If you are really inspired by the birds out there and wish to have one as your pet then there are few things which you need to gear yourself up with before you welcome a pet bird to your home.
- Cage
- Toys
- Perches
- Cleaning
- Dishes
- Vinegar
- Bird Bath
- Paper for Cage
- Pellet food
- Calcium
- Reward treats
- Flight Harness
- First Aid
- New set of cooking gear for your Kitchen
- Make sure your house is ready
Cage
You need to buy two cages; the primary cage is actually where your bird will spend most of its time and it should be wide and big enough for your bird to stretch and move around. A rectangular cage will help your bird feel more safe. The other cage will come in handy when you are taking your bird to the vet or cleaning your cage. The second one can be a lot smaller in size and more portable.
Toys
Buy lots of toys made of wood, plastic, twisted paper and cardboard. There are lot of toys to choose from, this can be an overwhelming task at first. There are a few things to keep in mind. Make sure there are no lead or zinc, no chemicals that are bad for your bird, all the ropes and other climbing tools are 100% natural no synthetics. It is also important that the toys are not treated with any toxic chemical.
Perches
Having different types of perches would be wonderful for your pet. Ensure they are wide enough so that the bird doesn’t overlap around them. A wooden ladder, a wooden branch perch, a rope perch and a swing would be great for your birds.
Cleaning the Cage
As a pet bird owner you really wan to keep your pets cage or room clean. It would be handy to have some tools to keep it clean. Mild Soap, a pair of gloves, brush and paper towel will do.
Dish
There are mainly two types of food and water dishes; bowl and the hopper. Hopper will squeeze in through the bars of a cage but it is best to be used for lesser intelligent birds like farm fowl. A metal or ceramic bowl is ideal for giving them food and water.
Vinegar
VinegarAmmonia is dangerous for them to inhale and their droppings carry ammonia. Ensure you clean them before they inhale ammonia and fall sick. Always keep some plain white vinegar at home, you can dilute it with water in equal proportions and use it to clean the cage and toys. This way you keep your bird safe from falling sick.
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Bird Bath
Bird-baths are important for hygiene of your bird. Some of the macaws prefer to have a bath together with their owners. If this would be the case for you it would be good to make some sort of place for your bird to stand in the shower. Other pets prefer a bowl or a sink. It really depends on the parrot.
Paper for Cage
Paper for CageKeep a lot of newspapers and paper towels available to spread it under their cages to catch the poop. Depending on your cage, there might be some specially made papers to fit your cage. Then again it is pretty easy to cover up the bottom of the cage with some old news papers or shredded paper.
Pellet food
Pellet foods are essential and very healthy. They have a mixture of fruits, seeds, grains, vegetables, proteins, fruits, minerals and vitamins.
Calcium
Calcium is a must for the bird; cuttlebone and crushed egg shells are great source of calcium. It is suggested that you would first fry the egg shells before giving it to your pet bird. Also you can choose one of many option out there. We personally like the calcium cube, this way the parrot can have a go at it when ever they feel like it.
Reward treats
As you will need to train your pet to do different things having a treat around is a very good idea. Food is a great motivation for your pet to do what you want them to do. Keep a stack of small treats of snacks to reward your bird while training them.
Flight Harness
A flight harness comes in handy when you want to take a walk with your bird. This gives you the option to let your pet parrot free to fly around and in the same time you still have control over your parrot. This way you will avoid your untrained parrot to run away on your first outdoor activities together. Later on when you will have done enough training you will be able to let your pet fly around without the harness.
First Aid
Yes your read it correct. This is mainly for your own and your family or friends sake. As a new pet parrot owner or even experience one, there is a chance that your new pet parrot might get aggressive toward you or your friends and family. They just might have a go at biting you. Keep a first aid box near by, just in case. Not to worry there are simple steps you can take to keep your parrot from biting.
New set of cooking gear for your kitchen
Get a new set of cooking utensils. Non-stick or Teflon coated cookware emit odorless fumes on over heating which will kill any parrot in no time. This is a serious issue, can be solved by just keeping your pet in another room when cooking. But if you don’t want to take the risk, change your cookware. Teflon is also linked to be really dangerous for humans.
Make sure your house is ready
Air fresheners, scented candles and oils are equally dangerous for the birds as they have sensitive respiratory system which cannot take these smell.
