. If you’re considering a companion bird then check out the 3 most popular companion birds below.

Parakeets

Parakeets are delicate, lovely birds that make great first birds for children and adults alike. They are very hardy and require less attention and maintenance than larger birds like Macaws. If you are diligent, you can train your parakeet to learn a few words, but in general these birds are more likely to whistle and sing their way through the day. If taken care of properly, parakeets can live until they are about 14 years old.

Finches

Finches are another very popular first bird. They are small creatures, rarely reaching over 5 inches in height. As a result, they require much less space and much less food than most other bird species. They love to move around and they thrive in small flocks of their own kind. If you love to watch birds playing in their bird cages, a finch may be perfect for you. Typically they live until they are about 10 years old.

Cockatiels

Cockatiels are medium-sized birds and they require a lot more from their owners than previous two bird species. They are incredibly intelligent and loving companions and they have the capacity for language. With practice and diligence you may be able to teach your cockatiel to speak, however they are often just content to whistle and mimic common household sounds such as a telephone. Cockatiels come in a variety of vibrant colors and they live until they are about 20 years old.

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