#budgie cage information

[is-the-cockatiel-video-cute]

Hi all! I'm Shiloh (he/him), an autistic person with a special interest in cockatiels. I've seen blogs such as @is-the-parrot-video-cute or @is-the-parrot-vid-cute and thought I'd make one specifically for tiels! I might answer the occasional budgie ask but thats not what I'm here for. My fandom/main blog is @lord-have-mercer. My pfp is my two tiels, Pocket Molly Bird and Jester Milo Bird

I will: answer asks, reblog popular tiel posts, accept genuine criticism on things i've gotten wrong (i know a lot but i'm not perfect!)

I will not: debate wing clipping (its bad unless for medical reasons. argue with the wall), provide insight on birds besides cockatiels and the occasional budgie, argue with people who are rude about disagreeing with me

I may: reblog pictures of cockatiels you send me, even if i'm not evaluating them, reblog parrot/tiel related memes

Ratings meaning

CUTE: this is a happy looking cockatiel in a safe situation

NOT CUTE: this tiel is in a dangerous situation or looks distressed, or the persons care is lacking (tiny cage, dangerous toys, predator/prey interactions, etc)

UNCLEAR: there is just not enough information in this video to be sure if the bird is safe or not

CUTE, BUT: the video is fine but theres something to be wary of (an unsafe bell in the cage, a bird in an area that could trigger mating behaviors, etc)

[pennaraptor]

Do you have advice for adopting a friend for a blue crown conure that’s very aggressive towards other birds? He’s very possessive of me and family where he used to get extremely jealous of my old budgies, to the point of where he would absolutely kill them if left near them. I want to adopt him a friend but I’m afraid of having to return parrots in case he hates them. How do you normally test for this?

i dont personally have experience working with aggressive birds, but ultimately in this scenario it may be better just to not get another bird, unless you will always be able to have the two out of the cage separately. there are ways to go about introducing new birds to each other to minimize possible aggression, but without knowing the causes behind his behavior it's impossible to be sure how he might react. Here's a video on introducing birds to each other from a channel and blog (flock-talk on tumblr) that both have a lot of excellent training and general parrot information.

[system-of-a-feather]

when u wrote "We will judge you if you buy a bred parrot for any reason other than saving it" i dont really understand why its bad to buy bred parrots so can u please explain? i've had cockteils in the past and want to be informed. /gen /neu

So parrots as a whole are arguably some of the largest victims of the pet trade imo but also some of the pets with the least amount of like... publicity to let people know how bad and extensive it is. Like on a first level, there is all the poaching going on in places the parrots are native to which is HORRIBLE for 5000 reasons (just watch Rio for a general idea though), but the second layer is that there are massive breeding mills that are absolutely horrible for parrots.

This is particularly so because parrots are "highly profitable" and ones like cockatiels and budgies specifically are parrots that have a high demand and they can breed a lot, very frequently and with "little care" if you dont - ya know, care for their welfare like most breeding mills do.

So if you are getting a bird from a swap meet or somewhere where there are like 20 birds in a cage outdoors being sold by someone who doesn't have an independent shop, those birds are probably being mass bred, back to back, with little concern for inbreeding or welfare.

Like, our mom is of the mindset that "all bird pairs should get the chance to breed once" which I have some gripes with, but nothing enough to be loud about it since I know and have always overwatched how the chicks we did raise were handled and reared + personally gave extensive care and diligence to both parents + was very selective with who got to take them home; but cockatiels themselves tend to have clutches of 2-5 and can be sold in about a month or two depending on how shit your ethics are. Then they can immediately start another clutch if they wanted to right after. Repeated clutches especially with low calcium (which is common if you dont give a shit about birds like breeder mills do) which can be horrifically fatal to cockatiels and result in egg bounding which is honestly a horrible way for a hen to die and unfortunately common for those that don't keep an eye on their hens and provide regular calcium to their diet.

So if you are getting a bird that was bred by someone that has a lot of birds suspiciously and especially if they aren't socialized, you are probably getting a product from there. I've seen it personally and two of the birds we got were from those but only because they were genetically fucked up and essentially disabled and biologically morphed to the point the sellers put them under the table so that wandering potential customers didn't have to look at it. I'm pretty sure he was inbred as hell because he had a relatively rare mutation, and in those cases where there is a bird that is going to be high maintence and care need that you CAN provide, you should absolutely avoid supporting these and people who see no problem with it, I either intend to educate or they disgust me if they already know

Then there are the more professional private breeders that tend to do banding and have hyper socialized birds, which I have less of an issue with but I am judgey on this is largely because there is an extreme "housing crisis" for parrots where due to them being factually HORRIBLE pets and people not knowing that before getting them + their incredibly long live + just how high maintence they are and how easy it is to "accidentally abuse them" there are A LOT of parrots out there that need a home, that have owners that are trying to find their bird a home, and if you get a bird that is professionally and ethically bred - you are taking a bird that already technically has a decent owner already.

If you just want a "really cute and friendly very sociable bird to go out with" fair enough I guess, but its kinda part of the problem and honestly, there are SO many parrots that need a forever home that have had absolute shit luck for months, to years, to DECADES due to their life span. Getting one from a professional breeder - while good and all - is kind of communicating that you are more interested in having a pet (to which I would say, if that is the case, get a zebra finches, a canary, a pigeon, a cat, a dog, an actual domesticated pet if you want a pet) rather than having the proper understanding of what it means to own a parrot which means to own a wild animal.

