Keeping Birds As Pets

Keeping Birds as Pets: Responsible Ownership of Pet Birds

More and more Americans are deciding to keep birds as pets every day, but unfortunately, not all of these owners are as responsible as they could (or should) be. Many people think that keeping birds as pets is about buying a bird, sticking it in a cage, feeding them when necessary and maybe changing their paper when possible. Throw in a few great bird toys and you have a happy, healthy pet bird, right? Wrong. Keeping birds as pets is a huge responsibility, and those who are interested in acquiring a companion bird of their own should definitely consider what a giant responsibility it is they are undertaking before possibly getting into something they are unable to handle.

Before deciding that you want to keep birds as pets, there are a few things that you should take into consideration before doing so. If all of these things are okay with you, perhaps keeping birds as pets is the type of thing you should look into; if not, maybe you should consider a different type of pet.

Consider the Cost

When you are thinking about keeping birds as pets, consider the cost. If you want a nice, big exotic bird you are going to have to factor in a substantial purchase or adoption fee. And then there are other things that require purchase, such as the cost of supplies. Depending on the bird you get, you may or may not need a big extravagant cage; the larger the cage is, the more it is going to cost you.

Birds also require food, so the larger the bird you get the more food you are going to have to feed it. The more food you feed it, the faster it goes and the more you spend on feeding your bird. Is it starting to sound expensive already? We thought so. The same goes with toys and maintenance of the cage and its environment.

Then, consider the unforeseen costs. Veterinarians don't normally see exotic birds so you might have to go to an avian specialist. Enough said. Can you see the dollar signs adding up?

Consider the Time

If you don't have enough time to take a nap, chances are that you do not have enough time to care for a pet bird. People think that keeping birds as pets is a better alternative to a dog because they don't require attention, but that is quite to the contrary. Unless you want an ornery bird on your hands, handling them and playing with them as much as possible is an extremely important facet of pet bird ownership.

Consider the Space

Many people also make the mistake of thinking that keeping birds as pets is great because they don't have much space. Depending on the type of bird you get, they may need a rather large cage that would call for some people to move out a well loved cabinet or shelf in their home. Many birds also require the freedom to fly around sometimes, so if you don't have that space you may not want to think about birds as pets.

Consider the fact that keeping birds as pets is not all it is cracked up to be. On the other hand, birds are real characters that can bring a lot of color and joy into your life, and if you treat them and feed them right you can have a friend for life. Birds live a long time, so they are a long term commitment that many people should stop to think about before they jump right in.