Which Bird Species?

[Jenna64]

Hi. I've been looking into getting birds. I've been doing a lot of research about which species would be best for me. It works best for me to keep the birds at my dad's house rather than my mom's. The thing is I'm only at my dad's house every other day. My dad would be home and the birds would be taken care of, but they would only be taken out of their cage four days a week, when I'm there. For this reason I'd like to get a pair of birds that can bond with eachother so they wouldn't need to be taken out of their cage every day.

My question is would a pair of bonded birds still want to socialize with me? I know bonded birds wouldn't be as affectionate with their owners as a single bird, but are there species that would still be enjoy being handled? Or is there a species of bird that is ok with being by itself most of the time? I'm new with birds so I'd like to get a spieces that is good with beginners.

Maybe my stituation just doesn't work with birds. But if anyone can answer my questions that would be great!

 

[Zara]

Hi Jenna,
I think good options are a pair of little birds; budgies, lovebirds or cockatiels. Each species is different, so you will have to see what suits you best.
For best chances of a relationship, either adopt a pair from a rescue, where you can interact with them and see how they are around you before you bring them home, or go to a breeder and get a pair of young chicks.
Those are just my thoughts, I´m sure others may have different thoughts too

Remember though, to have an interactive relationship, you must put the time and effort into it.
It is also highly important that they have a very large flight cage to compensate for not having daily out of cage time.

edit; Maybe even a pair of male finches may be another option, more hands off, but easier to buy a large cage for them.

 

[tka]

Something else to consider is the bird's lifespan. You sound pretty young and I'd guess that you're in your early to mid teens (please don't tell us your exact age on a public forum though).

Birds tend to live a long time for their size and it's important to take that into account. Budgies can live for 10 years and cockatiels can live for 15-20 years; you won't be a child then, and you probably won't be moving between your mum and dad's houses. In only a few years your life will change dramatically. Think about what the next 20 years of your life will look like, and ask yourself very seriously if you'll be able to provide for a pet through the instability of a young adult trying to establish themself in college, work, housing and relationships.

I don't know if you're considering college/university, but most college dorms don't allow pets at all. Many (but not all) rental leases also don't allow pets. Finding roommates who are responsible and who won't use teflon, candles or air fresheners is a challenge. University can mean long hours in labs or studying, and there are lots of evening activities. You may take up a new hobby - sports teams, clubs for different hobbies and interests, groups learning new skills or with common interests. You are (hopefully!) going to make friends and will want to socialise with them in the evenings. You may want to take inpromptu trips and weekends away. You may have a part-time job to support your studies, which will again cut down on the amount of time you can spend with your bird(s).

If you don't go to university, your job may require long hours, irregular shifts and/or travel. You also may be offered opportunities that are difficult to take up if you have a pet - for example, working abroad, moving between regions, or additional training.

Another issue to consider is money. You will need to see an avian specialist for any health issues as bird physiology is so different to that of mammals. This can be very expensive - we have members here who have spent thousands of dollars on a sick bird. It's heart-breaking for younger members whose parents won't take their bird to a vet, or who won't pay for treatment. You need to make sure that either you or one of your parents can afford this. If a parent is prepared to pay for veterinary treatment, they need to be fully informed of the costs involved.

The next decade or two of your life is going to involve lots of changes, many of which you may not be able to predict. You've got to think about what's fair on both you and a potential bird. It's not fair on a bird if you're unable to spend time with it or can't afford vet treatment. Equally, it's not fair on you to miss out on rewarding, enjoyable and/or valuable things or potential careers because you're responsible for a being with toddler level needs.

 

[Jenna64]

Thanks for the help! I'm leaning towards budgies. But I'm worried that if I get a pair of baby budgies, when they grow up they won't want to interact with people because they have eachother.

 

[SmallFeather]

If you aren't able to be around them everyday then I would for sure get a pair. If you really work on your relationship with them I think you could have an amazing bond with them both. It's better that they have each other and are happy then to have one that is lonely and desperate for human interaction. On the days you can't be with them would one of your parents be willing to take them out of cage and interact with them? Three days alone a week seems like an awful long time not to have time out of cage. I think several hours of daily out of cage time is essential for exercise, interaction, and to keep their minds active and engaged. Would it be possible for you to get two large cages, one for your mom's house and one for your dad's? That way you could bring them with you and interact with them everyday. Would love to hear others' thoughts and ideas on this.