Parrots should NOT be pets. Parrots should not be perceived as pets. No one should WANT a parrot as a pet. Every good parrot owner will advise you against having a parrot as a pet. Approaching parrot ownership with the mentality of it being a pet is a very dangerous thing to do and frequently what leads to a lot of "accidental abuse"

I could honestly write a doctoral thesis (who knows I literally might) on the various complexities an issues regarding parrot welfare, the parrot trade, and the crises parrots are facing but like, thats the jest of it.

The only reason owning a parrot is okay is because we have fucked up such a large portion of parrots to the point they can't live in the wild so the only option is to keep them as pets. As a result, owning a parrot should be seen as owning a wild animal and should be handled similarly.

It isn't a hill I will die on, and so as long as you aren't abusing parrots and own up to the problematic role you play when you buy from a breeder, Ill just sneer a bit and judge but its one of those things where I just give a defeated sigh cause I know not everyone can care about these guys as much as I do and as long as the bird is being cared for, I'm just happy there is >A< happy bird.

TLDR Breeder mills are way too common and horrible and if not breeder mills then basically #adopt-don't-shop

[dreamsdrake]

Hi hi!!!

I recently rescued a little budgie buddy who was dangerously close to my aunt’s dogs. They are very young and require many resources like a proper cage, feed, enrichment, and such (+ I’ve noticed a bit of blood on their nose in addition to plucked tail feathers so I may have to get a vet appointment ASAP). They currently reside in a inadequate cage because of the fact that it was suddenly sprung up on me, so in light of this I’ve opened up all my commission types with a **50% discount** on *everything* with *unlimited slots*.

(Do note that my commissions will take long due to the fact that I am caring for them and such)

All commission info is found here without discounts, but I will provide the proper pricing once I am contacted. Donations and information on bird & budgie care are greatly appreciated.

(Pictures of the little dude :))

[horatioandalice]

Hi! I'm looking into getting a pet bird but all the cages that I've found look cramped. Oh and I'm planning a pair of budgies. I noticed that you have what looks like a nice one. Would you mind my asking where you got it? Or just like recommendations in general?

Thank you so much in advance! I just want a big cage for my future feather babies

Hello! Unfortunately I don't think that they make the kind of cage my budgies have anymore T_T It's a Vision L02, which I can't find anywhere now. There is a Vision L12, but the bar spacing on that one is too wide for budgies (the bars on the L12 are almost an inch apart, and for budgies no more than half an inch is recommended). Fortunately, when it comes to cages, there are a lot more options than there used to be when I first got my birds (almost 10 years ago now)!

Generally speaking, the larger the cage, the better, even for a couple of small birds like budgies. Usually anything that is marketed as a "parakeet cage" or a "budgie cage" is going to be way too small for actual budgies to be happy and healthy in. I've had a lot of luck searching "flight cages" or "finch flight cages"--ideally, you really want your birds to have some room to fly around in their cages. For this reason, it's generally also considered best to get a cage that's wide and short than one that's tall and skinny (since birds need lateral space in order to take off), but these can be hard to find. Fortunately, a lot of flight cages are big enough that it doesn't matter that they tend to be taller than they are wide! I had this exact one for Spencer for many years before it finally fell apart (it was disassembled for moving purposes and reassembled one too many times), and it would be PLENTY big for two budgies!

You can get some pretty reasonably priced ones at Amazon (although be aware that the quality can vary widely, so it's wise to read the reviews first!), but I have also found really good deals looking at the online clearance section at pet stores' websites! I got Spencer's current flight cage (which is DEFINITELY big enough for two budgies) on sale on a big chain pet store's website for around US$250, which is extraordinarily cheap for a cage of its quality and size! If there's a parrot rescue near you, you might also check and see if they ever have cage sales--when I lived in a U. S. state (Colorado) that has a big parrot rescue (The Gabriel Foundation), they would sometimes fundraise by selling their spare cages at good prices. Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist (does anyone other than me still use Craigslist, lol) can also be good places to look but make sure the cage is in good condition before you buy it--a lot of people use these methods to try to unload cages that are damaged or no longer suitable for housing birds (e. g., they're rusty or bent or the bars are made of uncoated, potentially toxic, metal, etc.).

I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any questions, and thank you so much for doing your research before getting birds! <3 It really makes a huge difference for their quality of life!

[hunterkat]

Alright y’all. Let’s talk cage sizes.

Most people seem to keep budgies/parakeets in a cage this size. Banana for scale.

Prevue Hendryx cage, forget the exact model.

This cage isn’t even big enough for one bird of any species. Yeah, that’s right, you heard me. ANY. Species. This cage is 14” L x 11” W x 16” H. The minimum for a budgie is 18”x18”x18”, and as far as I know, this is the minimim for most bird species, though I may be mistaken on the exact numbers. Either way the minimum is bigger than this.

This was the LARGEST small cage I could find to use as a travel cage when I had to take Niko back and forth. It’s still my travel cage. I would never subject a single bird to more than a few days in this cage, and the one time I did was with Tetra, when I had no other choice and didn’t even know I was going to be keeping her. Moral of the story though is that this size cage is way too small to be keeping any birds in for prolonged periods of time. It might work as a quarantine or travel cage, which is what I use it for.

Alright now for two budgies, this cage is the minimum required. 30” L x 18” W x 18” H. Banana for scale again.

Prevue Hendryx Flight Cage.

“But hunterkat!” I hear you saying. “That cage is huge! I’ve seen many people keep two budgies in a smaller cage!”

Well I hate to break it to you, but this is the minimum size for two budgies. Minimum. This is my new travel cage for longer trips when I’ll have to stay overnight with both birds. And I still think it’s far too small for an actual “this is what my birds live in” cage, but with lots of out of cage time this would be fine.

Moving on to what I consider a pretty good size for two budgies, or maybe one cockatiel or conure. My current cage for my two budgies. This cage is 32” L x 18” W x 36” H. Banana and two small angry budgie children for scale.

