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New Year's Resolutions for your Birds

© Mary Wilson

We all make New Year's Resolutions for ourselves. Loosing weight, saving money, and spending more time with our families are some of the most common. Our birds, however, also need to have us make resolutions for them. But, how?

First, take a hard look at your birds and the care they receive. Are they pets or breeders? The next step is to make a mental list of things you did for your birds this year. The best place to start is with what you did well. Then, make a list of things you'd like to improve. Although the list may differ depending on whether you have pet birds or breeder birds, it will contain many similar elements.

The bird's environment is the first place that a lot of people look at when deciding on resolutions. The size of the bird's cage, how often it's cleaned, and bird proofing the rest of the house rank high on the list of priorities. Also think about the bird's toys. Are they rotated often? Do you check them for worn parts? Do your birds have toys? Even breeder birds can benefit from toys in their cage.

Next, take a look at the bird's diet. A bird that eats only seed is not a healthy bird. Try cooking different treats for your birds. You can visit the recipe page at BirdsnWays http://www.birdsnways.com/birds/recipes.... or the recipe page at Finches With Wishes http://www.finches.org/members/recipe.ht... . It may also be a good idea to think about converting your bird to pellets. Several cook and serve dishes are also on the market for birds, such as Krazy Korn and Beak Appetit. You may also wish to purchase these and try them for your pet.

If your bird is a pet, the last area of concern may be the time you spend with it. How much time do you spend with your birds and is it spent consistently? You may wish to increase the one on one time with your bird, or work with your pet so that it enjoys spending time with humans.

Although these are by no means the only areas to look at when making New Year's Resolutions for birds, they certainly are the most popular. Happy New Year!