Things you need to know before bringing your new FID Home
Have the cage bought, and set up and Ready for your new Fid(Feathered Kid), Don't wait until you buy the bird to buy the cage and all needed accessories and food Have it all done before hand Fill the food/water dishes up Before you leave to go buy your new bird. This way its less stressful for you and the bird when you get home with your new bird(s) You don't have to rush around hurrying to get the cage all set up and ready while the bird sits in the box and the bird doesn't have to sit in a box any longer than its needed to.
Find a Local Avian Vet before buying your bird,If you know the date your getting your bird, Make an Appointment with the Avian Vet you have chosen to use. This is called a "New Bird Check-up" With most Avian vets, It's basically just a Visual Exam and a "get to know the patient" sort of thing. But this way the vet knows your bird, has started records on your bird, Should take the weight of your bird for a base weight and will be prepared in case of an Emergency and you have to bring your bird to an Avian vet. It's not always easy finding one last minute this is why it is better to have one chosen before you buy your bird(s) and have the bird(s) seen by the chosen vet within a couple days or purchase.
Things you need for your new bird - Check List
Cage of the appropriate size and Bar spacing for the species your buying
Variety of toys
Variety of perches
A out of cage play stand - these can be bought or home made with Bird safe products
Extra dishes for the cage - for snacks and also for when the dishes in the cage are dirty you just replace with clean ones when you feed them and wash the dirty ones.
*Food- Seeds, pellets, Veggies, Greens, Fruits
Treats
Cuttlebone
Mineral Block
Bird bath- either one made for birds or I actually prefer to go to the dollar store and get small cat/dog food bowls or at department stores get Stainless steel or plastic dog/cat food bowls
Brand new spray bottle to mist your new bird
Newspaper to line your cage tray - If you have friends/family who get a paper ask them to start saving them so you can collect them weekly and use them to line your cage tray with.
Paper Tray liners - if you only have a couple cages - if you have a lot then newspaper really is more cost effective
Storage bin to hold your extra dishes toys and other Extra items for your new bird. They come in a variety of sizes and shapes even 2+ drawer types the choice is yours they help keep every thing handy and organized.
Storage Shelf - To hold your food, treats, newspapers, paper tray liners etc. to keep everything organized and handy. They come in a variety of styles- the picture is just an example.
Things to be aware of when you bring a new bird home for the 1st time
No matter if you buy a hand fed or hand tame bird from a breeder, a Parent raised bird from a breeder or a not so tame bird from a pet shop, or a bird from some one on line - it WILL be scared when it comes to your home. so except some of the usual behaviors
Bird(s) sit still in one spot
Bird(s) breath heavily while you've got your face all up in their space ;)
Bird(s) not making any sounds
Bird(s) not eating or drinking
Bird(s) sitting on cage floor
all the above is completely normal in birds that are in new homes - the last one being really normal for young/baby birds not so much as adults though. Every bird is different but it usually takes a day or two for them to start settling in. and exploring their new cage and all their new stuff.
To help them ease into this new home, and to get used to you Here are some common steps that help
Read aloud to your new FID (Feathered Kid) it doesn't matter if your reading a newspaper, Book, Magazine, or doing your school work- Just read to them - not in a high loud voice though Just soft and calm.
Also something I've done with all new birds who come to our home and it has seemed to help when its time to start putting your hands in their cage - like the day after you get them to change food, water, or fix a toy or something Talk to them Softly, before opening the door, and the entire time your doing what is needed to be done, give them a play by play of what your doing If your going to feed them Tell them that.. If your changing the paper in the tray just tell them "i'm changing your tray liner" or something. Just keep your voice soft and mellow.
Don't freak out when they freak out - that doesn't help any :) . Stay calm.