Pali Place Flight Bird Cage

This size is great. Wouldn’t consider keeping more than one cockatiel/conure sized bird or more than two budgie sized birds in it though.

Other great and affordable cages if you have the room:

Prevue Hendryx F040. My brother has this as a mansion for his single cockatiel and she loves it. Would easily fit a pair of them though.

Prevue Hendryx F050. Bigger version of the F040. Would easily hold several smaller birds, but don’t overcrowd it!

Feel free to add any others, but I really wanted to showcase what that minimum for two budgies actually looks like. Also keep in mind I’m only talking about small birds because that’s what I have, I would love to hear what cages would work for larger birds!

[confusedlamp]

PSA: Do your research before adopting a parrot! (Please read if you are considering adopting a parrot or if you did adopt one and want to check if you have thought of everything).

Parrots are highly intelligent and have many many specific needs. While this is true of many pets, we culturally know a lot more about dogs and cats. Most people hopefully realize that a dog will need space to play, will possibly bark, need toys, etc. The number of people I see who don't even know to provide toys for birds is disheartening. I say this not to discourage you from adopting a parrot, or even shame you if you adopted a parrot without knowing what you didn't know.

Many species of parrots live for 40 to 60 years, and sometimes longer. This means if you decide to get a a baby parrot, they will be with you for the majority of your life. Are you prepared for that? It's not uncommon for longer lived parrots to go through multiple homes within their lifetime, simply due to the fact an owner became too old to care for them. Have you considered adopting an older parrot?

Parrots aren't domesticated in the same way cats and dogs are. Cats and dogs have evolved from their wild counterparts to exist along side humans. The parrots we keep in our homes are the same as the species you would see in the Australian outback or in the jungle in Brazil. This means they have a lot of wild animal tendencies. They might get nervous and bite when in a new situation. While not impossible to keep parrots in a house with small children, are you prepared to monitor your kids around them? Do you know how to interact with a parrot to not frighten them? They are a prey species, unlike cats and dogs.

Parrots need a ton of enrichment. A space to fly. Toys. Food puzzles. Things to pull apart. Lots of interaction. This includes smaller birds like budgies. Do you know what that species of parrot tends to like and do you have the time and money to provide that? A lot of parrots really like music and will even dance around to it.

How about cage sizes? So many people fail to provide adequate size cages to their parrots or have cages with improper bar size/ spacing. Generally, I haven't seen good cages at large chain pet stores. Do you know what a good cage looks like, where to get one, how much those cost, and where you would put the cage in your home?

Do you have other pets? Even calm cats and dogs shouldn't be close to parrots. Dog saliva can be a health hazard for them and an accidental cat scratch can be lethal. While it is possible to keep both safely in the same house, the number of times I see videos of a parrot near the nose of a golden retriever it's disturbing. People seem to genuinely not realize.(Dogs lick as a sign of affection and I have recieved a scratch from a startled cat who was normally very gentle, so yes this applies to sweet cats/ dogs).

And then there's the basics like food! You can't feed an African Gray nothing but seeds. Do you know where to get a good pellet feed for your bird? A lot species love fruits and vegetables and actually thrive off of eating a variety of food. Do you know about maintaining a varied diet for your bird? What foods are good for them and what foods could cause them harm?

And vetinary care! Vet bills can get expensive. Do you know a vet that often cares for parrots? Have you looked for an avian vet? Are you prepared for that cost?

And if you haven't yet adopted a parrot: Find a parrot rescue, or if you insist on getting a baby, try for a reputable breeder who specializes in that specific species. Seriously. Many people know about puppy mills and to "Adopt. Don't shop" when it comes to cats and dogs. But they don't question where those macaws came from at their local chain pet store. Additionally, rescues can help provide you with good information, seminars, advice, and sometimes even cages for your bird.

A good one I know of is Phoenix Landing that operates out of NC:

They are even having online seminars now!

[warm-starlight]

HELLO COCKATIELS ARE MY FAVORITE BIRB PLZ TELL ME MORE ABOUT YOURS THANK. ❤

Hello! I will gladly talk about my birbs to Anyone who's interested.

So i work in a pet shop near my home and unfortunately they Do sell small pets (rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, budgies and cockatiels). Now before anyone jumps my throat, i KNOW how wrong this business is and how these animals come from unreliable breeders... However we can not change the system, but what we can do is make sure these animals find the best homes they can find. We always inform every person interested in buying them how to properly care for them and what needs of theirs have to be met for them to live long and fulfilling lives. We try to make sure they are healthy and have proper diets while they are staying in our shop. We use our own money to get them supplements and fresh fruits and veggies as they need them.

So now about my birds:

Max was the first one i got in summer 2020. He looked very scruffy when he arrived to the shop, he was about 6 months old. Here is he in the shop.

While i was on my vacation i was already considering getting a bird. When i came back, i saw him and immediately fell in love. I brought him home a few days later. I got him a large cage, natural perches, quality food, lots of toys and started working on getting him to trust me.

It took me two weeks to get him to eat from my hand and another two to get him to step up. He still hates hands but he does climb on my shoulder and eats treats that i give him.

Here he is now, 9 months later.

He is a true extrovert and loves posing haha

Max lived alone for 3 months before i felt that one birb just doesn't feel right, however i was waiting for the right one to appear. Then one day Fox arrived to the shop. As i was taking him out of his travel box, he escaped and had us chase him around the shop for Hours. Haha. He is so witty.

