Getting a bird?

Question

I am thinking of getting a small inexpensive bird. What is a good one to get? Can you tell some pros and cons of getting a bird. What type of care and feeding is involved.

Answer 1

You can't have it all.  There is no one kind of bird that is interactive, inexpensive, quiet and sturdy all at once. You will have to be more flexible, or get a golden retriever.

Sturdy, personable birds are not cheap.  Cheap birds usually aren't very interactive and don't live long.  Large birds are noisy.  Birds that are interesting to be with require a great deal of care.  Expensive birds also require expensive vet bills.

Probably the closest you will find is a cockatiel, depending on what you mean by "inexpensive".  For about a hundred bucks, a young one can be very interactive and fun to be with.  Mine is almost never in the cage.

Don't let price be your only guide.  Many people have purchased a "bargain" bird only to find out they have health or behavior problems.  That's why they sold cheap.  Get your bird from a reliable breeder who produced healthy birds.

No matter which bird you get, be prepared to devote a non-trivial amount time and money.  Up front there will be a ton of time invested in feeding and weaning it.  (Weaning it yourself will usually result in a very friendly bird. But a responsible breeder won't just hand over a fragile baby to anybody.) You will not have the luxury of dumping in seed and walking away like a goldfish.  You must visit and interact with your bird every single day.  Feather, health and behavior problems will result if you don't.

Vet bills WILL be required, and not cheap.  I once spent $180 on vet bills for a precious baby cockatiel that eventually died anyway.  It happens sometimes.  Either be prepared to spend the money for necessary health care or get a different pet.

I rescue birds, and it is COMMON for people to get a bird without thinking about it.  Even very expensive birds.  Then in a year they grow tired of the bird, and ignore it.  Screaming, biting and health problems are the result.  Then they abandon the bird.  Don't make this common mistake.

It doesn't take a lot of time to supply your bird with fresh, healthy foods and water, but it's not like watering a house plant, either.  Spend a lot of time researching your new pet, and be honest about your commitment.  A dead bird isn't much fun.

Answer 2

Dont get a bird. Birds are meant to fly and keeping them as pets is cruel. Its like if someone kept you from walking.  Having said that, I had to rescue a bird that someone left out in the sun in a small cage on a hot summer day. I have had this bird for 4 years. It is a peach faced lovebird. I love it but he requires that I clean up after him every 10 minutes. He poops all over the place and wakes me up everyday as soon as the sun rises (not fun on weekends). It is hard work to keep a bird and they live up to 25 years so do yourself and the birds of this world a favor and pick an animal that is meant to be a pet. From personal experience I can tell you, rats, dogs, and turtles make great pets. Even cats. Please dont get a bird.

Answer 3

Cockatiels are the most fun if you get a male because they speak what you teach them to say, "ITS NOT HARD" jsut say something to them alot, whistle tunes. They need regular water, a cage, some bars in the cage to sit on, cockatiel food. a treat every once in a while. and just have fun, play with hime NOT ROUGH keep him a way from kids they tend to get a bad attitude that might eventually grow permanent around kids.Clip they're wings so they dont fly away, if you dont know how, RAED AND WATCH VIDEOS SO YOU DONT HURT IT.

Answer 4

if you dont have alot of time to devot dont get a parrot, get finches/canaries. if you do have some time then get a parrotlet, it has the personality of a larger parrot but they are 5inches long and cant scream they do thrive on attention but are alright being left alone while the owner is at work/school, best to get a handfed one and when it is fully weaned that is when it strongly bonds with the person who spends the most time with it.

you have to be ready to take your bird to the vet and spend money monthly on food, toys etc. and you need to clean cage daily and vaccuum and provide attention.

hope i helped

Answer 5

I have given a few birds (lol)!  Seriously, birds make terrible pets.  They are loud, messy, smelly, and attract bugs.

Answer 6

Everything "dkrifdjosxiefg"  said is true. But one of the best keeped secrets in the world of birds is a Meyers Parrot.. I will not tell you all the good things (or bad things) about this bird. Please do your research and discover the best bird for you and your living conductions. Each person is different and each bird is different...

Hope you find the best bird for you..