Rabbits are intelligent, social animals. When given plenty of attention, they make affectionate and rewarding family pets. They can be trained to use a litter box and are more enjoyable, responsive pets when living indoors as house rabbits. Given appropriate care, a rabbit can live up to ten years.
Before adopting a pet rabbit, consider:
Essential items:
Optional items:
Rabbits make good pets for a family, but children should not be expected to look after a rabbit without parental help. Small children need to be supervised. Rabbits should be lifted with their weight fully supported, never by the scruff of the neck or ears. They can easily be injured through improper handling.
Brush your rabbit’s coat daily and trim their nails every few weeks. Your rabbit can be taught to share your home, though hazards such as electrical cords and toxic plants should be removed or made inaccessible to prevent accidents. Rabbits will chew and dig, so provide acceptable items for these purposes, such as untreated wooden toys and a safe digging box filled with straw. Encourage your rabbit to use these items to minimize damage to your furnishings. Kind training, using lots of praise and treats, will teach your rabbit their place as a member of the family.
Rabbits should live indoors, safe from predators and climate extremes. Rabbits are very sensitive to heat stroke. Keep the temperature at or below 26° C and make sure your rabbit’s cage is well ventilated. Your rabbit may enjoy exercise in your yard, provided it is enclosed in a sturdy pen.
However, the mere presence of a predator may result in a panic attack, causing injury or death due to heart failure. Always supervise your rabbit whenever they are outdoors and bring them in at nightfall. It is important to choose as large a cage as possible, at least four times the size of your rabbit. Avoid wire floors, which can injure rabbits’ feet. Give your rabbit a litter box filled with safe litter — never cedar shavings, which contain harmful oils. A hiding box will also be appreciated.
Chew toys such as untreated wicker baskets, untreated wood blocks and cardboard boxes will keep your rabbit busy. Remember that your rabbit needs ample daily exercise outside the cage to stay healthy and fit. Keep your rabbit’s habitat clean by removing soiled litter daily. Wash food dishes, water bottles and the cage bottom once a week. Always rinse and dry the cage well before adding clean bedding and returning your pet to the cage.
A healthy diet is based on good quality rabbit pellets and ample fresh timothy hay. Rabbits should receive ¼ to ½ cup of pellets per five pounds of body weight each day.
Hay should be freely available; it is vital as a source of fibre for good digestive function. Avoid alfalfa hay, as it is high in calcium and could result in kidney stones.
Add at least two cups of fresh vegetables per six pounds of body weight each day. Good choices are dark green leafy vegetables and root vegetables. Small amounts of fresh fruit may be given as a treat. Fresh water in a sipper bottle should be available at all times. A multiple enzyme supplement may be given to aid digestion.
Find a veterinarian specializing in exotic animals and experienced in treating rabbits before you have an emergency. Rabbits are prone to intestinal blockages, due to swallowing hair while self-grooming. Frequent brushing can help minimize this problem. Be alert and consult a veterinarian if you notice signs of illness or injury such as:
All rabbits adopted from the OHS are already spayed/neutered!
All pet rabbits should be spayed or neutered to avoid unwanted babies. Spayed or neutered rabbits live longer, healthier lives. Aggressive and territorial behaviour is also reduced as a result of spaying or neutering, resulting in a more enjoyable companion. Be sure to find a veterinarian specialized in small mammals to perform a spay/neuter operation on your rabbit.
Antibiotics of the Penicillin family, such as Amoxicillin, are toxic to rabbits and should never be used. Consult a veterinarian who specializes in small mammals before administering any medication!
Rabbits are very social and intelligent animals who can become great pets if given affection and lots of exercise by their human families.
Remember that your rabbit needs ample daily exercise outside the cage to stay healthy and fit.
Guinea pigs make delightful companions for both adults and families. Once settled in their new home, guinea pigs are inquisitive, friendly and talkative. Guinea pigs are social animals, so it’s best to keep at least two for companionship. Their average life span is four to eight years but, with proper care and nutrition, guinea pigs can live up to ten years.
Before adopting a pet guinea pig, consider the following:
Essential items:
Optional items:
Regular exercise outside the cage is essential for your Guinea pig’s health, as well as great fun for the family. A room can be made safe for Guinea pigs by preventing access to electrical cords, removing hazardous items and blocking gaps under appliances and furniture. Alternatively, a playpen will allow your pets to romp in safety.
Guinea pigs enjoy a variety of safe toys such as wide tubes, cartons and wood bird toys. Most Guinea pigs are cautious about being picked up, but love being petted once they are on your lap.
