A Flying Companion! Your chirpy delight

Pet birds can be highly intelligent. They learn things quickly and they are inquisitive by nature. With the ability to repeat sounds that they hear, they can often surprise their owners by saying 'hello', or repeating sentences that they have previously heard. Parrots are the most intelligent pet bird. They can also learn to talk eventually with the right amount of patience and attention.

Pet bird care is also relatively easy. Many people prefer cleaning a bird cage every day.

Another advantage of having a pet bird is that they do not need to be taken out for walks. It is very simple to exercise them. You just have to take them out of the cage and they should fly around the house. They can be put back in cage and you don't have to worry about them while you are away.

Birds are generally clean. They do not need to be groomed or bathed. You only have to provide your bird with the nail trim. Pet birds do need high quality pellets every day but you can also provide them with fresh fruit or vegetables to give them extra nutrients. They are a lot cheaper to feed than a cat or a dog.

One reason why people may not think of purchasing a pet bird is because they want an affectionate pet such as a dog or a cat. However, many people don't realize that a bird can be just as affectionate as a cat or a dog, and some owners and their pet birds are inseparable from each other. Some owners even go to the extreme of taking their pet bird with them everywhere such as the shops, bank, and sometimes even to work with them.

Some pet birds can live to be over 100 years of age, making them ideal as life long companions.

The Most Common Pet Birds

Birds come in all shapes and sizes but there are some birds that are more popular than others. These are:

• Cockatiels
• Budgies
• Macaw Parrots
• Amazon Parrots
• BrotoGeris Parakeets
• Canaries
• Cockatoos
• Conures
• Lovebirds

All of the above are popular for their own reasons. Macaw parrots are the largest parrots you can purchase. Their wingspan sometimes reaches up to four feet. They make ideal lifelong companions. They are also highly intelligent and they need a lot of attention. They can be really vocal if they do not get their own way. They need a fairly large cage. They are generally better for experienced bird owners and they are not suitable as children's pets. There are mini versions of macaw parrots around which would be better suited to inexperienced owner.

If you are searching for a bird you will probably have noticed the large amount of Cockatiels for sale. Cockatiels are small parrots. They are quieter than large parrots and they are ideal for apartments and households with children. They can be extremely lively and they provide a lot of entertainment for owners. With plenty of handling, cockatiels can become really affectionate and happy.

Sun Conures are also pretty popular and they are one of the most colorful of pet birds. They can be mischievous and they love to play. They can be extremely noisy and they screech fairly often to let you know that they are happy. This is bad news if you live in an apartment as it will really annoy the neighbors. They love to imitate sounds such as a microwave beeping and they can learn to talk a little.

Budgies are suitable for any owner as they are fairly small so they do not need a massive cage and they are rather quiet birds. They are part of the parrot family and they come in a large variety of colors. They do not become very affectionate if they are handled from an early age. They have a vocabulary of over 500 words meaning they can learn to talk quite well. It is advisable to keep budgies in pairs but you can buy one and tame it before buying another one.

All birds have differing needs which you should consider before choosing a pet bird.

Factors to Consider Before Purchasing a Pet Bird

Pet birds need some amount of exercise, space, toys, attention and looking. You need to sit down and consider what type of bird would be best for you, and what can you offer it in return, before you actually purchase a bird.

All birds need some amount of space and the motto is usually 'the bigger the better'. Birds like flying so it is always better to purchase a cage that is big enough for them to fly. Parrots generally need larger cages than smaller birds and they can be quite expensive so you should also take that into account.

You must know about bird health. Although they only need quick nail trimmings, bird's nails can be hard to cut and one little slip could make your bird bleed to death. So you really need to know what you are doing. Pet bird care is generally easy but it is still worth researching and knowing what to expect.

Purchasing a pet bird can be quite expensive, depending on the breed that you choose. Vet bills can also be expensive if anything were to go wrong with your bird. Everything needs to be added up and worked out so that you know if you can afford it or not.

Many people do not have a lot of time on their hands and if that is the case with you, you really shouldn't buy a pet bird. Some birds, especially parrots, need a lot of time devoted to them otherwise they can be extremely noisy and disruptive. They are like children and they can get jealous very quickly. so it is vital that you spend enough time with them and make them feel loved.Owning a pet bird can be a lot of fun and requires lots of hard work. So you must make sure that you are willing to put in the effort.

Where to Purchase a Pet Bird

You can purchase you pet bird from various places including:

• Pet Shops
• Breeders
• Private Sellers

Pet Shops

Pet shops often stock a wide variety of birds and they are usually a lot cheaper than the ones sold by independent breeders. The disadvantage is the fact that they won't be handled well and so it will take more efforts to tame them. The staff also won't know as much as an independent breeder.

Breeders

Breeders know their animals really well and so they can tell you what personality they have. You should be able to ask as many questions as you want and the breeder should be able to give you good and clear answers. You may pay more for a bird bought from a breeder but it is usually worth it as the birds are generally tamer.

Private Sellers

Private sellers are usually cheaper than breeders and even sometimes cheaper than pet shops.

They may not have much knowledge of their birds as a breeder but they know a moderate amount about the bird. Private sellers are selling their animals when they can no longer cope with or live with for whatever reason.

Wherever you choose to buy from, always do your research and go in with some moderate amount of knowledge on your chosen breed. Know about pet bird care.