Last Updated on by Mitch Rezman
The day we decide to get a pet bird, we’re probably mulling over a lot of factors.
The species that also relates to the “size” decision which may or may not affect birdcage size decision (see footnote)*
It’s been my experience that people tend to focus on the type of toys to put in the cage.
What’s the best bird food, considering that’s a really complicated subject? (read our blog)
When I bring the bird home, should I let it sit in the cage by itself for a few days or a couple of weeks to let it get acclimated? (“social is every birds middle name – start now)
What you’ll find is that most of these questions answer themselves over time if you’re paying attention.
Humans who acquire birds are not stupid people. They understand, or should at least, that birds are messy and they may get bitten from time to time.
Judging by the information that I get on social media, most pet bird keepers I read about literally dote on their birds, leaving nothing to chance.
Why do so many birds end up in rescues or rehoming situations?
In a word, “synchronicity.”
Let’s start with lighting and work our way from the top down.
The majority of pet birds in this country do not have artificial light over their primary domiciles one of the most critical pieces of equipment you can have.
Why?
Lighting on a timer keeps your bird’s circadian rhythms in check as light flows over the pineal gland (much like humans).
In many cases we can use light as a tool to help reduce your bird’s bad behavior read more:
wrong
Even more importantly, is setting your bird up for success by following a precise schedule.
All it takes to stress your bird out is not performing or providing items and tasks your bird is expecting.
When we rescued Keto, he came with a bell toy. We soon learned that it was not something that he would accept being separated from.
Catherine rebuilt the toy so it was clean and sanitary, and we have come to learn that it’s essential to control the bird.
For reasons still opaque to us Keto is a biter even after 8 years under our roof with the best care possible.
I don’t claim to understand this, but I know one thing: that 5 days a week, Keto and his step-brother Chili the blue Quaker come downstairs to stay in their day cages atop the retail counter.
Normally, everyone is happy and cheerfully watching Mom effortlessly float between her desk and the shipping table, ensuring orders get fulfilled on time.
One day, though, Keto was acting oddly; he just couldn’t find a place for himself.
Catherine gets busy and doesn’t pay enough attention to figure out that when bringing down keto this morning, she had forgotten his toy, and he was beside himself.
A dash upstairs to retrieve the toy fixed Keto’s mood enormously.
Let me back up here precisely to sunrise because when I say we synchronize with our birds, it’s with a capital “S.”
We cover the cages nightly around 9:30 p.m.
All four upstairs birdcages have multiple light fixtures, all on timers.
For humans timers beg the question as to dealing with daylight savings time, a human-made conundrum.
We set our timers and forget our timers disrespecting daylight savings time all together so for half the year all the lights over the cages turn off at 8:30 (birdie bedtime) and come on at 8:30
While for the other half of the year it’s 7:30 on both sides of the day and this way the birds don’t get confused about “what time is it?”
Birds can tell time as accurately as a Rolex, and when their expectations are not met, they begin to stress and potentially exhibit self-destructive Behavior.
Consistent daylight/darkness helps removes that stress.
It’s the rest of the day where our irregular actions although well-meaning may do more harm than good.
I‘m old, so I usually have a pee in the morning long before the birdcage lights come on.
So as not to stress out all the birds I pull off all four cage covers once I see light flowing in through the three awning windows starting to brighten above (now) three bird cages.
I also let Barney out, one of the two cockatiels but he’s the only one that comes out solo for everyone’s safety at this time.
Sometime between 9:00 and 10:00 I will take Keto and Chili downstairs and set them up with their favorite toys and food so I can spend the work day with Mom.
The big boys will have their breakfast waiting for them in their counter cages but we have to bring up the chopped veggies for the six budgies and the two cockatiels to enjoy.
I’ll return upstairs and let Sweetiepie out our new cockatiel because he’s much too trusting and has already lost one toenail to the Quaker.
I may spend the day upstairs with the two cockatiels or in the basement, so they’re on their own until 4:00.
At 4:00, Sweetie Pie gets locked up while Keto and Chili return to their home cages.
A concerted effort is made to collect all the breakfast dishes and any water that was left over from the evening to be brought down to the kitchen along with the dishes from the two counter cages so everything will be washed and prepared for the next day.
Everyone gets a fresh dish of Vitamin Water for the night, and then we let the birds out on a rotating basis so nobody gets hurt
8:00 ( or 7:00 for DST) means all birds get returned to their cages to await nightly treats.
One inch Millet sprigs for the two cockatiel,s with some sort of millet in the budgies’ food collection dish.
Keto and Chili get either three sunflower seeds or a small piece of Lafebers Avi-Cake, then the lights are turned low until 9:30 when we cover the bird cages.
The plan is during the weekend to keep the big boys upstairs, but inevitably, Keto will walk/fly downstairs with Chili to follow if he’s allowed.
This is our routine, almost 7 days a week, and for the most part, our birds our fairly well behaved.
So next time you’re wondering why after watching 27 videos on how to train your bird to act perfectly in 7 days has not worked, think about your daily interactions with your bird and how consistent or inconsistent your bird’s life is.
*The birdcage size thing
The number of answers you can find for the question “What is the proper size cage for my bird?” totals in the gazillions. <technical term
The reality is that your birds’ cage size is directly related to their lifestyle, not their wingspan or body size.
Granted, dome top cages are more appropriate for longtail birds like macaws and ringnecks because of the body length, but if your bird is out for most daylight hours, they will be fine in a smaller “sleeping” cage.
Written By Mitch Rezman
Approved by Catherine Tobsing
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