Children must be supervised when holding a Guinea pig and taught not to hold them too tightly or allow them to fall or jump. Guinea pigs are easily injured and may nip if not handled gently. While your Guinea pig is on your lap, brush them gently to keep their coat sleek. An occasional toenail trim should also be part of regular grooming.
Guinea pigs should be kept indoors, safe from predators and climate extremes. Choose, or make, as large a cage as possible, with plenty of room for exercise. Aquariums are not suitable, due to poor ventilation. Look for a cage with a solid bottom, as wire floors and ramps can injure Guinea pigs’ feet.
Cover the floor with bedding such as pine shavings. Avoid sawdust as well as cedar, which contain harmful oils. The cage is best kept in a room where your pets can enjoy your company, out of drafts and direct sunlight. A temperature range of 18 to 23° C is ideal. Guinea pigs love a house or igloo to rest in and appreciate a few safe toys to play with, such as bird toys made from untreated wood. Choose heavy food dishes, or those that clip onto the cage, so the contents don’t spill.
Keep your Guinea pig’s habitat clean by removing soiled litter daily. Wash food dishes, water bottles and the cage bottom once a week. Always rinse and dry the cage well before adding clean bedding and returning your pet.
A healthy diet for adults is based on Guinea pig pellets and quality grass hay, such as timothy hay. Both should be freely available at all times. Babies under six months and pregnant sows need alfalfa hay. A constant supply of hay provides fibre, vital to keep the teeth and digestive system in good shape.
Guinea pigs must have adequate vitamin C in their diet. Look for plain pellets containing vitamin C, but without seeds, nuts or coloured treats. The bag should be date stamped to ensure freshness and vitamin C potency. Also provide each Guinea pig with a cupful of mixed fresh vegetables and fruit daily. Choose produce with a high vitamin C content, such as parsley, romaine lettuce, bell peppers and dandelions, occasionally adding a piece of carrot. Fresh water in a sipper bottle should be available at all times. Nutritional supplements are not necessary if a good, varied diet is provided.
Keeping Your Guinea Pig Healthy
Find a veterinarian specializing in exotic animals and experienced in treating guinea pigs before you have an emergency.
Guinea pigs try to hide signs of illness, so by the time you notice something is wrong, the illness is usually well advanced. The following signs mean your pet needs urgent veterinary care:
Keeping a weekly record of your pet’s weight will alert you to weight loss, which often indicates a health problem.
Male guinea pigs can be sexually mature at approximately three weeks of age. Determine each pet’s sex, and keep males and females separate at all times to prevent unwanted offspring. Because it is difficult to find enough appropriate homes for them, breeding Guinea pigs is strongly discouraged. If a male and female are kept together, the male Guinea pig should be neutered by an experienced veterinarian who specializes in exotic pets.
Frisky and fun to watch, hamsters tend to sleep during the day and play at night. Hamsters like to spend time with their people, but don't like the company of other hamsters. A single hamster can provide hours of enjoyment as you watch your pet frolic and stuff their cheeks with seeds. An average life span is two years.
Before adopting a pet hamster, consider the following:
Essential items:
Optional items
Hamsters are nocturnal and can become cranky if you disturb their daytime sleep. Try to limit cleaning, feeding and handling to the late afternoon and evening. Accommodate your hamster’s natural rhythms, and you will find an eager companion.
However, hamsters don’t seek the companionship of their own kind. Introducing another hamster is not advised.
If you allow your hamster outside the cage, supervise them very carefully — a hamster can be difficult to find, and if there’s a place to hide, a hamster will find it! Hamsters also have poor eyesight and may walk right off the edge of a table or chair.
Some hamsters can come home already accustomed to handling, others require time to adjust to your touch. If your hamster is reluctant to be handled, spend time near the cage, speaking quietly. Progress to hand feeding them their favourite treats and, finally, you’ll be able to gently scoop up your hamster.
To pick up a hamster, gently scoop them into the palm of one hand, with your other hand placed gently over the hamster’s back to prevent jumping. If you are looking for a child’s pet that can be easily handled, a hamster may not be the right choice.
Place your hamster’s home in a dimly lit room, away from drafts, direct sunlight and noise. Find a location that will allow the hamster to sleep during the day and family members to sleep at night. Select a spacious cage with a solid, deep bottom. You can choose from wire cages, aquariums and plastic cages.
Hamsters have been known to gnaw through the plastic. Aquariums are easier to clean, but require a top that allows adequate ventilation. A wire cage will require bars no more than a half-inch apart. Check any cage closely for secure fastenings. Hamsters love to escape!
Line the bottom of the cage with any safe bedding. Cover the floor with bedding such as aspen shavings, recycled paper or corncob bedding. Avoid cedar shavings, which contain harmful oils. Since hamsters are solitary, private animals, your pet will appreciate a hiding house. An old cardboard box will double as a gnawing object. Shred white, unscented tissues to provide nesting material.
