Anyone with birds as pets?

[Jolie C]

My family is considering getting some parakeets or finches (or ???), but I'd like to hear what it's like to own birds before we take the plunge and buy them. What can you tell me about having them as pets? Do they require a lot of time, energy, expense? I've done some research on my own, but any first hand knowledge would be appreciated!

 

[mommytotwo]

We have a sun conquer, a mynah bird, a bunch of lovebirds, and a bunch of cockatiels. We used to also have parakeets and finches.
I think one of the first things to consider is-if you travel and stay away for more then one night, it is not good to get a bird unless, you have someone that will take care of it for you or you can bring it along. The reason is because you will have to blow out the seed shells from the container-it's not like a dog to where they can just dig through their food.
It doesn't cost that much for a bird compared to a dog or cat. I think most of your spendings will be at the start when you first get your bird-a cage, the bird, food, containers, toys, millet spray, ....
If you get a younger bird, you will be able to train it to be tame and it will come on your finger, some birds are able to talk...

 

[VampHeartless]

Loud!!!!!

 

[LoraJ]

I have had parakeets and now I have a cockatiel. I highly recommend a cockatiel over a parakeet. They have so much more personality and are a lot hardier.

I have left my bird alone for a couple of days with no problems. I'll sometimes leave out an extra dish of food. He only eats when he is hungry so extra food in the cage isn't a problem.

But yes, he is very loud for a little thing. But I cover him at night and he doesn't make a peep until I uncover him in the morning (unless I sleep in after 10am).

Males tend to be more talkative, but also more aggressive. Females are sweeter, but after my last parakeet, I won't get another female. She died of egg binding. My friend's 'tiel died of the same thing.

The parakeets I have had, never really required much attention, but my 'tiel is very needy. He goes nuts whenever I leave the room so I end up bringing his cage in whatever room I will be in. So if you get one, I would suggest placing the cage in a room with a lot of activity. And when you leave the house, put the radio one so they have "company".

Cockatiels can live 10 - 20 years. Mine is about to turn 12. Parakeets have a shorter life span and I'm not too sure about finches.

I would also suggest getting a hand-tamed bird. and if you have it out of the cage, be very careful of the surroundings. I know people who have lost their birds in horrible accidents or being stepped on. Mine used to be out of the cage a lot until I had a roommate who would start boiling water and I wasn't aware and then his nails would get stuck in the carpet. Now I live alone again and have hard wood floors so he's getting out a little more.

They aren't that expensive to maintain. I think I spend $12 a month on his food and treats and he also likes to eat some people food like bread and pasta. Other birds like fruits but my bird doesn't like fruit at all. I use paper towels for the bottom of his cage.

Let us know what you decide.

 

[epcotfan]

I highly recommend a cockatiel over a parakeet. They have so much more personality and are a lot hardier.

I respectfully disagree. I had a parakeet (budgie) for 7 1/2 years that acted like a dog. This bird was very smart. I taught him to talk and he followed me around the house like a puppy. He even learned how to "stay" when I left the room and wanted him to sit on my bed. He loved people and was extremely affectionate. Loved giving kisses and liked to sit on my shoulder. I even took the bird to a friend's house for a play date with her budgie. He especially loved to play with toys.

Birds are wonderful pets that require a lot of care and attention. I only recommend getting one if you have a lot of time to spend on its care. Birds cannot be left alone for long periods of time. They get very lonely. I spent weeks hand taming my bird and it was worth every moment.

I recommend checking out this book:
CARING FOR YOUR PET BIRD
A 'how-to' approach for the owners of all types of cage birds.
By Dr. R Dean Axelson

This was written by my former vet and give excellent information on bird care.

 

[JESW]

I have 10 birds...3 (male) cockatiels and 7 (5 male and 2 female) parakeets that I house in 3 different cages. I LOVE my birds! I have them in a room above the garage (where I am now) and I do let them out. Now I don't let them out every day as I am trying to cut down on the mess (think of the windows..). So today they are doing everything they can (calling to me (whistle), climbing up and down the cage, banging dishes) to get my attention to let them out.

