| By :
Debbie Davis
Pet birds are totally dependent on their owners to give them what they need to live happy, healthy lives. Here are the top 5 things to provide that will help insure that they have the best life possible. Clean Water---After visiting a pet shop recently and seeing 20 birds in a cage with no water, its at the top of my essentials list. There were 10 beautiful blue and yellow parakeets in a cage that was way too small (we'll get to that in a minute) and no signs of water. I am still haunted by that. Your bird should access to fresh clean water all the time. This is an easy way to help maintain health, and increase your bird's life span. Imagine being thirsty and not knowing if or when you'll ever be given water. Providing fresh water means your bird never, ever has to go thirsty. Properly Sized Cage---Your pet should have a cage that is big enough for it to fully expand its wings and tall enough for it to fly. This keeps their wings healthy and your bird emotionally happy. The cage size will vary according to the type and number of birds. Asking the breeder or your veterinarian about the best cage for your bird will allow you to buy once and buy right. It will also insure that your bird is happy where it lives. Healthy Diet---Your bird should be given a variety of sprouting seeds which offer the most nutrition. Also include fresh veggies and fruits (organic if possible), and an occasionally treat or two. Your bird's thoughts about your selections will be very obvious. And since birds, like us, eat with their eyes too, making the food visually interesting and colorful will keep them engaged at meal time. There are of course some foods that you should stay away from such as chocolate, caffeine, foods high in salt and sugar, macadamia nuts, avocado, and alcohol. Use your veterinarian as a sounding board for questions about dietary needs your specific individual avian friend may have. Freedom To Fly---It is really important to allow your bird daily time outside of the cage. This gives them their much needed freedom to literally stretch their wings and fly. This time out insure both physical and emotional well-being. The space where this happens needs to be safe from chandeliers, cords, mirrors, water (such as toilet bowls), hot pots and pans, windows, doors that lead to outside, and other pets that may cause harm. Small children should also be carefully supervised for both their sake and your pet's safety. Clean Air---One of the biggest health hazards for these pets is polluted air. Their airways are small that it doesn't take much to cause them to become blocked. Clogged air passages are often the start to disease and infection. Since instinct causes them to hide symptoms of illness, they usually don't symptoms until the condition has progressed to a point where it often cannot be reversed. Using a high efficiency particle arresting (HEPA) filter to continually clear the air of bird-related particles as well as more normal household irritants can increase your bird's quality and longevity of life. Clean air can also increase your longevity as well.
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