I brought him home the next day and bought him a large cage as i read they need to be kept separately for a while before they can spend time together, however the next day Fox escaped and moved into Max's cage. They didn't fight, so i thought what the heck. Let them live together. And so, Fox has been with us for 5 months now. He is the opposite of Max, more reserved and introverted. However he no longer escapes when i approach the cage. He has just recently started exploring the top of the cage.

Fox doesn't like much to be photographed so all pictures i have of him are when he is hanging around with Max

Oh here is one of him when he was on top of my closet doing a menace haha

They aren't bonded as a pair, but they do like hanging out together. They sing in turns and immitate each other perfectly, so i have to look at them to know which one is singing.

I love them both with all my heart. 🥰🥰🥰

[pudgtiel]

Reasons to not get a bird/parrot for anyone considering one! (I was asked for information)

Birds live upwards of 20 years. Budgies (parakeets) and cockatiels who are usually considered “starter birds” can live to be 25!

Birds need large cages and lots of time outside of the cage. Imagine if you were confined to one small room your whole life and never let out.

Birds don’t eat seeds only. It’s a common misconception that birds can eat seeds their whole life and be healthy. They need proper pellets, and lots of fruit and veggies.

Birds SCREAM. Even my budgie makes my family upset when they visit and he’s not even comparable to a larger bird. Google videos of Cockatoos screaming. I dare you. Imagine that every day for the next 80 years for hours at a time.

Birds are extremely messy. I have to do a thorough cleaning of my bird’s area every week, and spot clean every day. There’s feathers, thrown food, poop, and bits of shredded toy.

Birds are extremely destructive. Even a budgie can chew through your nice windowsill!

It’s very hard to tell when a bird’s sick unless you have experience. Even then it can be very difficult. I’ve personally lost birds by not realizing until it was too late. Once you notice something is wrong it’s often too late.

You’re basically adopting a forever two year old. They have bad days and will scream and bite, some will throw tantrums. They get hormonal and their moods are ridiculous.

There’s absolutely no guarantee your bird will like you! You may get stuck with an aggressive, screaming ball of feathers!

Parrots are not domesticated, with the exception of some budgie varieties. Birds like pigeons and chickens are. They are much more likely to do well in captivity and naturally enjoy human attention more so than parrots.

This is all I can think of right now, feel free to add anything if you can think of it!

[legendary-cucumberdragon]

Pet as gifts? - Please not!

This post is not just for christmas, it is about pets as gifts in general

We see many videos in the internet with people who have different kinds of pets. Some can do great tricks and are very smart, others are funny to watch or very cute.

And after watching all these videos or seeing these pictures, we think "This pet is so amazing, I want it too!" Because we saw how great they are and start to imagine all the funny things, we could do with them.

We tell our parents/friends/aquaintances about our new favourite pet and if we are lucky, they will buy us one of these. Then we think "Awesome! I have finally have my own favourite pet!" ... But the fun continues sometimes not for too long

Some people start to bond with their new companions and they get best friends, but others realize how stressful they can be or get bored after a few weeks/months and start to neglect them ...

Or some of them don't find anybody who can watch after them during the holidays, or they get too big for their homes, or they are too noisy, or too "filthy" ... Sadly there are numerous reasons why people start to neglect or abandon their pets

And the first and the most important step to prevent this, is to inform yourself about your favourite pet:

That is the reason why I decided to make this post. I want to prevent people reselling their pets, leaving them in animal shetlers or even abandoning them by informing them.

Will you have enough time for them?

Do you have any allergies?

Can you deal with their needs? (For example food/water etc.)

Will you love them and care for them, even if they won't like you?

Do you have enough money to care for them? (Vet costs/foodprice/toys etc.)

Can you deal with their volume? How will you neighbours react to them if they are very loud? (like birds/dogs ...)

Can you deal with their way of life or special needs they have? (Are they diurnal or nocturnal?)

Do you have enough space for them in your house? (Some pets can be very big when they grow up or need more space than other pets, for example some dog/bird/rabbit kinds)

Can you deal with their poop/dirt or with their smell? (rabbits can smell if you keep them in your house, birds will poop everywhere on anything, you have to pick up dog poop, feathers or fur will be lying around etc.)

Is it okay for you if they destroy your stuff? (Puppies chew often on furnitures, cats like to scratch thing, birds and rodents like to nibble wooden things ...)

What to do if they get old/older? Can you care for them when they get old? (Some pets need special care when they get old)

How long do they live? Can you give them a happy life? (Some pets live longer than you expect! Budgies can live for 15 years and some parrots can even get over 50!)

What about vacations? (Will you have somebody who can watch after them or can you take your little companion with you?)

Is your home safe enough for your pet? (Invisible dangers)

You can prevent a lot of stress for you and your potential pet, if you make enough research before bringing them home!

You can watch videos from people who have experience with the pet you want or read articles in the internet. You can also ask your friends/neighbours/aquaintances, if they had this pet before and ask them about their experiences.

I think it is also very important to know that not every product in pet shops are good for your pet. Not many people know that! If you are unsure what product you should buy, make research! (Some treats or foods are not very healthy for your pet, bird/rabbit cages are often too small ...)

Having pets is not cheap! No matter if someone gives them for free or for a low price, you still have to bring it to a vet if they are sick and buy them their stuff they need

Be patients, especially with smaller pets like budgies. Just give them their time and they will maybe come on their own or try to feed them with your hands to gain their trust

Advices for parents: If you still want to buy a pet for your children, then you should have enough time to watch after them too. Children can be easily get bored of them or be overchallenged easily. Or you can buy robot-pets, we bought my sibling a robofish when she was younger and they had their fun with it until they got bored ... But it was better then getting real fishes, because even they can let you do a lot of work and nobody in my family was ready for that!