Five of the budgies are hand-tamed and will come out of the cage on a finger, but they would MUCH rather be with their flock than me. Two of the 'tiels are hand-tamed and I am working on the third. I call them my boys and they LOVE to walk around on my shoulders. They also love to come for head-scratchies and will bite the other one if he thinks he is getting more than him - just like my kids!

What type of bird you get depends on what you want to do with them. I always think of finches as being more like the wild birds and they get left in cages - not sure if they can be tamed (????). If you buy more than one it is tougher to tame them but it can be done. Birds are LOUD! Mine start making noise when the sun comes up - and that can be very early some mornings. They also have a pattern of activity and since I have so many they tend to act like a flock - when one cleans several of them clean - the same with eating, flying and sleeping.

If you are just going to keep your bird in a cage please consider getting more than one so they won't be lonely. Watch them in the store and see which two get along. Cages need to be cleaned and water needs to be changed whenever messy. Food can be bought in bulk but freeze it first to kill any bugs left inside. I also give my birds treats (different seed sticks found at the pet store), millet (they would sell their souls for millet..), salad and different veggies and fruit. All part of my daily routine.

Good luck with your choosing.....let us know what you decide.

Jill.....who always needs to check for bird poop on my shoulders before I go out..

 

[Disney_1derland]

There are a few other considerations...Birds add to the dust level in the house. Small ones not as much as large ones, but still, they do. This can be troublesome for people with dust allergies. If you are interested in them as a pet to play with rather than look at then you will definitely want to spend the extra money to have them be hand-raised. Also, if you are interested in them as touchable/playable pets it is better to only have one per cage. If they are in the same cage together and see each other all the time then they are going to prefer each other over you.

My experience lies in larger birds (I had an african grey) but have worked with all types of birds. If you just want them to look at then finches are fine if you want a petable/playable bird you'd at least want a parakeet, maybe even a cockatiel.

Also, we find the birds to be a lot less messy if they are on a pelleted diet. A pelleted diet is a complete healthy diet for birds whereas seed is only a partial diet. So, if you get a bird that a commercial pelleted diet is made for I would suggest that and if you are getting them hand-raised then I would suggest having the person who hand-raises them NEVER start them on seed (it's like birdy crack!) and start them straight onto the pelleted diet. It's hard to convert them sometimes if they are already used to seed.

Good Luck!

 

[Disney Doll]

My BIL had an Amazon parrot that died from a lack of Vitmain A in his diet.

Birds have some different health care needs than other pets, so make sure you find a vet that has a knowledge of birds and what they need.

 

[Jolie C]

Thanks for the replies everyone! In response to a couple of comments... I live with a 5 year old boy and a dog, so I'm used to loudness. I'm at home much of the time, so it wouldn't be a problem to give attention to the bird. We had planned on getting two, so they would keep each other company, but after hearing everyone's thoughts, we will need to decide whether we want one or two, and which variety of bird we should get.

One other question.... Do they smell or make your house smell at all? Thanks again for the replies!!

 

[Margie J]

As for smell, it depends on how many birds you have and the frequency of the cage cleaning. There is a faint odor but nothing like a litter box for example.

At one time I had 13 parakeets. Two pairs mated and a flock was formed quickly. Each bird had a different personality. Some were quiet and watchful (the older males), some were nasty, one was a non-stop talker to anyone or anything that would listen to his daily rants. All were lively and terrific pets. A few lived to be 15+ years old.

They can be messy. Be prepared for seed shells on the floor and poops flung on the wall. They need fresh water at least daily. Keep them out of drafts or cold temperatures (they are tropical creatures and catch deadly colds quickly). Also, keep other pets away if you can.

Parakeets don't cost much to maintain. I used to buy basic seed plus a few special mixes (color tone, fruit treat, oats, etc.). They loved seed trees too. Buy a few toys such as a ladder, mirrors, balls, swings, etc.

One thing all my birds loved was a bare tree branch in the cage. They all used this to climb onto at night to sleep. It must have been a natural instinct to climb "into the tree".

