Considerations Before Buying a Bird
April 11, 2009 by admin
Filed under Keeping Pet Birds
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A few things you should take into consideration before your purchase a bird
The first question you should ask yourself when buying a bird is what exactly are you willing to spend. The prices for birds can vary a lot, depending on the species that they belong to. You can spend only $10 if all you want is a budgie. The price goes higher, to around $30 for a cockatiel, while a grey parrot or an Amazonian parrot can cost up to $400. If you want to go even higher, you can spend $1000 on a Cockatoo, and if money isn’t an issue, you can go up to $15,000 for some birds.
Different birds have different space requirements. How much will your species need? Birds that are big or those that are very active will need more space, so a bigger cage is required.
Do you have the time to keep a bird? This is a very important question to answer. In most cases, birds are playful, intelligent and very social. Do you have enough time to play with them and to take care of them? Will the bird feel like it’s part of the family? As a general rule, birds have a long life. In the case of a cockatiel, their age can reach 20 years. A grey parrot or an Amazonian one can get to an age of 50 years, and even up to 100 in some rare cases. Can you offer them that kind of commitment? In plenty of cases birds will be inherited by the next generation. If there is a chance that you might get bored with the bird, don’t buy one.
What kind of noise will the bird make and will it bother the neighbors? Cockatiels and budgies are usually quiet birds. They are well suited to being kept in a flat. The Moluxco cockatoo however should not be kept if you have neighbors around you, as they are extremely noisy. If you want a bird that isn’t noisy, the African grey parrot could be a good choice. Each bird is different in this regard. Plus, each person might interpret the level of noise differently. It also depends if you have something to compare it to. If you had a bird that was very noisy, one that makes less noise might seem quiet to you, but still noisy to a stranger.
How much damage can the bird provoke in your house? Do you have peerless old furniture in your house or books that are rare? The beaks of these birds are quite strong. Some species are more inclined to nibble at things than others.
Do you need to give the parrot special care or food? A Lory parrot will need a diet that is specialized. Can you give them that diet? Learn more about the species before you buy it and see if you can take care of it. Don’t buy a parrot based on an impulse.