If your living accommodations aren’t that spacious, but you still want to keep a pet, then small pet birds will be a great addition to your home. There are a number of small bird species that are very affectionate towards their owners and who love being stroked and held. Another reason to go for a small bird as a pet is that they’re priced much lower than other pets, like cats and dogs. And they’re also much cheaper to feed and house.
Top 3 Small Pet Birds That You Will Love
Now that we’ve extolled the virtues of small birds as pets, you should know that there are literally hundreds of different small birds that you can choose from. Out of all these options, choosing a bird can be rather difficult. So, to make things easier for you, we’ll share information about a few small birds that we think will make perfect pets for anyone.
Parakeets
Parakeets, otherwise known as budgerigars or budgies, are number one on our list of small birds that make great pets. We’ve chosen parakeets as our top entry because of their many virtues that make them the perfect pet. The most important thing to consider, we’ve discovered, when you’re looking for a pet, is the animal’s personality. If an animal is naturally aggressive and doesn’t respond well to captivity, then it’s going to make a terrible pet. But parakeets aren’t like that at all. These birds are the most affectionate feathered friends a person could ask for.
Parakeets easily become attached to their owners – who they seem to recognize easily – and will love spending time in their company. In fact, parakeets can become so close to you that if you don’t give them proper attention, they will become depressed and sad. So if you bring this cute bundle of feathers into your home, please don’t forget to play with them regularly.
Parakeets don’t mind being held in your hand, and they will playfully chew at your fingers to express their fondness for you. You can stroke your feathered friend gently on the head to express your own love for the little animal. Some owners may want to express their affection by feeding their parakeet lots of treats but overfeeding your parakeet isn’t a good idea. In fact, properly feeding your pet parakeet isn’t as easy as it may seem.
Parakeets have a highly-varied diet in their natural habitat – the Australian Outback – so you should try to feed them a diet that is similarly varied. Seeds are good for parakeets, but as seeds contain lots of fats, you shouldn’t give your pet too much. Pellet-based diets that have a variety of nutrients in them are a good option. You can also supplement your bird’s meal with fruits and vegetables. Carrots, beans, broccoli, and corn are some health supplements that you can feed your parakeet.
A healthy diet will fuel this bird’s highly active lifestyle. Parakeets are continually flying around and chattering enthusiastically to their owners. You can even train your pet to mimic human speech. Some people, however, might find parakeets a bit too noisy for their taste. If you’re looking for a bird with a lovely singing voice, it might be a better idea to go for the second entry on our list.
Canaries
Canaries are famous for possessing one of the most beautiful voices in the animal kingdom. The melodious song of this wonderful little bird will lift your spirits and bring joy and beauty into your home. Canaries are one of the oldest pets in human history. Records show that these tiny singers were even popular even with the nobles of Ancient Rome. Bird breeders have been working with canaries for hundreds of years, producing more than 200 distinct varieties available today.
A large number of canary species means that you have lots of options to choose from when you’re picking a canary for a pet. Canaries come in the popular bright yellow color, and you can also find these small birds in more exotic colors, like green, orange, and even white. But all canary species are very low maintenance. These small birds don’t require much special care or attention, which makes them great pets for people who don’t have much experience with birds.
If you’re new to bird keeping and aren’t looking for a hands-on type of bird, then you’ll be happy to know that canaries prefer not to be touched, held, or stroked. These birds are true prima donnas and would like you to keep your hands to yourself. But if you want a pet bird that screams for attention and begs to be stroked and made much of, you should take a look at the third entry on our list.
Green-Cheeked Conures
Green-cheeked conures love to perch on their owner’s hands and wrestle playfully with their fingers. They’re always wanting to have fun, calling out to their owners to play with them. These birds are full of energy and are very exuberant birds. Owners will find that these small pet birds are quite mischievous and will perform all manner of clownish behavior. They’ll hang upside down from their cage and call incessantly to you.
When they finally run out of energy, these small birds will cuddle up on your shoulder or on your chest and have a comfortable nap. But naps alone aren’t enough to fuel these highly active birds. They also require proper feeding at regular intervals.
There are several suitable diets that you can find at your nearest supermarket which should fulfill your bird’s nutritional needs. You can also give your green-cheeked conure some extra treats if it’s been behaving. Fresh fruits and vegetables are some supplements that are good for the bird’s health, so try to give these to your pet occasionally.
Apart from being fed properly, green-cheeked conures also demand lots of attention from their owners. These small birds need to spend lots of time out of their cage and being played with by their owners. Spending time with your green-cheeked conure won’t be a chore, you’ll love it. You can teach your bird some tricks too if you want. And these birds can even be taught to mimic a few words! So keeping green-cheeked conures as pets is guaranteed to be an entertaining and highly amusing experience for anyone!
