Birds Make Wonderful Pets

At Cari-Bird we know that birds make marvelous pets.  Pretty much everyone you know will have a dog or cat.  But not nearly as many people have a bird.

Where can you buy a bird?

Birds can be bought from a million places.  Some of the more common ones are the local pet shop, the newspaper, from members of bird clubs and as many others as you can think of.

How do you choose the right bird?

It is best if you can find someone who is experienced to help you in this big decision if you are not already experienced.  Many birds have special needs or special …uh…challenges you need to be prepared for.  And you want to make sure that you end up with a bird that you can live with for a long time.

For example…some little birds only live a few years and many of the medium sized parrots live 50 years or more.  We have a a red Lored Amazon parrot that we have had for over 30 years and he looks the same as the day we brought him home.  Some birds are much harder to handle.  You can get hurt.  Some are talkers and some are not.  That Red Lored Amazon of ours for example turns out to be a breed that doesn’t have a lot to say.  If you bought your bird to teach it to talk…a Red Lored is a poor choice.

Some make a HUUUUGE mess while others not as much.  OK actually most of the larger breeds do.  Some require VERY special care with feed and others will eat almost anything.  This is why you need an experienced friend to talk to about your purchase.  It is always recommended to read about the type of bird you want BEFORE you buy.

What would I recommend for a “first bird”?

I would probably recommend a budgie (parakeet) or a cockatiel.  Both make a very good first bird.  They are small, generally easy to care for and won’t lop a finger off!  Don’t get me wrong they can still bite!

But please understand many people go to the pet shop, see a Macaw bird which is one of the most beautiful large birds and fall in love.  They are full of personality.  But they can just bite your finger off and leave it on the floor!!  You better know your own abilities and the bird’s personality before dragging it home…ESPECIALLY when you have children in the home.

Macaws have jaws that can crack open a Brazil nut.  Just try to open one yourself.  I have personally witnessed a 1″ dowel rod bitten completely in half by our Cockatoo like in the picture above.  That will make you think when you stick your hand in the cage next time.  That Macaw never bit me but he could have removed a finger I am quite sure.

Don’t take this wrong.  Macaws and Cockatoos are both wonderful birds.  It is just that they require a knowledgeable owner and a smart purchase.  What would make a smart purchase?  Well for larger birds especially I would  recommend “hand raised babies”.  This means they were born in captivity and raised by people.  They grew up with humans so they are not as scared.  They think of people as a good thing usually.  They are more like big babies at this point.

Getting a wild caught parrot is certainly a lot less expensive than a hand raised baby.  But guess what?  You get what you pay for.  A wild caught parrot is just that…wild if it is not already had an owner for awhile.  A Wild bird needs a very patient person to train them and be their friend.  Not just anyone can do this.  Often, people come home with a medium to large sized parrot, get bit once or twice and become scared of the bird.  Hey it HURTS!  Again this is much less likely to happen with hand raised babies.

Another reason that you want expert advice is because you need advice on the care of your new pet too.  You need as large of a cage as practical both in size and cost.  It should be sturdy enough to withstand the type of bird you are going to put in it.  Again, a macaw can probably disassemble almost anything.

Our Cockatoo would swing by its beak from the top and kick the front door open.  We had to put a double latch on it.  We hung a bell in his cage and the striker wouldn’t stay in the bell an hour.  He would disassemble the bell like it was nothing.  Often people aren’t prepared for this.  We weren’t. J

You will need to learn about proper nutrition and health care.  Before you bring home a bird find an avian vet.  Not just any vet is trained in birds…I promise.  You need to find one that works with birds all the time.  They often participate in the local bird clubs.  That is where we met ours.

So before you buy a bird find a bird club in your area where you can pick up all kinds of free information.  Plus you can find future friends who are interested in the same things you are.

I hope this has been helpful.  Look around our site and check out our great bird cage bargains.  You will be glad you did.

Good luck on your new pet.