How to Care for Parakeets for Children

A little bird flitting around in a spacious cage is a welcome addition to many households. Pets, including birds, can be an excellent way to teach empathy and encourage responsibility to children. Since birds have different needs than dogs or cats, there are some things you need to know if you're considering getting a bird for your kids. Educate yourself, and you'll know how to teach your little ones to keep the bird healthy and happy.

  1. Housing and Living Conditions

    • The first thing children need to know about how to care for parakeets is the living environment these birds need. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, parakeets are highly social birds and thrive in groups. So that your kids don't end up with a bird with emotional issues, you may want to get two or three. The ASPCA recommends tall cages for parakeets, as these birds love to hop and climb.

    Feeding

    • Like all pets, parakeets require proper feeding to grow and thrive. Learning to feed pet birds is an excellent way for children to learn responsibility. Talk to your kids about what kind of food your bird needs, how much, and how often it should be fed. If you have questions about the bird's dietary needs, speak to your veterinarian. Specially formulated bird foods often provide the best nutrition and are easy for children to provide without making a mess. If you have younger kids, you may need to supervise feeding to ensure it is being done correctly.

    Handling

    • Though birds aren't the most cuddly of pets, your children will probably want to handle your parakeets. You can allow this, but you'll need to take some precautions. You should teach children to be gentle with all pets, including birds, to avoid frightening or injuring them. Also, since birds do not come when called and can easily become exhausted when flying around a home, you'll need to have your bird's wings clipped if you allow it out of the cage. Also, only parakeets that have been raised by humans are likely to be comfortable sitting on a human finger.

    Medical Care

    • If your children are the ones primarily responsible for taking care of your parakeets, they will most likely be the first to notice if something is wrong. Thus, it's important to teach them how to tell when your parakeet requires medical care. The ASPCA recommends watching for changes in eating habits, changes in bowel habits and changes in behavior. A bird may be sick if it's fluffing out its feathers and sitting quietly on the bottom of the cage, has any discharge around its nose or eyes, or seems to be having trouble breathing.

    Considerations

    • Selecting the right home for your bird, feeding and handling it properly, and watching it for signs of illness aren't the only things you need to teach your kids to do. Like all animals, birds need a clean and sanitary environment. Your kids may not like the chore of cleaning the bird's cage. You must insist that they do it; telling them that a dirty cage can make the bird sick may help. Have them clean the cage and replace any newspaper or other absorbent material every day.