How can you make your bird happy? 

A healthy bird is a happy one.   When caring for  birds, it is important to take note of their diet, housing and other social needs. There are some bird owners, who were overwhelmed of their pet responsibilities that they either give up their pets or their pets escaped from their homes.

Here are some things to remember to make our little feathered companions happy. 

Shelter and Cage

When choosing a cage for a pet bird, make that there should be enough room for them to move.  It is ideal for small birds to have perches where they can hop to, while big birds should have enough room to spread their wings without touching the sides of the cage.  Perches should also be in different sizes.  This would remove any possibility of birds hurting their feet for staying in one position.   The perches should also provide access to food and water.

There are also some bird toys which you can give to your birds.  There are some bird toys which can come in very low prices or sometimes given away for free.  It is just a matter of looking.   You can also try providing some “natural” comfort to your birds.  Like safe and edible plants and non-toxic wood inside the cage.

When choosing a location in your house where you can put the bird cage, keep the bird in a safe and quiet environment.  Kitchen is a no-no.  Cleaning and cooking fumes can get dangerous to birds.   It is also important for birds to get direct sunlight.  Similar to humans, birds also need vitamin D. 

Cages should also be cleaned every day.  You can use water and minimal amount of bleach to kill the bacteria.At the time, you wish to clean the cages , move the bird in a safe place first.  The cleaning fumes can be bad for the birds.

Nutrition and Grooming

Bird food is not solely bird seeds.  Some pet owners think that bird seeds are just enough, seed only diet can result to early death.   Birds’ diet should include vegetables, fruits, grains and dairy food.  Avoid processed meat and food with high sugar content.Avocadoes and chocolates should normally be avoided since these are having high sugar content.  Constant fresh water should be supplied to birds. 

Bathing opportunity should be provided to birds.  There are different options, you can put a shallow dish where birds can take a bath.Shower under a faucet would be prefered by some of the birds but you can also spray them with water.  Bathing is important especially if the bird is suffering molting. 

Birds also need to sleep.  Make sure that the place where the cage can be silent and dark enough for the bird to sleep. 

Socialization

Birds are social creatures.You just keep them out of the cage and keep a watch on them from time to time.  You would also need to give them time to make them happy.  There were studies that have showed that parrots being neglected by their owners developed behavioural problems like feather plucking.

You can put your bird’s cage in the family room where family members can frequently see the bird and spend time with it.  Free flight also provides great health benefits to your bird.  Even if the bird cage is big enough, it still does not provide enough physical stimulation and movement to your pet.   You can stay with your pet and with your family in the family room.  Not only do you get to spend time with your pet bird, you also get to spend time with your family.

The Internet is a good place to begin your search for free birdhouse plans. Check out websites selling birdhouse plans if the free birdhouse plans online don’t meet your needs. Bird lover sites can be excellent places to find advertisers selling birdhouses and recommendations for specific birdhouse plans.

Equally essential to purchasing birdhouse plans that are specifically created for the types of birds you wish to pull in is researching and learning about the particular nesting patterns and needs of those birds. For example, bluebirds like nests that are pre-made since in the wild, they commonly take over the nests of other birds. At the same time, the vast majority of birds will be perfectly content with a birdhouse made with a set of well-designed, general birdhouse plans. Nearly all birdhouse plans should take into account insect resistance, which makes cedar a common wood of choice.

Bluebirds and most bird types require extensive protection from predators. This is why tall perches are better for putting birdhouses instead of trees. A tree birdhouse is too tantalizing for tree climbing predators such as raccoons, cats, and squirrels. These predators can steal the eggs of even the larger and fiercer birds when they are out hunting. However, while birdhouse plans should provide information on how to mount a birdhouse safely, they should also allow for you easy access to the birdhouse so you can discover for yourself how the birds are doing.

Make sure you have access to the birds’ nests. This isn’t only for enjoyment’s sake, although it is good to be able to see how your birds are managing. There may come times when you need to step in the development of the young bird family because of some sort of infestation or sick bird. Of course, in the absence of such need, you want to be able to access the birdhouse without interrupting or even touching the nest in any way. Good birdhouse plans take this need into consideration so the nest is undisturbed when you open the birdhouses.

Using bird house plans to create a bird sanctuary in your backyard will allow you to get a good view of the birds’ nests. Watching the birds form nests can be a pleasant pursuit for you and your family. You can all observe the eggs hatch, the young birds learn how to fly, and leave to start their own nests.

So if you desire to build a bird sanctuary in your backyard, you will discover plenty of bird house plans on the Internet. They come in all sorts of designs Your public library is also a great place to find information on how to make bird houses.

If you desire to pull in particular types of birds, select bird house plans made specially for those birds. If you desire to draw in bluebirds, for instance, there are specific bird house plans for these birds so they can build their nests safe from tree-climbing predators. Bluebirds naturally take over other birds’ nests. However, with the countryside contracting, nests that are desirable for bluebirds are decreasing in number. You can add to rebuilding the bluebird population in your own backyard with the aid of bluebird bird house plans. If the bird house plans appear to be too hard for you, there are pre-assembled bird houses available for different types of birds.

Take note, though, that a good set of specialized bird house plans come with info regarding the special needs of birds for which they are designed. For instance, the bluebird nest should be put on a pole of five feet or more above ground level. A good bird house plan should also provide you with info on how to design your bird houses so you can watch birds without interrupting them. A well-designed bird house plan has details on the right bird door size and shape for the specific bird species that will live in the bird house. There should also be info on how to preserve the cleanliness of the bird house, as well as how to keep it well-drained in wet weather.