Be careful and let your kids play with their pets only under supervision, if they are younger. Many accidents can happen, especially with small pets like hamsters, mice, budgies etc. ... Sadly I made my own experiences with that

If you are unsure about bringing a pet home, then you could ask your friends/neighbours if your child could watch after them sometimes (for example when they are on vacations or your child could walk with their dog etc.) or bring them to an animal shelter to let them have contact with pets and learn more about the pet that you child want

Or just get them one if you know that they are responsible and old enough to take care of the pet they want

Even if your pet will have the chance to get a second home, it won't be easy for them to move from home to home and you can never get 100% sure if their second family will look after them better than you. If you have experiences with a pet and would love to get one, please give pets a chance who weren't wanted by their first family!

It is not always the meat industry or some maniacs who harm pets/animals ... Sometimes it can be the owner himself, without noticing

You are free to write your own thoughts and experiences about this topic, I would love to read your opinions! Please share it, maybe we can save some pet lifes with it💜💙

And if you have budgie related questions, you are free to ask me! 🐦💙💜 I would love to answer your questions!

@jenny-jinya @serakyla @prussias-blog

[scalestails]

Vicky I have a neighbor question, if you have the time and spoons. My neighbor, Mr. Gardener, has a nice garden and some budgies that come outside when it's sunny. The birdcage is too small. I think Mr. G was lied to at the pet shop and doesn't know any better. Is there any way to talk to him about upgrading that isn't rude? I am also willing to help him buy. Thanku

Its nice that you're so interested in the birds, I'd be concerned about them too.

Personally, I would start with just a conversation. Go over when the birds are out and start talking about them. "I love your birds! I love budgie. Is that a cage just for them to come outside in?" That way he will (hopefully) answer with a "oh this is their normal cage." Or "no their real cage is inside."

If it's their "outside" cage, you can't really press much. Chances are the cage inside is bigger but you won't know.

If ifs their always cage I'd say something like "Oh, those cages are junk! I had my budgies in one years ago and they hated it. I got X cage and they loved it, it was so much better."

Thats if you want to be gentle and polite. Alternatively you could be blunt and informative at the risk of him getting defensive. Which he could end up being anyway.

[horatioandalice]

I am very sorry to inform you that I uncovered the birds' cages this morning to find that Phin had passed away during the night. He has been surrendered to the vet for cremation. He was the best, sweetest Babyman and he will be sorely missed by myself and all the flock.

Nelson is doing okay--he had really been spending most of his time preening, feeding, and otherwise tending to and comforting Phin, and he is confused about where Phin has gone. He keeps looking for Phin in the cage. Fortunately he seems more confused than upset, so I am hoping he will bounce back quickly. Spencer has been a VERY good boi and has been trying his best to comfort Nelson (i. e., hanging out with him, preening him as Nelson will let him, trying to sing to Nelson, which is pretty hilarious because he is a conure and doesn't sound like a budgie AT ALL, etc.), which Nelson seems to appreciate.

[bayoubluebirb]

Read This Before Buying A Bird!

There are some things to be considered before going to a pet store and buying that cute little conure or cockatiel in a cage, adopting a bird from a shelter, or homing a bird from a small independent breeder. Addressed questions: How much money are you willing to spend? Are you okay with the possibility of having a furniture-destructive animal in the house? How much space do you have? What is the climate and your neighborhood like? How long are you away from home per day? How much time can you commit?

How much money are you willing to spend on your pet per month?

- I probably spend about $50-$100 on my bird a month on average. On big trips to pick up perches, trees, or cages, it’s more along $200-$800.

- Birds are not cheap. They can range in price, but typically a healthy hand-reared budgie will cost anything from $50 to $100. My Peach Faced Lovebird was $140. I have a male Solomon Eclectus that was almost $2000. African Greys, Congo and Timneh, range $2500-$3500. Macaws range $2500-$23,000, etc.

- Cages are expensive! A good quality cage that is not full of harmful metals or paints, will cost between $200 and $5000. My SL Eclectus’ cage is pure acrylic and was almost $800. He will be getting a larger cage and that is $1500.

- Birds do need annual vet check ups, and they require exotic veterinarians specialized specifically in Birds. Because they need a special doctor, it also costs more. Co-pays are usually around $150-$400, and procedures and medications can be off the roof expensive.

- If you cannot afford to feed yourself, provide yourself with necessities and a couple wants, and are living comfortably, a bird is not the pet for you.

Are you okay with them possibly destroying a few beloved things in your home?

- Birds are often described as animals that take and don’t give back. They are natural foragers, and need stimulation to keep them entertained. Your parrot may chew at your door frames, your door itself, couch cushions, Leather materials, kitchen supplies, etc.

- Birds have extremely sensitive respiratory tracts, so if you aren’t willing to give up that lovely PFAS chemical we Environmentalists like to call The Devil We Know, AKA Teflon, then a bird is not for you.

- If you aren’t willing to trade in bleach, vinegar, non-stick, cleaning sprays and window cleaners, for something organic, trusted and approved by your avian vet, then a bird is not for you. It is much more expensive, but it would not only keep your bird safe, but also you safe!

How much space do you have in your home?

-Even if your bird’s wings are clipped, you need enough space for your bird to spread its wings and maneuver about.

-Birds talk a lot, so if you appreciate your quiet time, don’t get a bird if you live in close-quarters.

-Talk to your neighbors first before you buy a parrot if you live in an apartment or townhome. Yes. The birds will scream. Yes, your neighbors will hear it.

-If you want more than one bird, even if they’re the same specie, never house them in the same cage, even if it’s giant! Birds are NON DOMESTICATED animals, and it’s important we mimic their habits in the wild as to not frustrate them. Birds are animals that while in flocks, are incredibly spread out unless they’re mates or conversing. Birds are always alert, and are watching and listening. They need their space.