Also it's not a bad idea to have a small net (I use a childs butterfly net that was bought for me at Walmart for roughly $3.00) for if your bird gets out of its cage before its tame to help catch him/her with little to no stress I also use it to get the birds out of the community cage but that cage is huge it doesn't work all that well in my smaller cages :)
* a little more on The food - Rather you are buying from a Breeder, a Pet shop, or some one on line - It is very important to find out the exact brand and style of food the bird ate previously and use the same brand when you first get your bird(s), if its not a very good brand and you want to change it , you can do this gradually but at first they really do need to be fed the food they are used to a lot of birds will not eat at all if not fed what they're used to. When you are ready to switch them over, If you don't know how, there are many articles online if you search using a search engine like Google. Or become a member of a Bird forum there are many out there. and almost all of them have had the question on how to convert your bird from one diet to another many times over. I have a few Bird Forums listed on the Links page
Things you do not need that pet store Employees try to make you buy
Grit - Birds don't need grit!
Mite protectors - These actually kill birds they let off toxic Fumes
Mite/Lice Spray- If your bird ends up with mites Then take him/her to the vets for the proper medicine
Bath sprays- these are not empty spray bottles for giving "showers" these are chemicals that are supposed to be used to give a bird a bath it's not needed! -nothing is needed but Plain water
Sand paper perch covers- These come in a pack and are just "tubes" of sand paper that go over top of dowel perches some are Pre assembled - do not buy these they hurt the birds feet and are good causes of Bumble foot
Sand paper tray liners - Again not needed and causes Bumble foot
Bedding - they try to sell a variety of bedding to put into the tray of bird cages examples: corn cob bedding, wood shavings etc. These harbor bacteria and aren't good to use as a liner for cages, plus they're extremely messy when the bird flaps the bedding flies all over the place.
Tents/happy huts/Bird Bunkers- Specially if your bird is a female these are seen as nests birds do not need these to sleep in really they don't.
Vitamins or other Over the counter medicine - If a bird is fed a varied diet they do not need these things. if a bird needs medicine The Avian vet is the place to get these
This is not a complete list by any means, it is meant to be a guide to help you get ready for your new FID
If your in doubt of if something at a pet store is actually safe for your bird, Please do not ask the employees most don't know anything about proper bird care and are really only there for the money so they will tell you that you need items you do not need just for the sale. Join a forum, ask a breeder any good breeder is always willing to help a new bird owner with any questions they may have. and always remember NO QUESTION IS A STUPID QUESTION! Just ask before you buy anything your unsure of Or at the very least keep your receipt ;)
Find a Local Avian Vet before buying your bird,If you know the date your getting your bird, Make an Appointment with the Avian Vet you have chosen to use. This is called a "New Bird Check-up" With most Avian vets, It's basically just a Visual Exam and a "get to know the patient" sort of thing. But this way the vet knows your bird, has started records on your bird, Should take the weight of your bird for a base weight and will be prepared in case of an Emergency and you have to bring your bird to an Avian vet. It's not always easy finding one last minute this is why it is better to have one chosen before you buy your bird(s) and have the bird(s) seen by the chosen vet within a couple days or purchase.
Things you need for your new bird - Check List
Cage of the appropriate size and Bar spacing for the species your buying
Variety of toys
Variety of perches
A out of cage play stand - these can be bought or home made with Bird safe products
Extra dishes for the cage - for snacks and also for when the dishes in the cage are dirty you just replace with clean ones when you feed them and wash the dirty ones.
*Food- Seeds, pellets, Veggies, Greens, Fruits
Treats
Cuttlebone
Mineral Block
Bird bath- either one made for birds or I actually prefer to go to the dollar store and get small cat/dog food bowls or at department stores get Stainless steel or plastic dog/cat food bowls
Brand new spray bottle to mist your new bird
Newspaper to line your cage tray - If you have friends/family who get a paper ask them to start saving them so you can collect them weekly and use them to line your cage tray with.
Paper Tray liners - if you only have a couple cages - if you have a lot then newspaper really is more cost effective
Storage bin to hold your extra dishes toys and other Extra items for your new bird. They come in a variety of sizes and shapes even 2+ drawer types the choice is yours they help keep every thing handy and organized.
Storage Shelf - To hold your food, treats, newspapers, paper tray liners etc. to keep everything organized and handy. They come in a variety of styles- the picture is just an example.
