While most pet owners would pick a dog over a bird to provide companionship, love, and entertainment, the truth of the matter is that birds are equally good at providing all three and can even take the place of man's best friend if given the chance. Birds are so easily overshadowed by the stereotype cast upon Polly by Hollywood that their emotional and intellectual attributes are often disregarded in favor of a fluffy, tail-wagging puppy. Yes birds happen to sit and squawk in their cages for most of their lives, but that's only if the owner neglects to take the time and create a bond with their pet bird. Birds, like all pets, can create strong bonds with their owners and can even be trained and enjoy having fun if given the chance. Remember, the owner is the one keeping the bird in the cage. Given the chance to fly, your bird will spread its wings and soar.

Before one can turn that feathery puzzle into the perfect pet, there are a few behaviors that we as owners should be aware of. The quickest way to get on good terms with our pet is by understanding each other and birds, like dogs or cats, have unique behaviors that may seem confusing to a new owner but shouldn't be cause for alarm. Keep in mind that birds are living, breathing, and most importantly feeling creatures. In order to keep a relationship with your bird healthy, remember that birds don't necessarily have to talk in order to express their feelings. There are many other obvious signs that you will see over time that will tell you how their feeling or what they need.

If a bird becomes excited it doesn't always mean that it's upset or angry. However, there are a few behaviors to be aware of and if it does seem your bird is either agitated or exceedingly excited, it's never a bad idea to keep your finger out of its' face. Eye pining is when the eye of a bird dilates in and out repeatedly and quickly. This is often a very obvious sign of excitement, as is the flaring of tail feathers. When your bird starts clicking its beak, it is most notably a warning to keep your distance. Wait until the bird has stopped clicking or has been left to calm down over a period of time before attempting to stick your hand in the cage.

Some other movements may not indicate any excitement and rather serve functional purposes. Feather fluffing occurs when birds have finished cleaning themselves in order to rid of the excess debris that's collected within the folds of the feathers. Feather fluffing is also done to keep a bird warm, though, so if your bird seems to be doing an excessive amount of it, it may be ill. Birds may also wipe their beaks on a perch or on the cage after their done eating to rid of extra mess.

Some behaviors are bird-specific. If your bird has a feather crest atop it's head, it may flare it when it's experiencing certain emotions whether it be agitated or happy. Take note of when it happens and try to understand what triggers it. Other birds, such as the Quaker, are named for their unique behavior. Quakers shake frequently for no apparent reason, and some birds will bob their heads out of anxiousness, excitement, or agitation. Most birds will shake after a bath regardless, due to an involuntary muscle spasm in their chest, but take note if your bird seems to do it when in a particular mood.

Other normal behaviors of birds include the grinding of their beak right before they fall asleep, which indicates contentment, or the preening of feathers to keep them neat and clean. Preening is only worrisome when it turns into over-preening and the bird is constantly plucking out or chewing out feathers. Birds also regurgitate food to younger birds and those they care about. So if you and your bird are close enough, you may find that it will regurgitate for you as a sign of affection. Don't be alarmed. There is a distinct difference between regurgitation and vomit; vomit will stick to the feathers and beak of the bird.

Keep in mind that your bird was not bred to live in a cage, ergo the tight confined environment might bore your pet after a while. Give your bird space to fly free and equipment to play with. Like all pets, birds enjoy some free time and the occasional good toy. If you see your bird attempting to lift off in the cage or shuffling uneasily, it's a good bet that it's bored or needing some open air. Consider blocking off a room and letting the bird go. It will appreciate it in the long run and the exercise will relieve a lot of pent up energy. Birds will also nap frequently throughout the day. Birds will usually sleep on one leg, and if the bird looks fluffed and is sleeping on two legs it may be ill.

Your bird may also become possessive of either you or the cage, and may even show signs of jealous aggression if you get another bird or pet. Birds also have extremely obvious behavior such as hiding when they are scare or freezing in place. They may even beg for food or attention if their being deprived of either, but if it becomes an issue don't be afraid to figure out what triggered it to begin with and change it. Like all pets, birds adapt well to the wishes of an owner that is willing to take the time to work with them and understand them.

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Birds can sometimes be a little more difficult to comprehend than a cat or a dog, and sometimes that can lead to serious issues. Health concerns in a bird could be respiratory infections, or even excessive molting just to name a few. If you take care of your bird properly however, a lot of said issues can be avoided. Some things that you should do to keep your bird in good health is feed it the proper foods and go to the veterinarian on a regular basis. This article will outline a few more methods of keeping your bird healthy, so keep reading.

First, it's important to realize that every kind of bird will require different care. Birds don't have the same needs any more than dogs, cats, and hamsters all respond to the same diet and care. They may all be mammals, but they need different things. That's why you'll have to be careful and take the time to learn what's appropriate for your particular bird.

You should also be aware that many pet products on the market are not only not what's best for pet birds, but actively harmful. There's little regulation in this area, so it's legal for companies to produce and sell cages, toys, food, and medication that could be bad for your pet bird's health. The good news is that not every product is like this, and if you take a little time to find out how to care for your bird correctly, you can quickly rule out products that could cause harm.

Make sure that your bird has a proper diet that features the right nutrients. In most cases you will find that this is pretty easy because there are food packets that have the right nutrients for your particular bird. Sometimes though the seed packets are of low quality and you will need to add a few supplements in order to get the desired effect. That doesn't mean that all of them are inadequate but there are definitely a few that are so you'll need to keep an eye out for that.

A poor diet can make your bird more susceptible to infections, cause overgrowth of the beak and nails, or cause feather loss, among other conditions. Birds can be very fragile, but they may not look ill until their problems have progressed significantly. This is why it's important to make sure that you have a good veterinarian with experience working with birds already lined up, so that when you see something out of the ordinary, you can find the problem fast.

A change in your bird's attitude as well as fluid discharge in odd places such as nostrils or beak, will probably indicate that the bird is ill, or may even have a diet issue. If you find that your bird is sick, then know that the other birds in the cage will probably begin to bully it. This is something that you want to take care of immediately because it could result in death unless you take action.

Be willing to take your vet's advice when you bring your pet in, even if it means changing something major about the way you take care of your pet. It's possible that your cage has been too small, the environment wrong for your bird, or that something else is wrong. If you aren't willing to correct this problem, you're not going to be able to keep your pet bird in good health. Even if someone else has told you that your setup is fine, take the time to try and correct it, for the sake of your pet.

Being observant and willing to learn are the things that are most important if you have a pet bird. Once you take the time to find out the best way to keep your pet, you'll have a much easier time keeping him or her in good health.

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Written by Emmanuel J. Hood using tags: bird food, Birds, Diet, family, Food, friends, health, Home, Information, nature, Nutrition, Parrot Food, Pets