Acquiring a New Bird

This handout is not meant to be complete and should only be used as a guideline to get the wheels in your head turning.

Becoming a pet bird owner can be one of the most rewarding decisions that you can ever make. The bond that can develop between a bird and its owner can be wonderful. That is, if proper research and preparation are put into the decision long BEFORE the bird is acquired. If, however, very little forethought is put into this decision, it can become quite an unpleasant, long-lasting burden for you and your entire family.

What Purpose Will My New Bird Serve?

Do I want a companion bird that can speak and/or interact with people?

Do I want one bird, two birds or several birds? For example, finches do better when housed in a flock and don't necessarily like to be handled, nor do they talk. However, these birds can be quite enjoyable to simply observe in an aviary setting. Single birds usually bond better with their owners, but also require more toys and interaction from their owners to keep their complex minds busy.

Do I want to breed my bird?

Will this be a teaching subject, such as for a school or community center?

Which Species Is Right For You?

Your Experience. Are you a first-time bird owner or are you a seasoned aviary owner? Some birds, such as Macaws and Cockatoos don't make good first birds for the novice bird caretaker.

Size of the Bird. Factor your residence into this decision. Different birds have different noise and mess production capabilities. In an apartment, for example, neighbors may not appreciate the loud screams of large Macaw, but a smaller and quieter bird may do fine.

Local Ordinances. Are there local ordinances against owning birds in your area?

Life Spans. How long will my bird live? Birds can live for a very long time, anywhere from 10-60 years. Find out the average lifespan of the bird you are interested in getting. This is THE most important reason why you need a bird that is perfectly suited to your situation. If you end up disliking your bird, you are either stuck with that bird for many years or stuck trying to find it a home.

Diets. Are there any special diets required for the bird you are looking to get? For example, some birds are strict nectar eaters. Feeding these birds a seed or pelleted diet can dramatically shorten their life span.

Health Issues. What are the common health concerns associated with the bird you are interested in getting?

Time and Expense. What kind of time and expense are involved in acquiring, feeding, housing, and maintaining a healthy bird? Set a budget and stick to it. Include in your budget the cost for the bird, cage, food, toys, veterinarian exams and tests, and maintenance for your bird.

Other Pets. What other pets do you have at home? Do you have a bird dog that will spend his/her every waking moment waiting for you to look away so he/she can swallow your bird whole? Do you have cats? Not that these pets can't co-exist together peacefully, it's just that special precautions will need to be made to ensure the safety of your pet bird.

How Do I Know Which Bird Is Right For Me?

Get books and magazines from your local library, bookstore, or pet store. If you buy a book and decide that the bird you are reading about is not for you, you are merely out the cost of a book.

The Internet can be a good source for information about birds; however, many websites do not report accurate information. Go to websites that have been recommended and verified as accurate.

Talk with fellow bird owners, pet store representatives, bird breeders, and veterinarians. Ask them what they recommend or if they know of any problems related to the health, behavior or maintenance of the bird you are considering.

Many veterinarians and pet stores have brochures that briefly discuss the unique characteristics of different birds. Visiting local avian veterinarians in the area will also allow you to find a veterinarian that you are comfortable with to use as your bird's doctor.

Visit local pet stores, bird breeders, and bird fairs. Ask to see and handle the birds if possible. Beware though, many breeders and some pet stores are nervous about allowing their birds to be handled by the public for fear of disease transmission.

Where Do I Get A New Bird?

Pet Stores. Some pet stores actually hand-feed and raise their birds. As a result, those birds are much more socialized. Birds, which have been hand-fed and rose, are usually more expensive, but the extra expense is well worth it in the long run.

Breeder. Some breeders hand-feed their chicks.

Bird Fairs and Bird Marts. Bird fairs/marts are gatherings of local bird interests at a particular location for the purpose of buying, selling, and trading birds, bird toys, birdcages, etc. This is an excellent place to see many different birds all in one location. Personally, I STRONGLY recommend against buying a bird from a local bird fair. Bird fairs are perfect places for bird diseases to gather and spread, and the chances of bringing home a diseased bird are high. This holds true for trade days as well.

Newspapers and Magazines. Be sure you know the person, whom you are buying your bird from, and make sure they are reputable.

Rescue groups. Be cautious though, as many of these birds have been relinquished due to health or behavior problems.

