How to Buy a Bird

Choosing the Right Type of Bird

Buy a small bird if you have limited space or children at home. Generally speaking, smaller birds—like budgies or cockatiels—are a bit easier to care for, and better suited to households with children. In most cases, the larger the bird, the more demanding it’ll be of your time, the more space it’ll require, and the less suited it will be for kids. With instruction and supervision, even younger kids (over age 5) may be able to help care for budgies or cockatiels. Small birds require smaller cages, but make sure you’re still providing adequate space according to the bird breed’s needs. Talk to the breeder or your vet for guidance. Smaller birds tend to live shorter lifespans, often in the range of 5-10 years.

Consider a mid-sized bird if you can handle the added responsibility. Mid-sized birds like parrotlets and lovebirds tend to live longer than small birds—often 10-20 years and sometimes more—and require more cage space. Birds also tend to become more needy in terms of attention as they go up in size. Mid-sized birds can present a danger (from biting or scratching) to smaller children. If you have pre-teens or teens at home, however, parrotlets and lovebirds might work out well. Mid-sized (and larger) birds don’t thrive when left home alone for long stretches, so take your work schedule and social calendar into account. Smaller birds require regular attention as well, but aren’t quite so needy.

Be honest about whether you’re prepared to care for a large bird. Healthy macaws and other large bird breeds require regular attention and a lot of care. They can also live a very long time—different types of parrots can live for 30, 50, even 80+ years! Because of a large bird’s long lifespan, consider what your life might be like in 5, 10, and 20 years down the road. Are you relatively confident that you’ll be able to provide a stable, healthy home for the bird for years or decades to come? Larger parrots like macaws are not suited to households with children, especially younger children. Even with a trimmed beak and claws and good training, a large bird can easily injure a child. Don’t ignore the financial responsibility either. Even a small parakeet can cost around $500 USD per year to care for, and larger birds can cost 2 or even 3 times more. That means a macaw might be a 50-year, $75,000 USD investment!

Learn more about the species you’re interested in. Consult bird care books and websites, and talk to fellow bird owners and reputable breeders or pet shop owners. Use this information to help further narrow down your options. For instance: Decide if you want a really active bird that will constantly be talking and flying, or whether you want a beautiful, quieter bird just to give you company. A huge, talking African grey parrot will behave quite differently from a small, singing canary. Some birds need specific diets or other special care. Lories, for example, are medium-sized birds known for their striking colors. However, they have highly specialized digestive systems that require a diet of pollen, nectar, and fruit—which results in ample and messy liquid droppings.

Consult your household, and maybe your neighbors, before getting a bird. A pet bird should never be an impulse buy. A bird is a major commitment, and it’s important to make sure everyone in your household is on-board with accepting the shared responsibility. In some ways, bringing home a bird is like welcoming a permanent toddler into your home! Birds are noisy pets, so if you have neighbors in close proximity, you should at least alert them beforehand. They may need to make some adjustments as well.

Getting Your Bird

Work with a reputable breeder whenever possible. Ask bird-owning friends (with experience) for referrals for bird breeders in your area, and visit the breeder yourself before considering a purchase. Look around and make sure the birds are kept in clean, humane conditions, and make sure the breeder is willing to answer your questions. Ask things like: How frequently do you breed pairs per year? (If shouldn’t be more than 3 times.) What kind of diet do you provide? What kind of veterinary care do your birds receive? What can you tell me about this bird’s genetic background?

Evaluate a pet store and its birds before you think of buying there. Some pet stores are great places to buy birds, while others should be avoided. In addition to getting referrals from friends, you need to visit the store yourself before determining if it’s a good place to get a bird. The store should look and smell clean, and the birds’ cages should be roomy, clean, and stocked with a variety of food and clean water. The birds should seem friendly and social, not terrified. Ask questions, such as: “What type of diet do you feed the birds?”; “Which breeders do you use?”; “Do you offer a 48-72-hour “health guarantee?” (This gives you time to take the bird to an avian vet to make sure it is healthy.) If they won’t or can’t give you satisfactory answers, look elsewhere.

Consider the added complications of taking in an abandoned bird. Unfortunately, there are large numbers of abandoned birds out there, because many people don’t recognize the commitment required for bird ownership. Abandoned birds can be well socialized, happy, and healthy, or they can have a range of health and behavioral problems. If you’re working with a shelter or rescue operation, get as much information as possible about the bird’s previous ownership and any health or behavioral concerns. Some groups may offer training for taking in abandoned birds—if so, sign up. If you’re considering taking in a bird from a friend or family member who can no longer care for it (due to moving, for instance, or other reasons), spend increasing amounts of time with the bird beforehand to help ease the transition.

