Birds of a Feather

As your searching for the right companion pet you a bird might come to mind. One question that might come up is which species is for me? Well if you find yourself asking that particular question then it is suffice to say that almost none of the larger parrots are in the mix. The larger parrots can be more alluring with their amazing colors and wonderful abilities. However, these birds ARE NOT for everyone.

Medium to large parrots require much more dedication than their smaller counterparts. Just because your friends Macaw will wave and dance doesn’t mean that yours will. Birds such as macaws, cockatoos, amazons, and greys are far more demanding than say Budgie’s, lovebirds, and cockatiels. It is far more beneficial to get some practice in way before taking on the more “impressive” birds.
Ultimately it is up to you but a caution must be given in advance. Most of the larger birds will go through a period of sexual maturity that lasts from months to years. During this time, the amazon that you once knew may try to take a crack at you. Hey you know what? He or she may even break the skin with one of his or her attacks. Most parrots that go through this end up being sold or given away because the owners could not “deal” with this part of a birds development.

Another aspect to getting a medium to large parrot species is the amount of time that is required from you day in and day out. All of these animals need AT LEAST 5 hours out of their cage per day. Most of that TIME should be spent with you. If for whatever reason you stop devoting that amount of TIME with your parrot then it just might begin more pulling its’ feathers out.
So honestly we have to ask ourselves a question. Is being owned by one of the astonishing creatures better for us with our lifestyle or is it beneficial for the parrot? If you can say yes to the later then you might can consider a larger parrot as a pet. Please take a self-less look into owning one of the larger parrots because most of what is involved are self-less acts.If your looking for a bird as a companion pet and the larger parrots don’t quite fit look into the Budgies (Parakeets), Lovebirds, or Cockatiels.

Thanks for Reading! James Ward

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Children and Pets

My Cat Creature Winking

Picture this: A young boy of about 9 running through an overgrown hay field with his black lab faithfully running behind him or a little girl having a tea party in the front yard of her suburban home with her best friend Molly the green parakeet on the back of the chair opposite her. Seeing this would help you understand why a child should not miss out on a pet.

There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing a child spending quality time with their pet. It is magical to watch the way they interact with the animal; Petting, talking with, and hugging on their best friend.  So what makes pets great for kids? Pets are incredible educators for children in many ways. Pets are ambassadors to friendship, responsibility and compassion. These are important characteristics that every parent wants their child to learn and grow up with. There are many pets out there that may seem well suited to be kept by children but the truth is there are many things to consider when bringing the proper animal into our homes.

Many of the same questions we ask ourselves before bringing one home are the same for children but with more emphasis. One huge aspect of a child’s pet is the ability to hold and often times cuddle with their newfound friend. So which pet is suiting for your child? 

Starting a child off with a pet can often times be challenging because things like space, affordability, and amount of care are imperative factors in the decision. A child’s age is another aspect to take into consideration as well. Most children between the ages 4 and above have potential to enjoy a pet without harming them or the animal. This of course also depends on the child’s maturity level. 

There are 7 pets, exotic and domestic, that I find is suiting for children around this age group.  While there may be others, these seem to fit most children and adults. 

·      Leopard Gecko- This reptile is hearty and meek in just about every aspect of its husbandry. Children can carry them around on their shirts as they play around in the house or apartment. These lizards do not need UVB as they are nocturnal. Which means they only wake up at night. Heating is essential but not as demanding as some other reptiles. Leopard Gecko’s are insectivores devouring any cricket or mealworm their eyes are aligned upon. 

·      Bearded Dragon- These particular lizards aren’t too difficult to keep as long as you maintain their heating requirements. While “Beardie’s” are relatively small when born they will reach lengths of about 1.5-3 feet. Like the Leopard Gecko’s they are also insectivores. For temperament, you couldn’t ask for a better lizard. 

·      Dogs- All dogs make wonderful pets for children but, I would stay away from the smaller breeds as the child may unintentionally injure them. I personally grew up with a Black Labrador that we named Crazy because he would partially swing inside our tire swing. He sure was something else. I loved that dog.

·      Ball Pythons- If the child loves snake then this python is a great fit. It doesn’t get as huge as most pythons do. Nor does it come with the aggressive nature that others do. They are hearty in that Ball pythons are forgiving in less than perfect habitat settings (Not Recommended) like if a heat light is cut on for a day, they are not likely to get sick. 

·      Cats- Cats make great pets for a number of reasons. The biggest is they are low maintenance. Most will be happy if left alone and fed. Plus there are some breeds that act like dogs in their personalities. An example is the Angora. These particular cats are known for learning to play fetch.

·      Parakeets- From green to yellow to blue, parakeets come in a variety of colors. Just like their colors vary so do their personalities. These perfect little parrots can learn to mimic and do tricks. While they can be a bit on the messy side, they can be quite affectionate. The secret to keeping these beautiful birds happy and healthy is a clean water bowl, food daily, and out of a drafts way. 

·      Fish- For a child that isn’t the touchy, feely type then maybe a Betta Fish would suffice (Thanks Kathy Hollis). This is a great starter pet because they are not expensive and they are easy to take care of. An interesting fact, as a person watches fish in an aquarium that persons’ stress level decreases. So they are not just great for kids, they may even be good for you!

As the time comes when your child wants a furry scaly or feathery friend, you will have some insight into which pets are suitable for them. Hope this helped.

 Hope you enjoyed the Post!

Questions or suggestions email me at James DWard24@gmail.com

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Parakeets

Parakeets are amazing little birds. They make a great starter pet too. They can be trained to do tricks and have an excellent nack for mimicking. Parakeets come in a few different color variations from blue to green. These little birds are low maintenance. So long as you keep their food and water bowls clean by washing them daily. A weekly cage cleaning would suffice.

These birds aren’t well suited for distinct declines in temperature. So be sure to keep them in an environment with a relatively constant temperature with no drafts. Parakeets as with most other parrots are a bit on the messy side. They love to throw empty seed shells all over the place. One thing that has to be checked as often as possible is the food dish. Often times the dish seems to have seed and in reality its just seed shells. So the ‘keet could potentially be starving.

Pellets are a great idea for just about any bird. However, it can be a bit tricky to get your bird acquainted to eating pellets. One trick is to put ¼ pellets and ¾ seeds for the first couple of weeks and then slowly increase the pellets until there is nothing but pellets in the dish. Another great idea is to place pellets in the food dish throughout the day and at night a couple of hours before covering the ‘keet to go to sleep allow it to eat as much seed as it wants. The parakeet may play with the pellets at first for a few days to weeks but, eventually it will begin eating but, don’t forget during this time to substitute with seeds at night allowing it to eat as much as it wants, then replace the seeds back with pellets before covering the parakeet up.

My first pet bird was a green parakeet named Pete. He was a wonderful pet when I was about 11 years old. Pete would set on my shoulder for most of the day. Hanging out with me as I played in the house or outside. I really found that I enjoyed his company. Sometimes I would place him in a plastic airplane that I would pretend fly him around in. He was a great pet and a wonderful friend.

My Two Parakeets Brooke and Blue back in October 2009.

 If you have any questions or suggestions just send me an email at JamesDWard24@gmail.com

Thanks for Reading!

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