Are You Ready for a Pet Bird?

When most people think of pets, they think of dogs and cats. They rarely think about pet birds. Pet birds can be very loving pets, but you have to make sure you care for them properly. If you do not, soon you have a very miserable experience brewing for both you and the bird.

Pet birds are not like goldfish. If you are looking for a pet that simply looks pretty in a cage, most pet birds will
�not work for you.� In the wild cockatiels (like many birds) live in flocks. If you leave a cockatiel in a cage all day while you are at work, and then barely acknowledge its existence, you will have a very miserable bird. When you bring a pet bird into your family, you (and your family) are becoming its flock. Flock members provide companionship. Flock members do things together. When I get ready for work in the morning, my two cockatiels preen. When I sit down to eat, they eat. My two boys even wait for me to come home so they can eat with an audience. They call for me if I have been out of their sight for a long period of time (and I haven't told them I will be back soon). I am part of their flock. People who visit my house often are also part of their flock. Every time they come through the door, Batty and Beaker are happy to see them. This is healthy bird socialization.

Neglecting your pet bird can have many negative effects. Your bird will be miserable, and it will begin to show you how miserable it is through behavior problems. One common problem is screaming. The bird will shrilly scream for your attention. If you came running every time it screams, it will see this a mission accomplished. They screamed, and you came running. Soon this will become their way of getting your attention. They will scream when you leave the room. They will scream through out the day. These aren't normal bird vocalizations (which may include a scream here and there). These are loud, piercing, and a sign something has gone very wrong.

Batty in his new cage

Credit: Jennifer Hammitt

Copyright: Jennifer Hammitt