Collaborative Post¦ Are you considering getting a pet bird? They can be really friendly and funny little companions. Here are some of the most popular birds you can keep as pets to help you decide which is right for you!
Cockatiel
Cockatiels are intelligent, friendly and affectionate birds. They’re good for families with children, as they are easy to handle. While they don’t usually learn words, they’re well-known for whistling and copying sounds such as phones and doorbells. Generally, they enjoy being petted and they come in a variety of colours! They’re well known for having a crest on their head which indicates their mood.
Cockatiels need a large cage to give them enough room for exercising and feeling comfortable. It’s also a good idea to keep them in pairs so that they don’t get lonely, as they require a lot of social interaction to be happy!
Macaw
Macaws are very intelligent and friendly (as long as they have been well socialised). Macaws can learn words, which is great fun. However, they are noisy and they’re a large bird so they need a LOT of space to move around and exercise. They’ll need a cage that is at least 5 feet high by 3 or 4 foot in width and length. Therefore, this type of parrot isn’t a suitable pet for everyone. As they’re so intelligent, they also need a lot of toys and attention. They love working out a puzzle!
Malnutrition and obesity are common health issues, so before you Buy Food for Parrots, make sure you read up on how to give them a balanced diet!
Budgie
Budgies, also known as budgerigars or parakeets, are one of the most popular birds to be kept as pets. This is for good reason, as they’re fairly low maintenance, not loud and are very friendly and affectionate. Like cockatiels, budgies are also an excellent choice for first-time bird owners or families with children.
Budgies can be taught tricks and can sing, whistle and learn how to talk! They come in lots of colours and can be kept in pairs or on their own.
Lovebird
Lovebirds are the smallest bird in the parrot family. They don’t need much space and are very intelligent and affectionate.
They can be kept on their own or as a pair. However, they’re higher maintenance than birds like budgies and cockatiels. They can occasionally try to show dominance by nipping or other aggressive behaviour, so they may not be a good choice if you have young children.
Canary
Male are very well-known for their beautiful singing. You might typically think of canaries being yellow, but they also come in red, white, green, orange and brown! They need a large flight cage but are low maintenance.
They are quite shy and don’t really like to be handled. However, they love to interact with other canaries so ideally you should keep more than one.
Dove
Doves are a famous symbol of peace. They’re quite easy-going and don’t need too much attention, which is ideal if you’re out of the house quite a lot. However, they’re fine to be handled and can be very sweet pets. Doves are suitable for households with older children who understand how to handle them gently.
They can’t climb up and down the bars of cages and need to fly between perches, so they need a large flight cage.
Cover photo by Bianca Ackermann on Unsplash