Having a Pet Bird

Birds are a LOT of work, and once the novelty wears off, not much fun for kids. I would recommend a chinchilla if you want something fairly low-maintenance and kid friendly. They are technically rodents, but they are really cute! They are super soft, and fun to watch. They do need a 'dust bath' every day, but that's part of the fun! (I used to get vanilla-scented dust for mine, which was nice!) The best part is that you can put them in those big roller-balls, and have fun with them outside.

In my experience pet birds are harder than small dogs or cats!

Birds are messy... think feathers all over and cleaning the cage. Also they are not a toy and a 4 and 6 year old could easily hurt them accidentally. They need to be handled daily to ensure that they are used to people and don't start pecking little fingers.

A smaller animal is not necessarily a smaller responsibilty, they often require more work. Having had birds, buninies, mice, rats, cats and dogs over the years, I would actually say that a cat was the easiest of the lot, followed by my rat (he was trained to do his business in one spot for easy clean up). Fresh food and water in the morning and evening and scoop the pan once a day. The 4 could do the food, the 6 the water, and you do the pan. Once a week / or every other week depending on how messy the cat is dump and clean the pan.

Seriously though, all animals are a large responsibility, unless YOU have the time to take care of all the animals needs I would not do it. At 4 and 6 your girls are old enough to start to learn responsibility, but not old enough to be relied upon for it.

Good luck!

I have had cockatiels for years. The great thing about birds? They can be great companion animals. They are somewhat novel. They are less expensive than many other pets. They have a long life span (some live 15+ years, so it's definitely a commitment). Care for them is relatively easy. Some drawbacks?? One thing many people don't know about birds is that they can be a little messy...even smaller varieties. If you feed them seeds, the shells get knocked around. Pellet food is a little less messy and healthier for the birds, but it's pricier and still makes a bit of a mess around the cage. Plus when they molt (a birds version of shedding), there are feathers to deal with. They can be noisy and unlike a dog, you can't call them off when they get worked up. If not watched carefully, they can be destructive. We once had to replace a ceiling fan because a male I had chewed the edge of the blade - destruction can be easily handled if you watch the bird and offer lots of toys and attention.

As far as care daily it's food and water. Pellet food is healthier, but it costs more. On average a bag for my cockatiel costs $16 and it usually lasts about a month and a half. Birds need baths. Some will actually go in the shower...they make perches for this. I had one who would bath in the sink with a trickle of water. My bird now prefers to be sprayed with water from a spray bottle. We do this once a week or so unless it is cold. They need a clean environment, so the paper or litter needs to be changed regularly. I layer newspaper, and remove the top layer to make this chore easier. Many people choose to have their birds wings clipped. They can still fly, but they can't fly as high or as long. Some say that clipping wings makes the bird bond better with humans. I don't clip my birds wings. Toys are important, but they don't have to be fancy toys from the store...it can be bottle caps, soda bottles, mirrors.

Our house can get chilly too. When it's really cold out I move the bird cage to the middle of the room, away from the windows. That is usually enough. We have had a few cold snaps where I worried, so I have a heating lamp I can use on those nights. I live in Texas, so we rarely use it.

Birds are messy. They throw seed casing everywhere. They can really bite, especially budgies. Love birds are sweet, but if you plan to handle it, keep it as a lone pet, no mirror, they fall in love and will not allow you near them. (even with their own reflection in the mirror!) They are prone to getting sick if the air is cold. They like tropical enviroments for the most part.
Ive kept all sorts of pets. Hamsters are very sweet. Teddybear ones look less rodent (rat) like. They too can bite, keep one alone, handle it gently and often. Bunnies are lovely, quiet, sweet, and will devour your veggie peelings etc. You can get cute dwarves.
Fish are nice, fairly simple once your up and running properly, and there are little crabs and frogs that live in freshwater aquariums (the easiest to look after)
Then theres always sea monkeys! LOL

A bird is a lot of care, you have to keep their cage clean and if you want them social they need a lot of attention. I think you might want to wait on a pet because no matter what you get they re living animals that have needs. If you aren't willing to want it and take on the care don't get it no matter what it is.