Watch the bird you’re interested in to see if it’s lively and friendly. Birds don’t hide their personalities, so what you see is usually what you get. If a bird seems sociable and outgoing at the breeder’s or pet shop, that’s what it’ll be like at home. If it seems scared and wary of people, it probably has not been treated well and may have great difficulty becoming socialized. There’s a difference between being more quiet and subdued (which some birds naturally are) and being terrified, though. If the bird appears to be overly anxious or fearful around people, it probably has been mistreated.

Look for clear eyes, a clean bottom, trimmed talons, and smooth feathers. Healthy birds have clean, clear, glossy eyes, without discharge or gunky buildup. Likewise, there shouldn’t be fecal buildup around their backsides—this can indicate a poor diet and/or health problems. Healthy birds take pride in self-grooming, so looking unwell is a good sign that they feel unwell. Even smaller birds can have dangerous talons, so these should be kept properly trimmed and maintained. Make sure the seller can tell you about the talon care procedures they use, and give you advice on how to continue this care. Birds shouldn’t have ruffled or unkempt feathers—instead, they should be smooth and orderly. Otherwise, a bird may have a skin condition or a behavioral issue (which can lead to feather-plucking).

Get as much info as possible on a bird’s diet, lifestyle, and health history. When you’ve narrowed down your search to a single bird, get as many specific answers about that bird as you can. Find out what it has been fed and how often; if it has been kept alone or with other birds; if it has had any illnesses or health issues; if it has been given time to play and socialize; and so on. Don’t finalize your purchase until you’re completely satisfied that you’ve gotten all the answers and information you need. Always remember that buying a bird of any size is a long-term, time-intensive, and often very rewarding investment.

Buying the Necessary Supplies

Purchase supplies and set up the cage before getting your bird. Before you actually purchase the bird and take it home, you should make sure you have all the preparations in place to properly care for it. This is one of the many reasons why buying a bird should never be a spur-of-the-moment decision! If you think all you need is a little cage, some old newspaper, a water dish, and some birdseed, think again. Birds need lots of space, things to keep them occupied, and a varied diet.

Buy a cage with multiple perches and ample room to move around. Bigger birds obviously need bigger cages. In fact, many birds will do better if you can provide a safe room—no open windows or doors, no ceiling fans, etc.—in which they can roam freely from time to time. Canaries require a cage that is at least 18 × 18 × 24 in (46 × 46 × 61 cm), with 0.25 in (0.64 cm) bar spacing. Cockatiels: 20 × 20 × 24 in (51 × 51 × 61 cm), 0.5 in (1.3 cm) spacing. Conures: 24 × 24 × 24 in (61 × 61 × 61 cm), 0.625 in (1.59 cm) spacing. Amazons: 34 × 24 × 36 in (86 × 61 × 91 cm), 0.75 in (1.9 cm) spacing. Macaws: 36 × 48 × 60 in (91 × 122 × 152 cm), 1 in (2.5 cm) spacing.

Set up the cage in a good spot, and add a lining and toys. Birds like to be in the center of the action, not tucked away in an isolated room. Yet they also need a quiet place to sleep. Birds also have very sensitive respiratory systems, so you need to keep the cage far away from any smoking, heavy fragrances, chemical fumes, and so on—in fact it’s best to keep these out of your house completely. Line the bottom of the cage with newspapers or paper towels. This makes clean-up much easier than using wood shavings or cat litter. Plan to change the lining at least every 2 days. Add a sturdy bowl that can be used as a bird bath—make sure it is the right size for your bird to bathe in. Include bird-appropriate toys from a bird supply retailer, such as ladders, bells, and sisal rope toys. The cage should have perches of multiple sizes on multiple levels.

Buy pellets for bird feed, and add fruits and vegetables. The easiest and best way to ensure a pet bird is getting adequate nutrition is to make high-quality bird pellets (available at pet supply retailers) the main component of its diet. For the sake of variety, supplement the pellets with bite-size pieces of corn, broccoli, carrots, yams, peas, bananas, apples, or grapes (but no citrus fruit). Generally speaking, it’s recommended to feed a bird twice per day. Make sure to provide a constant supply of clean drinking water. Talk to your bird’s veterinarian regarding the ideal amount and mix of pellets and other foods to provide your particular bird.