What is the climate like yearly?

-Where do you live and what is the temperature in each season?

-Do you get snow in the winter? Many people up north have birds, but it’s also more pricey to own a bird up north due to the extra expenses needed to keep the bird warm.

-How warm/cold do you keep the air on in your house?

-What species of bird are you considering? They come from all different habitats. The Peach Faced Lovebird, for example, is native to sub-desert regions like Namibia and Angola. Probably not a good idea to get a Peach Faced Lovebird if you keep your home below 19°C/66°F.

-Birds NEED vitamins (D3) they get from the sun, just like people! If your weather is consistently unable to provide these vitamins to your birds, you either need to purchase a UVB/UVA lamp, or you just should not get a bird.

What is your neighborhood like?

- Down in Florida, Texas, and many other states with high-demand parrot breeding and shops, there’s a lot of thievery. Make sure you live in a safe environment.

- If you live near chemical/manufacturing plants, or has an immediate family member that does, a bird is not for you.

- Birds are very sensitive to pollution. Please make sure your neighborhood is clean, because not only is it bad for the pets, but also the people!

- How noisy is the neighborhood? Do you live in New Orleans and pop big celebrations for Mardi Gras? Do you live in areas with lots of fireworks or loud noises? This can startle your bird. It can bring them stress!

- If you plan on flight training and/or bringing them outside on a harness, is your town/city very busy? Is there a lot of traffic? Are there birds of prey that live nearby? Hawks WILL and HAVE swooped down to snatch a parrot off of someone’s shoulder for a snack, and have even snatched them out of the sky while free-flying. Please be careful!

How long per day are you away at work/school?

- If you work a full time job and are a college student, you will not have time to take care of a bird and be able to grant your bird’s needs.

- How many hours a day do you work/are away from home? Parrots on average need AT LEAST six to seven hours a day out of their cage!

- Birds need attention, but not in the sense where you need to throw them a ball or cuddle with them. Being in the room with them out of the cage is even plenty to make them happy. They want you to be with them, but not on them!

How much time can you devote to your bird? How patient are you?

- Birds are a lifetime commitment. Depending on the species, your bird can live between 15 and 100 years. Do not adopt a bird unless you have accepted that this bird will be with you through everything. If you move, if you get married or divorced, if you have children, if you get other pets, etc.

- If you don’t think you’ll want the same bird for twenty+ years, do not get a bird. There are countless in avian shelters and sanctuaries right now, and it’s heartbreaking to see. If you wouldn’t sell your child because you got bored of them or were struggling to care for them, don’t sell your parrot.

- Parrots grow extremely attached to the people they’re used to being around, and in that case have many emotions similar to humans. They put trust in you, and rely on you, and love you. Rehoming them after multiple years of building that relationship can cause self-mutilating behaviors, depression, aggression, and even death from loneliness and feeling abandoned. If you cannot handle strong emotions and a deep attachment, a bird is not for you.

- Many parrots love to learn, and many are stubborn. They are extremely smart animals and among the most intelligent in the world, so keeping them stimulated with daily training is essential.

- Birds bite, and when they bite, it hurts... A LOT. I have been bitten until bleeding by an African Grey, I have been bitten by a previously abused Yellow-headed Amazon, I am constantly bitten by my Lovebird that I am trying to train to be less aggressive. Birds bite, and no, if you don’t understand why you aren’t allowed to scream “Ow!” when it happens, a bird is not the pet for you.

- Birds are not dogs, nor cats, nor horses. Negative reinforcement will only enable Negative behavior in your parrot! You must have the patience to, even when they bite you, praise them for it. You want them to know that biting doesn’t get a reaction out of you and that it won’t make you give them more or less attention. They will eventually learn this and try to find other ways of communicating with you.

- Birds do not bite to communicate by nature. You must take time to learn your bird’s body language. They will always give you at least FOUR warnings before they bite you hard. Please, learn to speak to your bird. They cannot learn English fluently like everyone else.

Please, let me know if I should do some more of these helpful pointers! By no means am I insinuating you should not get a bird, because I love hearing about people’s emotions and excitement toward them. They’re wonderful companions. I merely aim to inform people before they make a big lifetime decision like adding a feathered friend into their family!

[theramseyloft]

Hi! I'm looking into pigeons as a pet, and I'm interested in training them and actually playing with them. I have parrots (conures and budgies mostly) What would you recommend? And what are the biggest differences between parrots and pigeons? I know pigeons can't climb and that they need grit. Can they still eat fruit and veggies?

Parrots are incredibly physically dangerous for pigeons.

Like: Do not under any circumstance allow them to be in the same room dangerous.

Parrots can break the bones of a pigeon by accident, and the dust pigeons produce gum up the lungs of parrots.

If the parrots are human social, then getting a new smart bird that can’t be housed near your resident smart birds and needs some amount of your time every day to itself will feel, to your parrots, like you are suddenly ignoring them for no reason, and it will spark some behavioral problems that will scare the pigeon.

So I do not recommend any one with any species of psitticine add any species of columbid to their house hold, unless the columbids are going in a loft outside.

Buut, that arrangement means that they can’t be household companions, by definition.

For people trying to choose between Pigeon or some psitticine species,  Or for some one who is used to caring for psitticines considering whether or not they want to try something different with out sacrificing the intelligence and bonding potential:

Pigeons and parrots are so drastically physiologically and socially different from each other that there is absolutely no cross over what so ever.

They can’t use the same type of enclosure, they can’t eat the same diet, their social structures are completely different, even their intelligence is completely different, despite both being literally on level ground with a 5 year old human child.

