The Complete Guide to Keeping Pet Birds

Quick answer

A pet bird needs a roomy cage and a varied diet based on pellets and fresh vegetables, not just seed. It also needs time out of the cage every day, company, and a clean home free of draughts and smoke. Start with a hardy species such as a budgie or cockatiel and find an avian vet before you need one. Learn the quiet signs of illness too, because birds are very good at hiding sickness.

Choose the right bird for your life

Birds live a long time, and species vary enormously in how noisy, messy and needy they are. Pick for your home, not for the colours.

Large parrots can outlive their owners and need hours of interaction a day. If birds are new to you, learn on a smaller species first.

The cage and set-up

Get the biggest cage you can fit and afford. Birds fly side to side, so width matters more than height.

• Minimum sizes (rough guide): at least 60 × 50 × 75 cm (24 × 20 × 30 in) for a single budgie, and at least 75 × 50 × 75 cm (30 × 20 × 30 in) for a cockatiel. Bigger is always better.
• Bar spacing: about 1–1.3 cm (½ in) for budgies and finches, about 1.3–1.6 cm (½–⅝ in) for cockatiels. Any wider and a bird can get its head stuck.
• Perches: several natural-wood perches of different thicknesses. Don't rely on sandpaper perch covers, which can make feet sore.
• Placement: in a room the family uses, against a wall. Keep it away from the kitchen, direct afternoon sun, air-conditioner vents and open windows.
• Avoid: round cages (no corners for the bird to feel safe in), cages painted with zinc or lead, and anything with peeling paint.

Line the tray with plain paper so you can see the droppings every day. They tell you more about a bird's health than almost anything else.

What to feed

Feeding nothing but seed is the most common mistake keepers make. Seed is fatty and short on vitamin A and calcium.

A balanced daily diet for most parrot-type birds:

• Pellets made for the species as the base. If your bird is used to seed, switch over gradually across a few weeks.
• Fresh vegetables every day: carrot, leafy greens, bell pepper, broccoli, peas, sweetcorn, squash. Chop them up and offer them in the morning.
• Some fruit, in smaller amounts: apple (no seeds), pear, berries, mango, pomegranate.
• Seed and millet as a smaller portion or a training treat. Finches and canaries naturally eat more seed, but greens and egg food still do them good.
• Fresh, clean water, changed at least once a day and more often in hot weather.

Never feed: avocado, chocolate, caffeine (tea, coffee), alcohol, xylitol (sugar-free sweets and gum), salty or fried food, onion and garlic, or fruit stones and apple seeds. Take out uneaten fresh food after a few hours before it spoils.

Daily and weekly routine

Every day

• Fresh food and water; wash bowls.
• Check droppings, appetite and behaviour.
• Supervised out-of-cage time in a bird-safe room.
• Talk to, train or play with your bird.
• 10–12 hours of quiet darkness at night. A cage cover helps.

Every week

• Move perches and toys around to keep things interesting.
• Scrub the cage tray and grate.
• Offer a shallow bath or a light mist of plain water.

Every month or so

• Deep-clean the whole cage with hot water and a bird-safe cleaner, then rinse and dry.
• Check nails and beak. Overgrowth can point to a diet or health problem.

Enrichment and taming

Birds are clever and get bored fast, and a bored bird may start screaming or damaging its feathers.

Keep 3–5 toys on rotation: shreddable wood, paper, foraging toys that hide food, and bells for budgies (check they are sturdy). Train in short, positive sessions, starting with "step up" onto a finger or perch and rewarding with a favourite treat.

Never grab a bird from above or chase it round the cage. Move slowly and let it come to you. If a single budgie becomes obsessed with its reflection, take the mirror out.

Household dangers

Birds have extremely sensitive lungs, and the worst hidden risks are airborne:

• Non-stick cookware (PTFE) gives off fumes when overheated on a stove, and those fumes can kill birds quickly. Many keepers switch to stainless steel or cast iron.
• Smoke, aerosols, scented candles, air fresheners, mosquito coils and strong cleaning products.
• Open water (pots, sinks, toilets), ceiling fans, open windows and doors.
• Other pets. Cats and dogs can injure birds even while playing, and cat saliva is dangerous in any scratch or bite.
• Heat: birds suffer in hot, stuffy rooms. An overheating bird pants with its beak open and holds its wings away from its body.

When to see a vet

Birds hide weakness by instinct, so a bird that looks ill is often already seriously ill. Find a vet who treats birds before you need one, and go promptly if you notice:

• Sitting fluffed up, sleepy during the day, or on the cage floor
• Tail bobbing with each breath, open-mouth breathing or clicking sounds
• Not eating or drinking, or sudden weight loss (a keel bone that feels sharp)
• Changes in droppings lasting more than a day: very watery, black, bloody or bright green; see our bird droppings colour guide
• Discharge from eyes or nostrils, or crusty skin around the beak
• Vomiting, bleeding, or any injury after a fall or attack
• Feather plucking or bald patches

On the way to the vet, keep a sick bird warm and quiet, with food and water close by. Do not give human medicines.

In Pakistan

Budgies, lovebirds, cockatiels, finches and ringneck parakeets are kept everywhere and easy to find. Larger imported parrots such as African greys cost a great deal more. Summer heat is the big seasonal danger. Keep cages out of direct sun and off verandas, give shade and fresh water several times a day, and avoid hot, closed-up rooms. In winter, guard against cold draughts at night. Birds from markets may be stressed or carrying disease, so quarantine any new bird for about 30 days and buy from sellers who let you look the bird over properly first. Our guide on how to tell if a parrot is healthy before you buy can help.

Looking for a healthy, well-kept bird? You can browse verified bird listings on Paalo.