We had a bird I had to let go because I didn't want the upkeep. Now we have a guinea pig that my 10 year old mostly care's for and I help her clean his cage out. We have had fish in the past you have to keep the bowel clean and feed them. It doesn't sound like a lot but it is a burden when you don't want the animal. In my opinion pets are not for chidlren.

Think about if you want to deal with the mess of feathers everywhere & bird dander (if that's what it's called). My MIL has a bird...I thought about getting one for my kids b/c they love it...then realized it makes a big mess....food everywhere, feathers all over, it would really affect the quality of our indoor air (breathing in bird feathers by the cage) & I didn't want to have to deal w/ that.

First the scientist in me has to tell you hamsters and gerbils are like rodents because they are rodents! :) sorry.

Birds are a LOT of work. They make huge messes and need to be cleaned up after almost every day. They toss seeds out of the cage, and the dust from the feathers can aggravate allergies and asthmas.

Honestly I've had a lot of pets, all the regular household suspects except for reptiles and rabbits, so I can't speak for those. But from cats, dogs, fish, birds, and rodents I think the best easy care pets are cats.

They clean themselves, they don't mind being left alone, and the chores to maintain them are pretty easy. Scoop out the box (we use a scoopable litter that can go right in the toilet), feed them, take them for shots/vet visits. Cats care not easily trained to do tricks, but with proper behavior training, most discipline problems can be solved quickly (scratching furniture, inappropriate elimination)

Rodents are also pretty easy, but I find cleaning the cage more annoying than scooping a cat box, and you didn't seem too fond of rodents in the first place.

hope that helps!

Any pet will be a responsibility, period. Birds, like all animals, need care, love, attention, cleanliness. If you are questioning a pet in general, maybe your family needs to wait a few more years until everyone can assist with the care giving.
I grew up with dogs, cats and birds - with birds, they can be messy and have behavioural problems like any other animal. They can get sick in cold weather as well.

We have two cockatiels. Lemonjello and SunnyD. We love them very much, and they are characters! Lemonjello is finger trained, and will ride around on our shoulders. He also says his name, wolf whistles, imitates the microwave beep and says I love you. SunnyD will fly around and is just starting to ride on our shoulders. We rescued Sunny - she was traumatized by her previous owners and was very shy of people. It's been over a year, but she's starting to warm up.

But, they are MESSY! Their cage needs to be cleaned about every other day (birds poop a lot - up to 20 times a day). They also scatter their food everywhere despite having a seed guard net on the cage. The need fresh food every other day and fresh water 2 or more times a day (they'll poop in their water). Cockatiels need new toys rotated in and out of their cage - they need stimulation, which is also why we let them fly around the house too. They like to tease the cats. :D

Cockatiels do need sunlight, but not direct sun. We have them in our front room and they get lots of light. We keep our house around 68-69 degrees in the winter and they seem to do fine. The fluff up their feathers and huddle together. We do put a blanket on their cage at night. They seem to do fine.

Here's a website about Cockatiels that provides tons of information.

http://www.cockatiel.org/index.html

I actually find the cats we have to be lower maintence than the birds. But, I wouldn't give up our birds for anything.

ETA: The bigger the bird, the bigger the poop. Cockatiels are relatively small birds that live approx. 10 years. I would never get a Cockatoo or Macaw or Parrot. They DEMAND attention from their owners. The need tons of attention and stimulation. I just don't have the time.

If you don't mind cleaning the mess or are a morning person then a bird may be for you. We had parakeets growing up. They are very loud with the first ray of sunlight that hits the cage.

While you may not like hampsters or gerbils, consider a slightly larger rodent which doesn't really look like a rodent at all, a guinea pig. They are less maintenance than birds, they are smart and soft to touch and live for about 5-6 years.

Good luck on your choice. Growing up I had, cats, birds, turtles, fish, and hampsters. My grandmother inherited a guinea pig which she taught to whistle. She loved him and he loved her.

They can be entertaining but they don't live a really long time. Birds are cold-blooded so they need to have plenty of seed for constant nourishment to keep their body heat up. Cleaning the cage isn't fun but it's no fun for any other animal either. Be aware that you cannot use cookware with a non-stick coating at high heat - like cookie sheets or cooking with a non-stick fry pan. The non-stick coating gets into the air and is toxic to birds, who are sensitive to various gasses. That's why you always heard about canaries in the mines in prior generations - when the bird died, the miners knew gasses were building up. (Kind of makes you wonder how good those non-stick coatings are for US, too, huh???)

