7 Simple Ways to Keep Your Pet Bird Happy

While they may not be as common across Canada as dogs and cats, birds can make incredibly entertaining and affectionate pets.

While their true intelligence varies depending on species, some types of parrot are even believed to have the emotional complexity of a 5-year-old child, a testament to their intelligence.

So much for the old saying of being ‘bird-brained!’

Your bird is a member of your family, and you want to do everything in your power to keep him/her happy and healthy.

While the needs of a bird are not overly complex, a lack of knowledge results in many bird owners overlooking some of the most simple and yet important needs for their pet.

By taking the time to educate and familiarize yourself with their basic needs you can take steps to prevent depression, boredom, and other unwanted, negative side effects.

Here Are 7 Simple, Yet Important Considerations to Keep Your Pet Bird Happy:

#1 – Grooming

The ability to maintain proper grooming is incredibly important for your bird’s overall well-being, encouraging optimal condition of their feathers and skin.

Grooming includes providing your bird with the opportunity for regular bathing as well as trimming its wings and nails and filing its beak as needed.

If you are unfamiliar with these processes, speak with a qualified avian veterinarian to learn the correct methods.

You will get to know your bird and what they prefer for the process of bathing.

This may mean turning on the faucet to allow them to play in the water, misting your bird with a clean spray bottle of water or providing them with a shallow dish of water to bathe in similar to an outdoor birdbath.

#2 – Pay Attention to Dietary Needs

The food that your bird eats on a daily basis plays a large roll in your bird’s health.

Select a high-quality feed that is nutritionally balanced. This should account for everything that your bird requires on a daily basis so that any foods you provide above and beyond the ‘base’ food are considered snacks.

Offer your bird a full bowl in the morning, and don’t be afraid to add more in the evening if you notice the bowl is now empty.

Remember, smaller birds have an incredibly fast metabolism and need to be able to eat all day long.

For snacks, provide fresh fruits and vegetables including apple, banana, broccoli, leafy greens, peppers and cooked beans (not raw).

#3 – Maintain Ideal Temperatures

In order to ensure that your bird is in a safe and comfortable environment, you should not only pay attention to the physical enclosure but also the temperatures that it is subjected to.

Your bird needs you to protect them from the heat of the sun in the summer and the cold in the winter.

During summer months make sure that there is plenty of clean, fresh, cool water and shady areas to escape the heat of the sun.

If your bird’s enclosure is impacted by the colder temperatures in the winter, consider a warming perch or ceramic heater. Many birds also enjoy snuggling up in soft fabric to maintain their body temperature.

#4 – Plenty of Exercise

When birds are kept in captivity they often suffer from a lack of exercise.

In the wild they are required to flee potential predators and forage for their own food, keeping them physically active.

To ensure that your bird is in good condition and happy with its living situation, ensure that it is getting plenty of activity including physically challenging toys and time outside of its cage playing games.

#5 – Socialization is Key

In the wild birds are naturally socialized with the members of their flock, the others who will provide them with the necessary lessons that they need to be happy and healthy including both their social and survival skills.

If you are bringing a bird into your home, remember that you are all that they have (unless you provide them with a companion, which is a great step to take to reduce the possibility of loneliness).

Plan to spend a minimum of 3-4 hours each day playing with your bird and handling your bird if you want to ensure that it is happy, healthy and well adjusted.

#6 – Provide Stimulating and Engaging Toys

Between family commitments, social lives and hectic work schedules, there will be times that you can’t be home to be the primary source of entertainment for your bird.

There are, however, steps that you can take to keep your bird entertained and mentally stimulated while you aren’t home.

When considering the best toys for your bird, remember that they are similar to toddlers in the way that they think – they are attracted to new, exciting toys and quickly become bored.

Try to establish a collection of toys offering different colours, textures, sizes, sounds, challenges, and tastes, and rotate the toys that are available to them on a weekly basis.

#7 – Provide Access to Sunlight

Much like with humans, birds need vitamin D for optimal bone health. The best source of vitamin D is exposure to UVA and UVB rays either from full-spectrum lighting or direct sunlight.

If you are able to provide an outside enclosure for your pet, this would be the ideal situation allowing for the sunlight they require and fresh air.

If, however, this isn’t possible, experts suggest you look into specific lighting systems designed to provide your bird with similar health benefits.

If you are using an outside enclosure, be sure to check it over regularly to ensure that your bird is safely contained.