What are the downsides of getting a pet bird?

Question

I am considering to get a bird or a rodent (probably a guinea pig, but hamsters and mice are considered) what are the downsides of getting a bird? I will probably get a parakeet.

Answer 1

- Loud. Parakeets, aka budgies, are very small but those tiny bodies pack a squawk. It's not nearly as deafening as a Sun Conure or an Alexandrine Parakeet, but a squawk nonetheless. They can have fits of screaming that can be brought on by behavioural problems if you don't prevent them, and one particular scream, the "ACK-ACK-ACK" can be very annoying.

- Messy. All birds are very notoriously messy. It doesn't matter the size, they're all slobs. Wherever they are, if they feel they have to, they'll poop. I actually keep a roll of toilet paper out in the living room because I know I'll be chasing after my birds with it. Birds also have very quick metabolisms for their small, active bodies, so you can expect a poop every 15 minutes or so. Also, when feeding wet foods, it will find its way to the bottom of the cage or the floor, so you'll either have to wash it or throw it out. When eating regular dry food, it'll go flinging out of their beaks when they clamp down and chew and I've been able to find pieces of food 20 feet from my cages (how it happens, I'll never know! My birds are lovebirds; not much bigger than budgies).

- Easily bored. Birds are too intelligent to just be pieces of decoration. They need mental stimulation, and it has to be in the following forms: You, toys, environment stimuli. Birds are very playful by nature and need a flock-like society to live in because they are so social. They're very time consuming to train and tame and gain the trust of, and I would say spending at least 4 hours a day with your bird, whether it's being in the same room and talking, sitting by the cage, or directly playing with them, that interaction is needed. Also, birds need out of cage time. It's unquestionable to me because it's a requirement. At least two hours should suffice as long as they have a spacious cage, but more is always better. They need a large variety of toys to stay occupied, and these toys should fill their cage but leave enough room to still fly. Toys should be rotated so that not one thing stays the same in the cage for a week. The same applies for perches; not one perch stays the same. You can also move the actual cage itself to different parts of the room to show the bird different perspectives, sometimes a window view, sometimes a view of the computer screen, the TV, etc.

- Require bird-proofing. Bird-proofing a living area (the entire room the bird is in and all adjoining rooms it could potentially have access to) is more than dog or baby proofing. Consider all the areas they could fit. Birds are so small and can squeeze themselves so efficiently that you can't even begin to imagine where they could squeeze themselves. They're also very quick, and some fly with such graceful silence that your eyes always have to be open as to where the bird is, since birds can and will be quiet when they feel. Then there is a height factor. Since birds can fly when given the opportunity, the places they can perch must be reachable to you and cannot have any potential dangers, such as things falling on them, snagging their toes or feet/legs, or any electrical cords climbing up the walls that could be chewed. Even leaving a glass of water unattended for two minutes could be death for a bird. Birds have very poor flight quality when wet and they struggle greatly when they're wet, so there's no way they could get themselves out of water when all they originally wanted was a sip to drink.

- Require the trashing of some household items. Do you burn candles? The ONLY safe candles for birds are beeswax candles, and you should never leave them unattended whether the bird is in or out of the cage. Do you use non-stick cookware? Aerosol sprays? Fabric softener? Commercial cleaners? All are toxic to birds' respiratory systems and they'll either struggle to breathe and die slowly, or simply drop dead from the effects.

- Sensitive. Not only are birds very emotionally sensitive (boredom can lead to self mutilation or other behavioural problems, they can also mirror our emotions onto their own), but very physically sensitive. Their bodies are very small and efficient, but one thing wrong can cause death, as I mentioned above with some household products. If the temperature in your home goes past 35 Celsius, the bird will overheat. If it dips below 15 Celsius, it'll get cold. If you have an actual hot-cold draft going by the bird, it'll definitely get sick.

- Clingy, or on the flip side, very hostile (usually in the first few weeks if being brought home). Some birds will be like Velcro, and that's okay for some people, but for others, that's not what they want. A bird can be very clingy to their person because they're so affectionate towards them, and this may be unwelcome because the bird will suffer deep separation anxiety when you're gone. On the other hand, a bird may be very distrusting of you and absolutely fearful. It takes a LOT of commitment to earn a bird's trust, especially since we come off as huge predator animals and they're so tiny.

