hello! This is Ana. just want to say thanks for being here to read this. I spent the past 2 1/2 months looking into bird care on if you want a pet bird even though I'll never get one until I move out because i'm bored. This information is not simply off of google. I made sure this is accurate. I read books and made sure what I was looking at was true. I have an in real life reference (thanks to one of my family members owning a bird.) I have a lot of information here so buckle up. we're going for a ride.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A CAGE THAT SHOULD NEVER BE PURCHASED FOR ANY BIRD. (unless you use it as a carrying case.)
1) ANY bird is very expensive. you may say "oh, they're only 25 bucks at the pet store, and the cages there are really cheap, too. the bird can fit. whats the deal? I can just save my money!" This mindset is very sad, but surprisingly common, bringing me to my next point.
2)Yes, a bird may be able to FIT in those small cages, but YOU can fit in a closet. YOU can fit in a car trunk. YOU can probably fit in a cabinet. That does not mean you will be comfortable. that does not mean you can move around. that does not mean you can sit on a soft million dollar gold leaf trim couch eating some fancy grapes. I know not everyone can afford a 200$ cage, but anything is better than the ones at Pet stores. I will have some pictures below on what are good bird cages. keep in mind that the spacing of the cage bars MATTERS. Birds can get their heads stuck is the bar spacing is too wide. Also a good, big cage just makes your bird happy witch makes them healthy witch makes them live longer lives. Sooo...
3)birds need toys! They need natural perches! a lot of cages come with straight smooth perches, called dowel perches. this is a BIG no-no. Dowel perches don't provide exercise, and they cause Bumblefoot (an infection in the feet of birds and small rodents)if used too much. Natural perches are perches that are...natural. They come from trees. is...is that natural enough for you? I'm saying "natural" way too much. Do your own research,(since there is a huge list) but most backyard tree branches are not safe for birds. its best to order online. there are also things like toys, (i'll go into some DIY's in a later post) swings, and other perches. I'll get into those now. You also want things like ladders and bridges, and flat perches, AKA platform perches. ladders and bridges encourage climbing, but watch out for rope perches. These are fine, as long as your bird doesn't chew on them. if they DO, the little threads can get stuck in their digestive systems and its not healthy. platform perches give your bird's feet some rest, since they wrap their feet around branches and ladders all day. AAANNNDDD I just noticed I already have a full paragraph so I'll make toys a part 4 of this post.
4)bird toys. Birds. need. toys. lots of them. they need foraging toys and shredding toys and swing toys.... list goes on. as I said before, I'll make a post on how to make some DIY's of each. Foraging toys are basically digging for a treat. (birds like budgies and cockatiels love millet spray. fun fact: millet spray is NOT a spray.) Shredding toys is exactly what it sounds like. but some of you out there are tired or having a bad day, so I'll save you the thinking. Shredding toys are toys that your birds tear to shreds with their beaks and feet. Swing toys, also exactly what it sounds like. its just a swing. that's...that's it. a swing. there's also the general plastic toys. I guess my point is birds need variety. Just whatever you do don't get those snuggle happy huts or mirror toys. Both are not healthy. your bird can get so obsessed with a mirror they think that the reflection is it's mate, and get upset when you take it away or they just cant get to the other side. also, those fuzzy happy huts...your bird can eat the fabric, and the coziness and darkness encourages eggs, also making them mad at you when the hut is taken away.
5) I'll also make a post all about bird diets later, but just to make sure you know in case this glitches or you just don't go see the other posts, DONT FEED YAH BIRBS A SEED DIET. Feed them pellets. seeds should be a treat.
we done? I hope we done. for this article at least. I spent a good 3 1/2 hours on this. Thanks for reading. Take care!
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