Pet Research Part 5- All about Birds
According to Merriam-Webster, a bird can be defined as a " Warm-blooded vertebrate that is distinguished by having the body more or less completely covered with feathers and the forelimbs modified as wings."
The average lifespan for each bird differs. Common garden birds have an average lifespan of 2 to 5 years. Laysan Albatross' have an average lifespan of about 50 years.
Depending on the bird you get, they can get really noisy. Birds such as parrots that can "talk" will try to mimic noises that they perceive as music so when you go to get a bird take into consideration where you live. If you live in an apartment you mind end up getting quite a bit of noise complaints from your neighbors.
Birds can also get quite messy especially when they are eating. Seeds will go all over the place and they also poop in their cage but their poop is liquidy. Most people dread cleaning a bird's cage because of this so before you get a bird make sure you are prepared to be able to clean it.
Birds are very social and require constant socialization whether it is with you or another bird. Birds also require routines that they can follow throughout the day. If your schedule is always full then maybe a pet bird isn't the ideal pet for you.
There are very few vaccines that are available for birds. Most birds are not routinely vaccinated but always talk to your vet about different options.
Sometimes, a bird will release an excess amount of keratin on their beak and their beak will require to be trimmed. Your vet should be equipped with the proper tools to do this. Healthy birds that are given abrasive surfaces such as wood or concrete patches usually rarely require beak trims.
You will also have to trim their nails to avoid them hurting your skin. Overgrown nails can also cause them to lose balance and stability and it'll make it harder for them to stand on their perches. If your bird gets used to nail trimmings while they are young then trimming their nail won't be hard at all when they are older. All birds should have their nail trimmed regardless of their size, but larger birds must have their nails trimmed.
Some bird owners will opt to have their bird's wings clipped/trimmed to avoid their bird from flying away. This should be done by a trained veterinarian. Although the bird's wings are clipped, it does NOT guarantee that the bird won't escape. They can easily glide/fly outside on a very windy day.
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