Things to be aware of when you bring a new bird home for the 1st time
No matter if you buy a hand fed or hand tame bird from a breeder, a Parent raised bird from a breeder or a not so tame bird from a pet shop, or a bird from some one on line - it WILL be scared when it comes to your home. so except some of the usual behaviors
Bird(s) sit still in one spot
Bird(s) breath heavily while you've got your face all up in their space ;)
Bird(s) not making any sounds
Bird(s) not eating or drinking
Bird(s) sitting on cage floor
all the above is completely normal in birds that are in new homes - the last one being really normal for young/baby birds not so much as adults though. Every bird is different but it usually takes a day or two for them to start settling in. and exploring their new cage and all their new stuff.
To help them ease into this new home, and to get used to you Here are some common steps that help
Read aloud to your new FID (Feathered Kid) it doesn't matter if your reading a newspaper, Book, Magazine, or doing your school work- Just read to them - not in a high loud voice though Just soft and calm.
Also something I've done with all new birds who come to our home and it has seemed to help when its time to start putting your hands in their cage - like the day after you get them to change food, water, or fix a toy or something Talk to them Softly, before opening the door, and the entire time your doing what is needed to be done, give them a play by play of what your doing If your going to feed them Tell them that.. If your changing the paper in the tray just tell them "i'm changing your tray liner" or something. Just keep your voice soft and mellow.
Don't freak out when they freak out - that doesn't help any :) . Stay calm.
Also it's not a bad idea to have a small net (I use a childs butterfly net that was bought for me at Walmart for roughly $3.00) for if your bird gets out of its cage before its tame to help catch him/her with little to no stress I also use it to get the birds out of the community cage but that cage is huge it doesn't work all that well in my smaller cages :)
* a little more on The food - Rather you are buying from a Breeder, a Pet shop, or some one on line - It is very important to find out the exact brand and style of food the bird ate previously and use the same brand when you first get your bird(s), if its not a very good brand and you want to change it , you can do this gradually but at first they really do need to be fed the food they are used to a lot of birds will not eat at all if not fed what they're used to. When you are ready to switch them over, If you don't know how, there are many articles online if you search using a search engine like Google. Or become a member of a Bird forum there are many out there. and almost all of them have had the question on how to convert your bird from one diet to another many times over. I have a few Bird Forums listed on the Links page
Things you do not need that pet store Employees try to make you buy
Grit - Birds don't need grit!
Mite protectors - These actually kill birds they let off toxic Fumes
Mite/Lice Spray- If your bird ends up with mites Then take him/her to the vets for the proper medicine
Bath sprays- these are not empty spray bottles for giving "showers" these are chemicals that are supposed to be used to give a bird a bath it's not needed! -nothing is needed but Plain water
Sand paper perch covers- These come in a pack and are just "tubes" of sand paper that go over top of dowel perches some are Pre assembled - do not buy these they hurt the birds feet and are good causes of Bumble foot
Sand paper tray liners - Again not needed and causes Bumble foot
Bedding - they try to sell a variety of bedding to put into the tray of bird cages examples: corn cob bedding, wood shavings etc. These harbor bacteria and aren't good to use as a liner for cages, plus they're extremely messy when the bird flaps the bedding flies all over the place.
Tents/happy huts/Bird Bunkers- Specially if your bird is a female these are seen as nests birds do not need these to sleep in really they don't.
Vitamins or other Over the counter medicine - If a bird is fed a varied diet they do not need these things. if a bird needs medicine The Avian vet is the place to get these
This is not a complete list by any means, it is meant to be a guide to help you get ready for your new FID
If your in doubt of if something at a pet store is actually safe for your bird, Please do not ask the employees most don't know anything about proper bird care and are really only there for the money so they will tell you that you need items you do not need just for the sale. Join a forum, ask a breeder any good breeder is always willing to help a new bird owner with any questions they may have. and always remember NO QUESTION IS A STUPID QUESTION! Just ask before you buy anything your unsure of Or at the very least keep your receipt ;)