 

[Yoshi&Raphi]

Do you think it would be possible to take them with you house to house? I’m sure if you got young birds they would adapt pretty well.

 

[Jenna64]

Do you think it would be possible to take them with you house to house? I’m sure if you got young birds they would adapt pretty well.

I'm not sure... It would be hard to move their cage back and forth. Maybe I could get two cages and keep one at my dad's house and one at my mom's and use a carrier for bringing them back and forth. Do you think the ajustment from one cage to another be hard on the birds?

 

[SmallFeather]

I think if you got younger birds that have trust in humans and kept a good routine, it wouldn't be too stressful once they got used to it. I do think it would help if you set the cages up similarly so isn't too big an environmental change. Again, would get opinions from more experienced bird owners before doing anything.

 

[Zara]

Maybe I could get two cages and keep one at my dad's house and one at my mom's and use a carrier for bringing them back and forth.

If you can do that, that is a great option
Just remember your mums house will need bird proofing just the same as your dads.

 

[JoJo&Loki]

I like this idea too. Pretty sure they’d rather be with you than not As everyone stated though- you will need to ensure both houses are bird proofed. As long as you get them young they should be able to adapt quite well- and may even like the “change of scenery”.

I am a little worried about the future though. Once they are used to you and being with you, hopefully with the upcoming changes in your life they’ll be able to continue to do so. Good luck to you and please keep us posted what you decide!

 

[SmallFeather]

@Jenna64 Where are you planning on getting your budgies from? Would you consider waiting until the right pair came into a rescue? Rescuing a bird is an incredible feeling and I highly recommend it, though you would most likely have to wait a bit until a pair that fits your circumstances came in. It might be worth considering!

 

[Jenna64]

I'll talk to my mom about keeping birds. I don't think she will like the idea that much, but it's worth a try.

Does anyone know if there is a cheap way of getting bird cages? I may need two and I'd like them to be as big as possible. I'm not in a hurry so I've been watching kijiji. Are there any other ways that you can think of?

I'd definatly consider adoption from the humane society! Our humane society doesn't get birds very often, but I'll watch to see if anything comes up.

 

[SmallFeather]

There is actually a thread called The Flea Market where people sell cages for great prices (unsure of how to link it, could someone help me out?). That might be worth a look. I just sold one of my large cages on there and it was a great experience for both the buyer and me. I ended up making a great new friend after it all!

 

[SmallFeather]

Petfinder and Adoptapet are also great rescue sites that you can find rescue birds in your area using.

 

[Jenna64]

Petfinder and Adoptapet are also great rescue sites that you can find rescue birds in your area using.

Thanks! I'll check those!

 

[Yoshi&Raphi]

I moved out of my parents house awhile ago but since I’m still close to them I visit with Yoshi (my bird) pretty frequently. I have a cage at both places and he isn’t phased at all.

 

[Jenna64]

I moved out of my parents house awhil ago but since I’m still close to them I visit with Yoshi (my bird) pretty frequently. I have a cage at both places and he isn’t phased at all.

Thanks, that is good to know! I'll keep an eye out for cages.

 

[Monica]

Are your parents fine with you getting birds? And taking care of them if you can't? This means daily feeding... not filling up the food dish whenever it appears empty. Seeds are not a healthy diet for these guys... nor is pellets alone... they need fresh foods such as vegetables and sprouts.

I've had my first cockatiel since I was in middle school. She is now 18 years old. A cockatiel has a potential lifespan of 35 years. Heck, even finches and canaries could live for 10-20+ years.

Some birds may be small, but their diet can be more complicated than a dog or cats and they can live a long time. They are also considered messy as food goes flying everywhere. These are things that need to be discussed with parents or whoever you are living with. Birds are noisy, too. Even the "quieter" species still make noise.