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Bird Stands

© Mary Wilson

Once you have your bird trained to the "up" command and it will sit on your finger or shoulder quietly, it is time to accesorize your bird. One of the best things a bird owner can have is a stand. Whether this is a small table-top model or a rolling "T" stand, having a bird stand means mobility for both you and your bird. Placing your bird on a stand in the middle of the dining room table means that he can watch over your child's homework, or just interact with you while you're planning the menus for the week. During dinner time, the bird can sit on the stand and enjoy his meal of healthy human foods, such as vegtables or plain pasta, and still feel as part of the family.

Stands set in the living room, such as a rolling "T" stand provides your bird with hours of entertainment as it watches television with your or reads a book over your shoulder. The stand provides a safe place for your bird to play. Remember with stands, as in all aspects of bird ownership, safety comes first.

Your bird should not be with you when you're doing an activity that might be dangerous to the bird. Bathing, cooking, working with yarn or other matierals that the bird may catch himself in, grilling (or outdoors period unless in a harness), or doing the dishes all rank as dangerous activities. In addition, your bird should never be around cigarette smoke.

Table top stands come in a few materials, wood, pvc-type, or the concrete perches. I would recommend having one conrete and one of the other types. The concrete stand could be used in one area of the house to help trim your bird's nails, while the wooden stand can be offered as an alternative. Concrete causes abrasions on your bird's feet if it is the only surface on which your bird perches.

Also, these stands come in many price ranges and styles, from the simple "T"-shaped stand or some variant of it, to the complete bird gym, complete with ladders and swings. A large stand may be the focal point for a room, while a smaller one may be used as a portable way to take your bird between rooms. I use a small bird stand by my computer so I may have my birds with me while I type in the evenings. They enjoy the one-on-one interaction, and I can have a "bird friendly" surface for them on which to perch at my desk.

The copyright of the article Bird Stands in Small Hookbills is owned by Mary Wilson. Permission to republish Bird Stands in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.