What Is the Best Kind of Bird a Kid Could Have As a Pet?

Birds generally are not good pets for children. This is because it takes a lot of responsibility to properly raise a bird and children often grow bored with that responsibility. Additionally, birds live a long time, with average life span of 25 years and longer depending on the type of bird, says Foster Parrots, a non-profit organization and Exotic Wildlife Sanctuary dedicated to caring for birds. There are thousands of bird species with very few appropriate for children. You should give careful thought before purchasing a pet bird and chose it specifically for your child's age and home environment.

  1. Finches

    • Finches are small birds that are part of the perching birds (taxonomic order of Passeriformes). They have tiny beaks that allow them to eat small seeds and are generally calm. Finches are fairly inexpensive, costing around $5 to $10, at time of publication. According to The Humane Society, finches are social birds, and should not be kept singular.

      Finches are low maintenance; making them a good pet for children. They do scare easily, and do not like to be touched by humans. They are also delicate and can be killed if dropped. Finches cannot be trained to sit on a finger nor can they be tamed.

    Budgies

    • There are many different types of parakeets but the one's most families see in pet stores are budgies. Budgies are active and cheerful birds that tolerate children well if bought young so the bird can be raised with your child. Budgies are typically inexpensive, averaging only $10 to $30 at time of publication, depending on their rarity.

      If you purchase an adult budgie it will be much more difficult to tame. According to the Humane Society, budgies are good pets for older children because they require little care. They also have short life expectancy as a pet, averaging five to seven years. You can teach budgies to talk with patience. They can also learn to step-up and down, do tricks, and eat from your hand.

    Conures

    • The conure is a long-tailed bird in the parrot family. They are medium sized, average around 17 inches long and are more expensive than the finch or budgie. Conures can cost a few hundred to thousands depending on their rarity. They are high maintenance and require a lot of attention, large cages and a variety of foods daily, including fresh fruits and vegetables. Conures do tend to bite hard and can break the skin. They are not a good choice for small children and you should supervise them at all times. Conures also like to chew things up and will require a constant supply of bird safe toys.

    Parrots

    • Only older children should handle parrots should and under strict supervision. They are the most expensive of all birds and can cost in the thousands.They have strong beaks that can do serious damage to small fingers, eyes, and face. Parrots vary in size from pocket sized parrots to Amazons and Macaws.

      Parrots vary in volume from quiet to extremely noisy. They are best suited for people who own their home because of the noise, upkeep, and the fact they can sometimes outlive their owners. Parrots are high maintenance; they require several hours of attention each day, you must feed them a high quality diet rich in human foods and require frequent grooming of their nails and feathers.