“Mom, Dad, can I have a pet?” Is this a familiar question in your house? It certainly is in mine, and we are in good company. It’s estimated that over 60% of American households have at least one pet.
In this DealDash Blog series we will highlight different pets, give some basic facts about pet ownership, and hopefully help you make informed decisions about your new furry, feathered, or finned family member. Let’s get started!
Today’s pet is the bird. As a person who spent a few years working at a pet store, I can say that pet birds are extremely popular, especially the less expensive ones such as a parakeet. However, if you live near one of the bigger pet stores they tend to have a large variety of pet birds, from the inexpensive to extremely expensive, such as a large parrot like an African Grey.
In my experience working at the pet store and seeing all of the birds come and go, I would say that my favorite kind of bird that was a nice balance of price and personality was the Sun Conure.
The Sun Conure is an absolutely gorgeous bird with an awesome, playful personality that delights just about everyone that they come into contact with. They are intelligent, playful, and are significantly quieter if kept as single pets instead of a pair. Sun Conures make good pet birds for a family because of their sociable, upbeat and affectionate personality. However, if they are kept as a single, be prepared to spend a lot of time interacting with them, as they are prone to picking at their feathers when bored and lonely.
Sun Conures have an adventurous attitude and are quite active – no boring branch sitters here! They entertain themselves in many ways, such as by playing in their water bowls or during bath time, playing with toys on the floor, or riding around on your shoulder.
Of course, the first question that most people have when talking about pet birds is: Does it talk? And yes, Sun Conures can learn words and phrases. You will never have a heart to heart talk with this bird, but it can definitely learn enough language to amuse you and your friends.
There are many many wonderful birds that can make great pets, and they mostly need the same items to keep them healthy and happy. Here is a list of the must-haves:
- Cage of an appropriate size to your bird
- A variety of perches for him to sit on
- Cage lining (even just newspaper can work well)
- Food – a variety of food is best, including commercialized seed, fresh fruits and veggies, calcium, treats
- Toys – a variety is best, including small bells/balls, ropes, mirrors
- Cleaning supplies that are safe to use with your friend
- Food and water dishes
- And of course…The name of a vet who specializes (or at least accepts) birds
If you’re looking into getting a pet bird, DealDash has a few of the above items available, please click here to see the auctions.
I hope that this article has helped you understand a little bit about setting up a home for a new feathered friend. If you are in the market for a cage or feeder, pet store gift card, or any other pet-related items head on over to DealDash‘s “Other” section and see what they have up for bid today. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!
