Caring For Your Aging Pet Bird

Owning a pet bird can be a wonderful experience. Small birds like finches are very active, and their antics can be quite amusing. The larger birds such as cockatiels and parrots are more interactive and requires more attention. No matter what type of birds you have, unfortunately, he will age, and many times, he will require more specialized care as a result. This extra care of your aging pet to keep him more comfortable and a great addition to your family for a long time. As your bird ages, it is important that you do everything you can to take care of him.

So can how long you expect your pet bird to live? How long you can expect your bird to live, will depend on the breed of bird you have and the environment it lives in. Smaller birds such as finches will live on average 3-5 years. The medium-sized birds such as cockatiels can have an average lifespan of 15 years. Some of the very large birds can live off a human. This means that in order to properly care for your aging pet birds, the first thing you should do is to get familiar with life on your particular bird race.

How well your special pet bird ages will depend on a variety of things. The one thing that you can greatly affect your bird environment. A clean cage, clean water, proper food and regular exercise will all go a long way towards ensuring that your bird live a long and quality of life. Feeding the right diet for your bird will ensure your bird gets the right nutrition. Enough exercise will keep him strong and active, even when he is older. Birds are very intelligent animals, and the larger bird breeds require social interaction, either from you or from another bird to live a long and happy life.

As your pet bird ages, you have to follow him closely for changes in behavior and appearance. If your bird spends most of his time in his cage, you will probably find that he seems to be the same, day after day, even when he gets older. In general, his feathers many times that your bird will never see dull in appearance. He will spend more time sleeping and move slower. An older bird that has other birds for mates can actually get bullied and chased away from food and water. Special care must be taken to ensure that older birds have enough food, water and rest. Vitamins added to food or water can also help ensure that your pet bird is receiving nutrition he needs. Your bird's droppings are also a very good indicator of your bird's overall health. Any changes in color and texture may be a sign of problems.

It is important to establish a relationship with an avian veterinarian in your area. It is recommended that your bird examined once a year to ensure that your bird is healthy and well. Take your bird to the vet will ensure that there is a record on file of the condition of your bird every year. Birds are very good at hiding illness from you, and may not be obvious that something is wrong with him. It will be easier to catch potential problems with regular wellness visits. The sad fact is that as your pet bird ages, he will be more likely to become ill, and a stable relationship with an avian vet just may save your birds life. In the longer term, a veterinarian can help you keep your beloved pet birds happy and healthy for longer.