Selecting a Pet: Choosing a Bird

A healthy pet is always a happy pet. And therefore, if you are considering to buy a bird as your family pet, there are few points you should look out for while selecting a bird.

Apart from the bird being healthy and happy, you should generally look for the following:

Natural Alertness:

The bird should be interested in its natural environment and should show liveliness. Sleepy or drowsy looking birds and also puffed-up birds should be avoided.

Eyes:

Big, brilliant and clear; yes that is how the eyes of the bird should be. They should be devoid of any swelling and there shouldn’t be any discharge either.

Feathering:

The feathers should be even and shiny throughout. Look out for any bare patches that may be there on the feathers. Macaws and other long tailed birds gain their beauty from their tail. Hence take a good look at the tail and should you see any thin lines running across tail feathers, it usually is an indicator of poor nutrition. However, while looking at a baby bird, the above symptoms can be normal as they look rather shabby and their feathers rather threadbare. Now for birds such as cockatiels that have a bald spot behind their crest, though variable in size, nothing much can be done since this is a genetic occurrence. Yet, Cockatiels with extremely large bald patches should be avoided.

Upper and lower parts of the beak should have no signs of separation:

Cockatoos should have a grayish beak covered with powder. An older Cockatoo with a shiny black beak is a sure indication that something is wrong. Though, baby Cockatoo beaks will be somewhat shiny.

Feet should have all toes:

Be sure that all toes are in order. With any missing, the bird’s perching ability will be hampered. The bird should also be able to grip your hand firmly. The feet of a young bird should be smooth. Older birds do have scales; however their excess is indicative of vitamin A deficiency.

Nostrils should be clear of any blockages:

Nostrils should be of the same size and shape. Macaws and in other birds with bare facial patches, the skin should be clear and white. If a flush of red is visible, it indicates an infection of the sinus cavities. Further, scaly appearance of the cere (fleshy part around nostrils) indicates scaly face (common in Budgies), a disease caused by mites.

Breathing should be regular and even:

No wheezing, snorting or straining should be present.

The bird should not be too skinny:

Ask someone to hold the bird for you to check this while you feel along the sides of its breast or keel bone. It should be well fleshed out. If the keel is protruding, the bird is obviously underweight and might be suffering some illness.

Ask yourself:

Is the bird steady? Does it try to bite you? Is it calm? Does the bird come readily to you? Does it show good socialization behavior? Etc.

Is the bird banded:

Very important and this is indicative of imported or domestic birds, depending on the type of band used.

Another way to gauge the age is:

By looking at it beak and feet, you can have some idea, though not a completely accurate one. Young birds have soft ones while older birds have scaly feet and beaks that show wear. In some species, the eyes change color as the bird ages.

The above steps would certainly help you while selecting the healthy bird if you strictly follow them. If you would like to know anything else about the bird(s), ask me.