 

[Disney_1derland]

Thanks for the replies everyone! In response to a couple of comments... I live with a 5 year old boy and a dog, so I'm used to loudness. I'm at home much of the time, so it wouldn't be a problem to give attention to the bird. We had planned on getting two, so they would keep each other company, but after hearing everyone's thoughts, we will need to decide whether we want one or two, and which variety of bird we should get.

One other question.... Do they smell or make your house smell at all? Thanks again for the replies!!

The only smell we ever had problems with was if we fed the bird anything fresh that he then dropped particles of which would go bad in the bottom of the cage. We cleaned cage paper about twice a week but if we fed fresh we changed the day we fed him fresh food. As for actual smell from the bird, we never noticed any, friends who have smaller birds change their cages once a week and I've never noticed a smell.

 

[Jolie C]

We are leaning toward parakeets, since they seem to be easier to care for and would make good "starter birds" for novices like us. Is it better to put their cage in an active place or a quiet place? Do the birds get nervous if I needed to move their cage from one place to another?

I'm getting so much great information from here! Thanks!

 

[Margie J]

We are leaning toward parakeets, since they seem to be easier to care for and would make good "starter birds" for novices like us. Is it better to put their cage in an active place or a quiet place? Do the birds get nervous if I needed to move their cage from one place to another?

I'm getting so much great information from here! Thanks!

You might want to start out with a quiet place until the bird(s) get used to the new environment. It could take a few days for them to settle down and explore their cage and you.

Our cages were always in the living room where the birds could see us. They also loved TV. A few times we had to either move the cages or cover them if the birds got too loud during a show.

Some birds can get nervous if their cage is moved but sometimes it's necessary. Do move the cage if you need to vacuum near it. The noise of the vacuum is more disturbing than the moving.

Another thing about cleaning .... don't use air freshener sprays or other chemicals near the bird. It can be toxic and may even kill them. I used to even avoid using any detergent on their water or seed cups. A simple rinse with hot water is enough.

 

[Jolie C]

Thanks for the information about moving the cage around, Margie J! About the cleaning chemicals... I've heard about toxic fumes from teflon pans and from scented candles, but what about cleaner for things like mopping the floor, cleaning the windows, etc? Would I need to move the birds to a separate room and close the door until I can't smell the cleaners anymore? Thanks so much for the advice, everyone!

 

[monkeyboy]

Get a turkey.

and if they don't work out......

 

[Jolie C]

Get a turkey.

and if they don't work out......

How about a chicken instead, since we just had turkey...

You aren't supposed to be reading this thread, mb. You're going to spoil your Christmas surprise.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

At various times I have owned a cockatiel (well my Mom owned the cockatiel), a canary, and lots of finches.

The canary was a very fussy pet. His cage had to be kept impeccably clean, and the room temperature and humidity couldn't ever vary or he would get stressed and every single feather on his head would fall out. I'm not kidding - he would go completely bald. We also had problems with his nails .. I had to learn how to clip them and keep them very short. He would scratch himself and get infected. In short, my Vet spent ALOT of time training me in bird care. He was a nice singer though. I would let him out of his cage and he loved to perch in our fake tree. I was really sad when he died. DH offerred to replace him, but after consideration I decided that I just didn't want to take on the care of another bird.

If I was going to own another bird though, I think I would go with the cockatiel. The one we had just seemed easier. She accepted people much better, she loved to ride on shoulders. And we never had the health problems with her.

 

[monkeyboy]

You aren't supposed to be reading this thread, mb. You're going to spoil your Christmas surprise.

 

[minniepumpernickel]

I'm a bird person, and yes they do require a lot of care and attention. I have owned finches, parakeets, and even a golden crowned parrot at one time. My birds tended to like the southern climate a bit better. They don't do as well in drafty, cool rooms. I f you want to teach a bird to talk (parakeet or parrot) you have to start with a young bird, and spend a lot of time with it. They also tend to spit seeds and get a bit messy. So frrequent cage changing (cleaning and vacuuming is a must. It's also important to keep the water and food clean and fresh.

I had a bird that somehow got worms. It was really yucky, little tiny worms. So if you are squeamish, you may have to deal with things like that, LOl!

Good luck!

 

[monkeyboy]

The only thing I know about birds is when people flip them to me while driving