Birds – Arranging Their Living Quarters

In this article we’re going to discuss the care that should be
taken when arranging your bird’s living quarters. After all, you
wouldn’t want to live in an unpleasant environment. Well,
neither does your bird.

First order of business is when your bird should be caged and
when it’s okay for him to be allowed to roam about. When you’re
home to supervise the bird it can be either caged or allowed to
perch somewhere. However, when you are out the bird should be
caged at all times. There is no telling what kind of trouble
your bird can get into unsupervised. Not only can they seriously
hurt themselves but they can do more damage to your house than a
tornado. Okay, maybe not that much damage, but certainly enough
so that you’ll be reupholstering your furniture for months.
Objects that are extremely harmful to your bird are mirrors,
windows, walls, house plants, electrical cords, and items that
contain harmful chemicals.

Birds that are perched are usually relaxed and quite content and
will only fly away if they are startled by a loud noise or
sudden movement. A ringing doorbell or telephone will usually
get your bird’s attention and disrupt his peaceful moment.
Unfortunately when this happens your bird doesn’t always file a
flight plan and many times ends up crashing into a wall or some
other object. This happens because of their confusion and poor
depth perception.

The major cause of your bird being poisoned is lead, which is
found in a number of items around the house like stained glass,
fishing sinkers, costume jewelry and tops of wine bottles. Birds
have a knack for finding soft metal and love to chew on it. Even
eating a small amount of lead can lead to poisoning. So make
sure you keep these items locked away or out of reach of your
bird. Lead poisoning can be treated but only if it is detected
early.

A bird that is allowed unrestricted run of the house can end up
eating house plants or chewing on electrical cords resulting in
illness or worse. Some birds will like to chew on your carpet or
other similar materials. This can result in intestinal
impactions. Birds that fly high are also at risk of injury from
ceiling fans. Also, a free bird is fair game to other pets in
your house like the cat or dog. Don’t underestimate either’s
ability to catch the little flyer.

Also, birds that are allowed to fly around can easily escape
through an open window or door. Unfortunately, most bird owners
feel that their bird would never fly away and leave them for
good. This couldn’t be farther from the truth as the bird’s
disorientation after flying out makes it almost impossible for
it to find its way back even if it wanted to.

Taking all this into consideration, it is very important when
positioning your bird’s cage, to do so in an area where your
bird feels comfortable and can get into the least amount of
trouble. Some birds like lots of company so you can put the cage
in a room where there is a lot of traffic. Others like to be
alone so it is better to put the cage in a room where not many
people enter. Also make sure the cage is away from dangerous
fumes which can kill your bird very quickly.

Keeping all the above in mind when planning your bird’s living
quarters can help insure that you have a happy and healthy bird
that is going to be around for a long time.