Parrot cages are designed around displaying a bird that stands upright and can climb.

Pigeons forage on the ground and need WAY more floor space than height.

Pigeons can’t climb, fly straight up, or even comfortably stand on a round perch. They take off at a 45 degree angle and have to spiral to get up high in a tight space.

They cannot tolerate all the toys parrots need, not only because they physically cannot manipulate them and are instinctively startled by bright oranges, reds, and yellows, but because pigeons need as clear and uncluttered a flight space as possible.

So a pigeon in a parrot cage physically cannot get off the floor, no matter how much height you give them, and is both physically trapped and severely psychologically distressed by what parrots consider vital enrichment.

If they must be caged singly, a dog crate with flat perches is ideal for a pigeon, provided that the bird is allowed frequent flight time.

Parrots need a huge variety of fruits, nuts, nectar, greens, and veggies.

Pigeons are strict seed eaters. They literally are not physically capable of digesting ANYthing else. They get 0 benefit from greens, fruit, vegitable flesh, leaves, stems, or tubers, and will starve on a full stomache if you give those to them. 

Gonna repeat myself here because veterinarians that care for birds either learn based on parrots and finches or on chickens (Depending on whether they took the exotics or livestock rout). Their advice to vary the base diet of a pigeon away from seeds is given in error based off of two COMPLETELY different physiologies and WILL make recovery impossible for a malnourished bird and malnourish a healthy bird because Pigeons literally lack the physiological equipment to process anything other than embryonic plant tissue.

Pigeons cannot detect sweetness, so they literally do not even get the yummy treat benefit of fruit. 

Please, DO NOT even “treat” pigeons with non-seed items.

Parrots are mechanical problem solvers and sound mimics, much like many of the corvids.

Pigeons are not physically capable of much in the way of mechanical manipulation, so they physically cannot manupulate the toys designed for parrots.

Their foraging is exclusively strolling along the ground and picking up fallen seed.

 Parrot flocks are pretty much just a huge crowd of birds all commuting in the same direction. Individuals do what ever they are going to do independent of the flock as a whole.

Pigeon flocks are uniquely cooperative, tight knit family units that vote on the fly on everything they do. They are social learning pattern mappers, actively, directly instructed by their fathers once they wean on both foraging and fitting into the social dynamic of their flock.

Parrot enrichment is thus mostly mechanical and designed for individuals. Puzzles to manipulate, brightly colored fruit like things to find that are hard and pleasant to stim on by biting.

Pigeon enrichment can be forage based, nest building based, or social based, with social interaction being the most vital of the three.

Pure foraging with no social interaction involves a box filled with sand, straw, or both with some favorite seeds like safflower or parakeet seed scattered in there for them to find.

Nesting enrichment is just straw, or Q-tips with the tips cut off and a place for the bird to put them.

Unlike parrots, Pigeons can recognize themselves in mirrors and their play with their reflection is more of a human like fascination with their own appearance than yelling at or trying to court what they mistake for another bird.

Pigeons are pattern mappers that learn socially both through observation and direct instruction.

And their pattern mapping is not exclusively visual. 

They pick up on auditory patterns, patterns of behavior and the cross over between the two just as easily as they pick up on visual patterns of geographical lay out.

When I describe humans as learning exactly like a human child, I mean that very literally.

Pigeons are capable of high level cognition. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releas…/2009/…/090212141143.htm

To the extent that they understand the concepts of space and time! https://www.sciencedaily.com/releas…/2017/…/171204144805.htm

They are self-aware enough to distinguish themselves from other pigeons, able to recognize themselves in photos, video, and mirrors AND differentiate between the three. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releas…/2008/…/080613145535.htm

Their brains are wired SHOCKINGLY similarly to ours: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releas…/2013/…/130717095336.htm

They categorize things and learn the equivalent of words the same way human toddlers do!

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releas…/2014/…/140402095107.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releas…/2015/…/150204184447.htm

They can even learn to read written language well enough to differentiate between a real word and an acronym with the same number of letters.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releas…/2016/…/160919111535.htm

They are pattern mapping social learners.  Exactly like we are!

They can literally learn to understand both spoken AND written human language, and literally all it takes is talking to a pigeon as if it is a nonverbal human toddler who does not know that word yet to be able to teach them to understand object words, action words, emotion words, names, and locations.

Pigeons are pets you can literally communicate to in your native language.

The last two years of my research combining what was learned in the links listed above has proven that pigeons can not only demonstrably learn to understand spoken language, but are smart and socially conscious enough to learn to comprehend the concept of consent and to give or deny it to a basic degree of genuinely informed.

The last difference between Parrots and Pigeons is that Pigeons are fully, genuinely Domsticated, where as Parrots are only Tamed.

There is a HUGE difference between Tame and Domesticated. 

A “Tamed” animal is an individual acclimated to human contact.

There is no physiological difference between a captive bred parrot and a wild caught one.

Because the larger Psitticine species can live into their 60s or 80s and take so long to reach sexual maturity, the slow passing of their generations and the relatively brief time they have been bred for the pet market means that we literally have not had the time to make any really big strides towards genuinely domesticating them.

The smaller species like Tiels and Budgies and parrotlets have made more progress in that direction because of their shorter life spans, faster maturations, and smaller, more manageable size, but they are still nowhere NEAR truly domesticated, like chickens, Pigeons, and ducks are.

“Domesticated” specifies a living thing bred specifically to be adapted to human care. 

There are, by definition, drastic physiological differences between a domesticated animal and its wild ancestor: to the extent that most domestic animals are considered to have become a separate species from their wild ancestor.

