Why a Bird Makes a Great First Pet

Why a Bird Makes a Great First Pet

Have you decided it’s time to get a pet for your family? A bird is a great first pet for any family. Owning a pet bird teaches kids the responsibility of feeding and watering it each day as well as cleaning its cage each week. Look at some other reasons why a bird makes a great first pet for a family.

A Low-Maintenance Pet

A bird is a low-maintenance pet. Simply make sure your bird has fresh food and clean water each day. Cleaning the bird’s cage is a matter of wiping the bars of the cage with a clean cloth, wiping down the perches and changing the paper or material on the floor of the cage. Be sure to let your bird out of its cage to exercise a few times per week. Let it out in an area away from other pets and close the curtains on the windows so the bird doesn’t fly into the glass.

An Inexpensive Pet

Most smaller birds are an inexpensive purchase. Bird food is also inexpensive and only needs to be purchased about once per month because most little birds don’t eat much. The accessories such as perches and toys needed for a bird are not very costly and, if they are durable, can be used for years.

Needs Very Little Room

A pet dog or a cat is going to have the run of your home. But, when you have a pet bird, you put its cage in one room where it takes up may be part of a table or the top of a bookcase. Many people appreciate that you don’t need to set aside a large area of space for pet birds.

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No Grooming Necessary

Pet birds groom themselves. Most birds like to take a bath each day so you may want to provide your pet with a birdbath that hooks to the side of the cage. Some birds simply like to be sprayed lightly with a bottle of warm water. They preen their own feathers in order to keep them smooth and soft.

Birds Are Social with Humans and Other Birds

Another reason why a bird is a great first pet for a family is they are social animals. If you have two birds, they will talk to each other and sit side-by-side most of the time. As a note, it’s best to purchase two birds at the same time so neither one feels the other is invading its territory. In addition, most little birds can be trained to sit on your finger or take celery leaves or other food items from your hand. Talk to your bird and you’ll gain its trust, love, and friendship!

Birds Are Friendly and Engaging Pets

Some small birds, as well as big ones, can be taught to talk. Many like to hang upside down in their cage and get involved in funny antics with other birds. While some pets like to burrow down in their shavings and ignore their owner, birds like to be in the spotlight. They’re awake and ready to play during the day.

What Type of Bird is Best for a First-Timer?

With so many breeds of birds to look at in a pet shop or animal shelter, you may wonder which one would be best to start with?

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Parakeets

Many people go with a parakeet for their first bird. If you’d like to get a parakeet, consider getting two birds. These birds like to have the company of another bird. Parakeets are gentle birds that are easy to train and like to be held. They are fun-loving birds that can live up to 15 years. So, you’re getting a pet that’ll be with your family for a long while!

Cockatiels

A cockatiel is a little bigger than a parakeet. These birds have a lot of personalities and can be taught to whistle and talk. They are playful and like to sit on your arm or hand. Sometimes they are content to climb up on top of their cage and sit there watching the activities of the family.

Canaries

The canaries are pleasant birds to have around because of their song. If you get two males, you are sure to hear them compete with one another to see who can sing the best. These are gentle birds, but they have fragile bodies. So, they prefer not to be held. If you want to observe beautiful birds and enjoy their song, canaries are a good choice.

No matter what type of bird you choose, you’re sure to have a pet that is appreciated by all members of your family.