If you do get a bird, I would consult with a really good pet store - preferably one that is independently owned rather than one of the big chains. At the chains, you don't know if the person working there is just a clerk or if they really know anything about birds. At a smaller store, be sure you talk to the owner, not just a clerk. Also consult with any vets or veterinary techs that you know, or a veterinary college - find out what they see a lot of or what they recommend. You'll need a vet anyway, most likely, so it's a good time to find one in advance and get some advice about what treatments are necessary to keep a bird healthy, what breed is recommended, what breed is inbred or overpriced, and so on, where to keep them in a room (distance from radiators and windows, for example, and so on. Also be sure you have a cage your girls cannot open. Trying to catch a parakeet flying around the kitchen is no fun!

Hamsters and gerbils ARE rodents, you are right. They can be fun to watch though if you have those tubes they run through. They can be hard for a young child to handle without hurting them. Guinea pigs are bigger and possibly more interesting. FYI Do not get a ferret - they are adorable but they are up all night and do nothing all day.

Remember that, no matter what type of pet you get (fish, bird, mammal), there is care and upkeep involved, and no matter what your children promise you, they will NOT do the work after the first 15 minutes, and it will be entirely your responsibility.

Good luck with whatever you choose. Another fun thing might be to get a membership to a museum that has animal exhibits and special shows featuring a particular animal. See if they are really interested or just talking about it now.

i had 3 birds in my growing up days....i would get a larger bird like a cockatiel, i had 2 cockatiels and a parakeet, i used bird litter which was easier for me ( i just dumped the bottom of the cage-litter in the trash can and filled with fresh litter) but it's dusty. there are several options but you still need to make sure the bird is handled daily so it dont bite or what ever

With any pet you choose - especially when it is really for your children and not you - I recommend you look into the life expectancy. Some birds can live for close to 20 years - do you really think your children will be interested for whatever period your pet might live for. In my experience, I have had all sorts of pets - birds are the one thing I would never get again. They are the most work of all - they are very messy - and very poopy. And the messy kind of poops- not like neat little rabbit pellets, but runny goopy stuff. While they are fun in many ways - you need to be more gentle with them than a 4 year old is likely to be. And you can't really cuddle them. Hamsters really are a very easy first pet - they only live 1 to 2 years - so you can get a feel for your child's ability to take care of something without being burdened forever. They're entertaining for children - you can make mazes with old boxes and paper towel tubes and watch them have fun, or put them in balls and let them roam about the house. They don't have that long rat-like tail either. And we even lucked out and got a hamster that toilet trained herself - literally - we just had to empty a tiny little litter box to keep her cage tidy - although the toilet training is not guaranteed. And their cage requirements are not much. Another wonderful pet is a guinea pig. They are big enough for a child to really hold and cuddle. But they do live 5-6 years - I would suggest getting an older one from a shelter as a first pet - that way they'd probably only live 2 years and you'd see how things go without committing to many years. Cons are that they do require a large cage - you should research online first because cages they sell at the pet stores are not big enough for these animals - and they are social animals so are much happier if you get 2 than one - generally they are paired up in the shelters. Finally, I just have to say, of all the animals you mentioned - a cat is by far the easiest. No special cages, etc.. You do need a litter box - but you can generally leave them alone for a few days with extra food and water and they'll be just fine. No walking. And they are quite cuddly and loveable. Again, they live a very long time - so maybe adopting an older one at a shelter would be the way to go. I applaud you for wanting to expose your children to the J. and wonder of pets. I think they also teach many important life lessons about caring for God's creatures and what it does mean to die. And the J. of loving a creature and caring for it. It's good that you are asking these questions so you make an informed decision and don't regret the animal you've chosen. Personally I would stay away from birds. Maybe tour an animal shelter to see some options you haven't thought about - the people at the shelters (I see you are from Plaistow so I would suggest you go to the MSPCA in Methuen - they are quite friendly and knowledgeable) will fill you in on all the care requirements so you make an informed decision. Good luck.