For example, no matter how many different breeds of dog you start with or how many generations you allow them to breed, no dog mated to any other dog will ever throw a Wolf puppy.

The process of domestication works through the directed loss of traits.

Neotenous features develop through breeding for the animal to keep the fearless curiosity of a baby: To fail to develop the caution a wild animal would need to avoid predation or conflict. Because the human care taker will be protecting them from those, removing the need for the animal to develop them and making it easier to form a trusting bond with the human care taker.

Confinement tolerance develops through lack of available space. Most individual humans simply do not have enough territory to match the natural range of most animals we have domesticated. Those that survived the stress of confinement to reproduce in that drastically smaller territory lose the stamina they need to make the long journeys their wild ancestors needed to keep fed.

Change in the size of territory changes the fuel requirements of the animal being domesticated. And humans have a limited variety of food available compared to what the animal’s native environment provides. Between those two things, a domesticated animal’s digestive system changes slightly with each generation until it adapts to get its altered fuel needs met out of the available variety of food.

The completely domesticated animal is fearlessly trusting of humans, no longer balloons into obesity in drastically confined space compared to what the wild ancestor would maintain, and does not suffer the malnutrition their wild ancestors would on their modified diet.

Some species are more easily domesticated than others.

Stress, confinement, temperature, humidity, and dietary changes too drastically different from those natural to an animal will kill the captive population before they have a chance to breed.

Dogs were a very natural fit with early humans. We were both nomadic pack hunters with high stamina over long distances.

When we settled into stationary settlements and started growing food, it was mostly grain, which is the natural diet of chickens, pigeons, and rodents.

Rodents and birds attracted cats, and making cats welcome preserved our food stores.

Chickens keep pretty small territories, relative to other bird species, they are non-migratory opportunistic breeders, and they nest on the ground near the food source that they naturally share with us. Their naturally smaller territories meant they were not likely to wander very far from safe nesting grounds, and they bred as long as food was available. So all we had to do to domesticate them was keep food constantly available make them well protected nesting places so that they would breed more rapidly and a smaller plot of land could support a larger flock.

Pigeons ancestors, the rock dove, primarily eat grain, live in extended family groups that forage cooperatively as far outside their territory as necessary to keep fed, and return reliably to a specific family nesting site: Exactly like humans, once we started living in stationary settlements.

Once Humans settled into stationary dwellings, Rock Doves fit as comfortably with us as dogs, and their short maturation period and high reproductive pace made them EASY to adapt that very little bit more they needed to be a more perfect fit.

We have been domesticating pigeons, a species whose needs already fit comfortably with our own, since humans stopped being nomadic and started our first settlements.

We have had a long, LONG time to work with pigeons.

WAY longer than we have had with parrots;

Started on what amounts to domestication Easy Mode.

Of the two, the pigeons are absurdly easier to care for, bond with, and train than Parrots.

[khasmc]

[ Can we please have some Silas + birds HCs? ]

Silas and birds, for the most part, have a facultative symbiosis relationship where they live independent of one another and have no physical attachments.

His power of vulture-whispering culminated in his early teens following the death of his sister. Ever since, he can summon Old World vultures at will, where they arrive in kettles in any number between 5-20 at a time

The vultures will often arrive from the balcony if he’s home, and spend hours on the railing waiting/looking for food. They usually come and go as they please, suggesting a commensalism type of relationship. It doesn’t help or harm him in any way, as he’s used to their company since childhood.

His gray cockatiel, Ra, is a beloved companion who spends most of his time preening and being preened in return when Silas has time. Silas loves Ra more than anything and has recently thought of purchasing a second cockatiel to keep Ra company.

Unlike Silas, Ra becomes enthusiastically excited when the vultures visit, often chirping up a storm in wanting to be let from his cage to join his feathered brethren.

Silas names the vultures who visit most, and he usually tells them apart from their various hisses and gurgles.

He doesn’t command or control them, but they respect him and he does so in kind. On occasions when he’s out and discovers carrion on the road or the woods, not yet claimed, he may send out a message to inform them.

Some vultures will visit unprompted and without a summons, though this is rare. Only the ones he’s built a longer rapport for would show up this way, but there are always at least 2 who show up without fail. He’s named these two Crocus, a Griffon vulture, and Rhodi, a White-backed vulture after the Crocus speciosus and Rhodiola rosea plants, respectively.

Some other birds of prey, such as falcons or owls, keep a distance from the kettle when they’re around, but he’s yet to witness any skirmishes among them. They usually keep to their own and Silas doesn’t judge.

In the event a vulture is injured, he brings them to the veterinary hospital where they usually are able to assist the raptor into recovery.

He’s a big fan of canaries, cockatiels, and budgies.

Regarding wild bird species, he has a very soft spot for those in the Corvidae family as they remind him of Elias, especially magpies and the Common Raven. He also has a preference for songbirds, like Hermit Thrushes, Common Nightingales, March Warbler, or Mockingbirds.

In general, Silas enjoys listening to bird vocalizations, whether they’re songs or calls, and prides himself on being able to picking out the subtle nuances in their sound no matter the time of day. He can’t communicate with them in the same way, but he’s gradually come to learn to understand them in all the times he’s listened.

[puste--blume]

Here, have some pics of my cute as hell budgies because I'm seeing way to many single housed birds out there and that's just horrible. Please don't wing-clip or single-house ANY bird! Have a big ass cage (at least 1m wide, the height is not that important, the width is), change food and water daily, get veggies etc. Please inform yourselves about proper caretaking before getting a birb, they are wonderful pets but they do require more work than you might think ❤. I love mine and wanna stock up to 4 soon, when I find two fitting partners for these lovebirds 😊