What to Look For When Purchasing a New Bird

Mentation. The bird should be active, alert, and interested in his/her environment.

Feathers. Feathering should be even with no patches of feather loss and no stress bars.

Eyes, Ears, and Cere. The eyes, ears and nostrils should have no swellings, discharge, or redness.

Beak. The beak should be of normal length and perfectly aligned with the lower beak.

Breathing. Breathing should be normal. Abnormal breathing is when the bird is sitting low on his/her perch and has rapid, exaggerated abdominal movements. Oftentimes, sick birds will be fluffed, have a rounded appearance and be sitting at the bottom of the cage.

Leg Bands. If the bird has a band on one of his/her legs, check to see whether the band is open, closed, flat or rounded. Open, rounded bands have been applied after the pet reached adulthood and it is possible that the bird has been wild caught. Wild caught birds are sometimes smuggled into the country illegally and may carry disease and/or parasites. Closed, flat bands are applied when birds are hatchlings.

Handle-ability . Ask to handle the bird. Does the bird readily come to you and stand on your finger or does it immediately start to bite? You are going to have this bird for a long time, so you must be comfortable handling it.

Housing. Look at the where the bird lives. Are there different types and ages of birds all housed together? Is the environment clean, well cared for?

The Bird Purchasing Process

Bill of Sale. Be sure to get a written bill of sale. This document should include the conditions of the sale, return policy, the date of purchase, the amount paid for the bird and method of payment, the bird's band number and/or microchip number, hatch date, and DNA sex results.

Instructions. Get written instructions on the proper care and diet for your new bird from the seller.

Contact information. Make sure you have the seller's name and telephone number in case you need to contact them for any reason.

Veterinarian. If you do not already have a chosen veterinarian in mind for your bird, get the name and number of the veterinarian that the seller uses.

Taking your new bird home

Carrier. Make sure you bring an appropriate sized carrier for transporting your new bird to your home. Contact the seller, as they sometimes have carry cases that they send home with new birds.

Your Bird's New Cage. Have your bird's cage already clean and set up at home. If you are buying the cage from the same place on the same day, pick up the cage and supplies first, take them home and set them up before returning for the bird. This will prevent your bird from having to sit in his/her carrier for longer than is necessary.

Allow Time For Adjustment. When you get home with your new bird, place your bird in his/her new cage and leave him/her alone for the rest of the day to get used to his/her surroundings.

QUARANTINE. No matter how healthy your new bird appears, quarantine him/her for a minimum of 30 days. This means keeping the new bird in a separate room with a separate air supply, away from any other birds that you may have. Be sure to feed, water, and handle your new bird after all of your existing birds have been fed, watered, and handled. Make sure to wash and disinfect your hands before and after handling your new and existing birds, food/water bowls, or cage substrate. This will decrease the chance of spreading disease from your new bird to your existing birds and vice versa.

Immediately Take Your New Bird to the Veterinarian

When to Take Your Bird to the Vet. Take your new bird to the veterinarian preferably within the guarantee window that the seller of the bird set forth in the Bill of Sale. Find out what, if any, diseases the bird is guaranteed against.

Physical Exam. Your bird's veterinarian will get your birds' weight and perform a thorough exam looking for any abnormalities.

Diet and Recommendations. Your veterinarian will go over the recommendations for diet, etc. that the seller set forth for your bird and recommend changes if appropriate.

Blood and Stool exams. Your veterinarian may then recommend blood tests and stool exams as deemed appropriate to evaluate your new bird for disease.

Testing For Infectious Diseases. Depending on where your bird came from, your guarantee info, and what your bird will be used for, your veterinarian may recommend testing for one or a few viral and/or bacterial diseases. Though these tests can be expensive, it may save you a lot of pain, heartache and expense down the line.

How Do I Take Care Of My New Bird?

Follow the written instructions that the seller provided and the recommendations from your veterinarian.

Keep your bird's toenails trimmed frequently so that he/she will not scratch or hurt your hands when being handled.

Also, most importantly, keep your bird's wings trimmed frequently so that he/she will not be able to fly into structures such as ceiling fans, windows, and walls.

Beak trims are not routinely needed unless there is a misalignment of the beak causing the beak to grow abnormally long over time. Sometimes beaks are trimmed if they get excessively sharp.

Take your bird to the veterinarian every 6 months for a general health exam.