FAQ: Supplies for birds

Lovebirds are active and love to chew, so they need a roomy cage and plenty of wooden toys and perches. They can be territorial towards other birds, so it is better not to house them with other species.

Large parrots need a very sturdy cage with thick bars and secure locks, thick natural perches, heavy metal bowls and lots of hard chew toys. A play stand and a large carrier are also useful.

Many parrots quickly learn to open cage doors and bowl hatches with their beak. Simple clips or snap hooks made for animal cages stop the parrot from escaping unsupervised.

Zebra finches are kept in pairs or small groups, and a long cage or aviary for flying matters most to them. They eat a small-seed mix, enjoy greens and bathing, and show little interest in toys.

It is usually not recommended: species differ in size, diet and behaviour, and a larger or territorial bird can injure a smaller one. Only some calm small species can live together in a spacious aviary, after checking that they are compatible.

Medium parrots need a sturdy cage made for their size, perches of varied thickness, lots of chew and foraging toys, and a food or pellets suited to the species. They are very active, so they need time out of the cage every day.

Lories and lorikeets feed mainly on nectar, pollen and fruit, so they need special lory nectar or powder rather than an ordinary seed mix. Their droppings are runny, so the cage needs cleaning more often and easy-to-wash materials are handy.

For a young bird fit the perches lower, and place food and water where it is easy to reach, even on the cage floor during the first days. Young birds are still clumsy, so the cage should not be cluttered.

An older bird benefits from lower, wider perches, easy-to-reach bowls and less height above the floor so a fall does not cause injury. If you notice the bird struggling to grip its perch, consult a vet.

Taming takes mostly patience, calm daily talking and a favourite treat, such as a piece of millet spray offered by hand. Some owners use a target stick and a clicker, but the key is not to rush and not to chase the bird around the cage.

Yes, a clicker paired with a treat helps a parrot understand which action is being rewarded. Training sessions should be short, a few minutes a day, and treats tiny so the parrot does not fill up.

Chirping is natural for budgies, especially morning and evening, but constant loud screaming often signals boredom or loneliness. More toys, daily time out of the cage, a bird companion and enough sleep help.

It can, if the room is bright and the bird can sleep peacefully in the evening, though feather dust and husks add to the dust in the room. For people with allergies it is better to keep the cage in another room and clean more often.

Search nearby straight away, especially in trees, call with a familiar voice or a recording of bird sounds, and put the cage with food out on the balcony or in the yard. Also notify lost-pet groups and nearby neighbours.

Sturdy screens on windows and balcony doors greatly reduce the chance of a bird escaping while the room is aired. Still, keep windows closed when the bird is out of its cage, because a screen can fall out or be chewed through.

A bird does not see glass and mirrors as obstacles, so it can fly into them and get hurt. During the first weeks draw the curtains or stick decals on the glass until the bird learns the room.

No. A nest box encourages the hen to lay eggs and triggers hormonal behaviour, so if you do not plan chicks it is better not to keep one in the cage. An open nest may suit canaries and finches for sleeping, but it too can encourage breeding.

Budgies use a wooden nest box with a round entrance and a concave floor that stops eggs from rolling. It should be mounted outside the cage or high inside it, and its cleanliness checked regularly.

Hens laying unfertilised eggs, especially cockatiels and budgies, lose a lot of calcium. Do not remove the eggs straight away, provide a calcium source and ask a vet how to reduce hormonal activity.

Special natural nesting materials suit canaries, for example coconut fibre, hemp or jute fibre and dry grass. Avoid synthetic threads and cotton wool, whose long fibres can tangle the birds' legs.