How to Prepare Your Home for a Pet Bird

So, you’ve chosen a pet bird, a name, and a date to bring him home. Now, you have to prepare your home for his homecoming. Birds can be intimidating pets to bring home since their respiratory systems are so fragile and they require careful care. However, this guide will give you all the information you’ll need to make your house feel like home to your new feathery friend.

Finding a place for your pet bird

Before bringing your pet bird home, you’ll need to find a safe spot to keep him. Keep in mind; it should be out of direct sunlight, away from air vents and drafty windows or doors, and away from other pets. Consider a central location in the house. This will ensure that your pet birds will have interaction often and that their songs won’t wake you as they would if the cage were closer to bedrooms.

Remember that birds are loud, messy, and can be stinky. Birds wake up with the sun if you don’t use a sheet to block the light, and even if you do, they frequently hear birds outdoors and wake up with them too. They are also messy eaters and nesters, so expect to find nesting materials and birdseed outside their cage often. This may influence where you’ll want to keep them.

Getting all the supplies

Depending on where you purchase your bird, you may have access to all these things at the time of your purchase. However, if you are adopting from someone else or a shelter you’ll want to purchase these things before you pick up your bird.

• Cage
• Food bowls
• Toys
• Mite/lice spray
• Vitamins
• Food

Prepare to care

Birds require a pretty big time commitment for care and most of them love attention, barring finches and canaries. You’ll want to prepare for not only the amount of time you’ll be spending giving them attention but also the amount of time that you’re going to need to properly care for them. Make sure you have enough time in your schedule for everything before bringing your pet bird home.
You will need to change food and water daily, keep their cage clean by changing newspaper bedding bi-daily, use a spray or hanging containers to keep their cage mite-free, administer vitamins daily, train your bird, cover the cage at night, and take him to a specialty vet if needed.

Get rid of any possible toxins

The use of Teflon coated and nonstick pots and pans can be deadly when you’re around birds. These types of coating produce odorless, yet toxic fumes that can kill a bird in minutes. Before you bring a bird into your home, make sure you get rid of all nonstick cookware.
Candles, air fresheners, oils, and cleaning chemicals can all affect your bird’s health. Birds’ respiratory systems are extremely sensitive, and any kind of exposure to toxic fumes can cause ongoing health issues or even sudden death depending on the quantity and which chemical the bird has been exposed to.
You should try to refresh your home’s air with clean outdoor air as often as possible. However, when it is not possible to open windows, CritterZone is a great alternative. CritterZone replicates outdoor air without using any chemical, oils, or fragrances, making it extremely safe for birds.

Improve indoor air quality for you and your pets with CritterZone – an air purifier for pets and pet odor eliminator.