- Require large caging, as any animal. For any single bird, their cage space should be at least twice the size of their body with both wings fully spanned. Bigger is always better. Be aware that budgies will need no larger than half an inch bar spacing and that most cage coatings can be potentially dangerous or toxic, so the best ones to go for are powder coated or stainless steel.

- Will become hostile, or as some may describe "wild", when neglected. Birds are very social and sensitive, as stated. Leaving them in isolation for extended periods of time without direct socialization will cause them to go back to being distrustful and in some cases, very antisocial and nippy or afraid. Being an owner of any animal requires strict consistency of interaction.

- Dietary needs. Parrots are now becoming very well studied, and some are not thrilled with the dietary needs of parrots because they're so much more complex than what was previously believed. All parrots need 80 to 85% pellets of a high quality, best without any artificial colours or flavours, 10% fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, and pastas, and 5 to 10% seeds. Since budgies are an Australian species that thrive on a higher seed intake, the 80% pellets, 10% seed, 10% fresh foods is the diet for budgies. When it comes to fresh foods, it's best if it's organically grown. Failing that, one must avoid buying many delicious things like strawberries and peppers that are usually misted in pesticides that would kill birds. All foods must be well washed, and foods that should NEVER be fed to a parrot are: avocado, chocolate, alcohol, tomato leaves, apple seeds, fruit pits and seeds, mushrooms, onions, anything with a high quantity of salt, sugars, grease, or fat. Nuts need to be limited, and they should never be fed shelled peanuts from a typical bulk or grocery store because they can carry bacteria having been in the ground, but the best nuts are almonds, which should be fed in moderation as well.

- Cost. Birds are expensive. There's no avoiding that fact. The bird itself may only be $10 to $100, but the cage can be an expected $50 to $2,000, the food may be $50 per six months, toys can add up to $200 per visit to the pet store (experience ;]) where single toys can be $2 to $70, perches to avoid arthritis and foot pain can be $5 to $60 per single perch, and MOST importantly: VET VISITS! A simple checkup for a bird can be $50 to $80 US, plus any fees to treat an ill bird where painkillers are the most inexpensive, being around $10 and the largest I've experienced, x rays for $150. You can also choose to run some tests such as blood tests and gram stains that need to be sent to a lab; those are usually $20 to $50. Medical emergencies can sum up to $2,000 depending on what happened to the bird.

Answer 2

I’ve had several parakeets.

They are loud and make quite a mess with their food, feathers, and droppings which end up everywhere. They require a lot of daily handling, or they will grow distant and afraid of you. Their wings and nails need to be clipped often. Their cage lining must be changed very often.

I had also had rabbits, hamsters, gerbils, mice and guinea pigs. They all make a mess as well, but it is contained in their cage. They are quiet animals, unlike birds. They too need a lot of daily handling, or they will not want to be handled at all after a while.

Mice and hamsters are my favorites. They are interesting to watch and enjoyable to handle. The gerbils I’ve had tended to be biters (although I’m sure there are plenty of very sweet gerbils out there), and the rabbits and guinea pigs were just dull, since they just sit there most of the time.

Good luck with whatever you decide on!

Answer 3

Birds are smart little creature, but delicate. You cant get them cold or by a draft. They live a long time as well, like up to 20 years, longer for bigger birds. I suggest if you are getting a rodent, a pet female rat. I was opposed to the idea at first myself, as hamsters are so cute and fuzzy, but when my step daughter came home with a pet rat, she was fabulous way better than a hamster and more tame! They only live 2 to 5 years though.

Answer 4

I had a cockatiel for 12 years, but he passed some time ago. They're great (not sure about parakeets) but you have to be careful about the temperature in your house. In the winter or colder months, don't have them by a window or any draft. They make some noise (if not paid enough attention to, they may make A LOT of noise), but all in all, they're great pets.

Answer 5

They are wonderful to have. The worst is the scattering of seeds. Be sure you have a "skirt" under the cage..you can buy these in pet stores..it fits under the cage..not on the floor..and of course you must clean their cage daily (as with any pet kept in a cage)..They are fun and most are easy to train..i.e. letting them out for a bit and sitting on your finger etc.

Answer 6

well the only downside i can see is the mess u have to clean up and the smell but, if u keep its cage clean then that shouldnt be a problem. if thats wat u want hun i say go for it. oh and they r kinda loud at times but not too bad.

Answer 7

It can be many diffrent things or all togeather, noise attention time out, cleaning and many more ...