Mary Allen
Fancy keeping a bird, but never driving in pegs? It doesn’t have to be. If you follow a few important principles, you can get started.
Exotic birds are fascinating, but is it any good to keep them in an apartment? The back and forth of thoughts can be put to an end with concrete factual information. Well-founded information can first be found in specialist journals and books. In addition, it is better to hesitate than to spontaneously buy birds that you then want to get rid of quickly. Anyone who has the appropriate space likes being at home, and enjoys the behavior of birds can definitely make concrete plans.
The central question is: where to buy which bird species and how to house them? Many pet shops no longer sell birds, so unlike 40 years ago, bird husbandry is hardly visible. Nevertheless, many people are engaged in keeping and breeding birds. They are organized in clubs. Bird shows are a great way to get in touch with them. From the autumn, advertisements from associations that organize bird exhibitions will appear in “Tierwelt”. Attention is also drawn to all data in advance.
Birds are now kept in aviaries, not in cages on the windowsill. A compromise can be a larger cage with regular free flight and a climbing tree in the room. However, an indoor aviary makes much more sense right from the start, the investment is worthwhile, because who has so much time to supervise the birds in the room for hours every day? Aviary builders make custom-made indoor aviaries.
An indoor aviary should have a minimum length of one and a half meters, the deeper it is the better. In such an aviary, in which feeding devices are installed, two pairs of budgerigars, zebra finches, seagulls, or canaries can be kept. It is also possible to socialize a pair of canaries, zebra finches, or seagulls with a pair of diamond doves.
Solitary Confinement Prohibited
Keeping a bird individually is against the law. Two of the same species should always be kept. If no breeding intentions are harbored, two males can live together. Such an aviary is a jewel in the home, especially if it is attractively decorated with natural branches. On the ground, beechwood chips or sand have proven their worth. Those who choose newspapers can provide sand and wood chips in bowls.
A bowl of fresh, flat water should be offered regularly, either on the trellis or slightly elevated on a tree stump. A stone in the middle invites the birds to fly on it. They enjoy the bath and it is good for their health. Fresh branches from the forest, for example from beech, maple, willow, ash, or hazel, can be placed in containers. The foliage stays fresh longer.
Birds can always cause dust and dirt in the home. Daily presence is a matter of course, the birds need food and water every day, and minor cleaning work is always necessary. Basic cleaning is scheduled once a week. The bird species mentioned can live for five to a good ten years and do not have loud voices. They feed on grains, vegetables, and fruits. Everything can be purchased in specialist shops.
It is ideal if you can discuss questions with breeders. Membership in an association makes sense because it creates a huge network of contacts. Members keep different species and keep them in different ways. Contact addresses can be found at www.kleintiere-schweiz.ch – birds. A club in the vicinity will be mediated on request. Then nothing stands in the way of keeping the bird.