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Owning a pet bird can be a wonderful experience. Small birds like finches are very active and their antics can be quite amusing. The larger birds like cockatiels and parrots are more interactive and need more attention. No matter what type of pet bird you have, sadly, he will age and many times he will require more specialized care as a result. This extra care of your aging pet will keep him more comfortable and a great addition of your family for longer. As your bird ages, it is important that you do all that you can to take care of him.
So, how long can you expect your pet bird to live? How long you can expect your bird to live will depend on the breed of bird you have and the environment it lives in. Smaller birds like finches will live on average 3-5 years. The medium sized birds like cockatiels can have an average life span of 15 years. Some of the very large bird species can out live a human. That means that in order to properly care for your aging pet bird, the first thing that you need to do is to be familiar with the life span of your particular bird breed.
How well your particular pet bird ages will depend on a variety of things. The one thing that you can greatly influence is your bird's environment. A clean cage, clean water, proper food and regular exercise will all go a long way towards making sure that your bird lives a long and quality life. Feeding the right diet for your bird will ensure that your bird gets the proper nutrition. Enough exercise will keep him strong and active, even when he is older. Birds are very intelligent animals and the larger bird breeds require social interaction either from you or from another bird to live a long and happy life.
As your pet bird ages, you will have to monitor him carefully for changes in behavior and appearance. If your bird spends most of his time in his cage, you are probably going to find that he appears to be the same, day after day even as he gets older. In general, as your bird ages, his feathers many times will look dull in appearance. He will spend more time sleeping and move around more slowly. An older bird that has other birds for companions may actually get bullied and chased away from food and water. Special care will need to be taken to insure that the older bird gets enough food, water and rest. Vitamins added to food or water can also help ensure that your pet bird is receiving the nutrition he needs. Your bird's droppings are also a very good indicator of your bird's overall health. Any changes in color and consistency could be a sign of problems.
It is important to establish a relationship with an avian veterinarian in your area. It is recommended that your bird be examined once a year to make sure that your bird is healthy and doing well. Taking your bird to the vet will ensure that there is a record on file of the condition of your bird year by year. Birds are very good at hiding sickness from you and it may not be obvious that there is something wrong with him. It will be easier to catch any problems with regular wellness visits. The sad fact is that as your pet bird ages he will be more prone to getting sick and an established relationship with an avian veterinarian may just save your birds life. Over the long term, a vet will be able to help you keep your pet pet bird happy and healthy for a long time.
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Source by Debbie Vornholt