Hamsters are orderly creatures, so place a sturdy ceramic food dish well away from the sleeping and bathroom areas and attach a sipper bottle to the cage. Offer other safe materials for playing and gnawing as well. Commercial products are available, but old toilet paper and towel rolls can provide hours of gnawing and romping. Dog biscuits or twigs from a pesticide-free beech, maple or fruit tree will help keep your hamster’s teeth properly worn down.
Keep your hamster’s habitat clean by removing soiled litter daily and removing stockpiles of perishable food. Clean the sipper bottle and tube daily to prevent the build up of food and bacteria. Wash the food dish and cage weekly. Always rinse and dry the cage well before adding clean bedding and returning your pet.
Hamster pellets and mixes are both available. Pellets provide a good, balanced diet, but offer hamsters no variety. Many hamsters will refuse them. Mixes can be a sound alternative, but many are high in fatty foods. Make sure your hamster has eaten all the mix in the dish before adding more. Otherwise, your hamster may pick out favourite high-fat foods, leaving the healthier alternatives.
Supplement the feed with alfalfa pellets and fresh vegetables and fruits, such as spinach, lettuce, apple and cauliflower. A hayrack filled with hay can provide necessary roughage, and a salt lick can prevent mineral deficiencies. Never offer beans, apple seeds, parsley, tomatoes, or green or sprouted potatoes. All are poisonous to hamsters. Fresh water should be available at all times.
Find a veterinarian specializing in exotic animals and experienced in treating guinea pigs before you have an emergency.
Guinea pigs try to hide signs of illness, so by the time you notice something is wrong, the illness is usually well advanced. The following signs mean your pet needs urgent veterinary care:
Keeping a weekly record of your pet’s weight will alert you to weight loss, which often indicates a health problem.
Hamsters become sexually mature at six to eight weeks. Because it is difficult to find enough appropriate homes for them, breeding hamsters is strongly discouraged.
Full-grown degus are about the size of a pet rat, with a long tail, large eyes and mouse-like ears. They are highly social animals and are happiest when sharing their habitat with another degu. Degus don’t like to be handled, but do enjoy human companionship. Their antics, often accompanied by excited chittering or gentle coos, can keep you entertained for hours. Their average life span is five to ten years.
Before adopting a degu, consider the following:
Essential items:
Optional items:
Regular exercise outside the cage is essential for your degu’s health. A room can be made safe for degus by preventing access to electrical cords, removing hazardous items and blocking gaps under appliances and furniture. Alternatively, a playpen will allow your pets to romp in safety. Never let a degu outside of the cage unsupervised.
Degus clean themselves by rolling in dust, so you will need to provide a dust bath. Fill a large ceramic bowl with chinchilla dust and place it in your degu’s cage. Remove the dust bath once your degu has finished. Repeat this two to three times a week.
Most degus are cautious about being handled. But they must be handled daily if they are to remain tame. Do not put your hand in their cage and back them into a corner or swoop your hand down from above. Both will be perceived as the actions of a predator.
Allow your degu to come to you. Start by letting your degu sniff your hand and progress to hand feeding. With enough training, your degu may eventually climb into your hand. You may then pick up your degu gently in your palm. Never pick a degu up by the tail!
Degus require lots of space. Choose as large a solid-bottomed cage as possible and place it in a dry, draft-free room, out of direct sunlight. Height is important as well as length and width; degus love to climb. If the cage has different levels, cover the shelves with untreated wood to protect your degu’s feet.
Cover the floor with bedding such as aspen or pine shavings, recycled paper or corncob bedding. Avoid cedar shavings, which contain harmful oils. Your degus will also appreciate a nesting box. You can provide a box of untreated wood or an old cardboard box, which will double as a gnawing object. Tear unscented white tissue into narrow strips to provide a safe, inexpensive nesting material. Food should be offered in a ceramic bowl and fresh water in a sipper bottle.
Degus need plenty of exercise and stimulation, so provide a variety of toys. Climbing frames of untreated wood and pesticide-free branches from beech, maple or fruit trees will allow your degu to climb, while a large deep box filled with soft sandy soil provides a place to dig. Pieces of untreated wood and cardboard rolls will satisfy your degu’s urge to gnaw and help keep teeth properly worn down.
Keep your degu’s habitat clean by removing soiled litter daily. Thoroughly clean the water bottle once a day. Wash food dishes and the cage bottom once a week. Always rinse and dry the cage well before adding clean bedding and returning your pet.
Your degu’s primary source of food should be Guinea pig mix or chinchilla pellets. Most authorities believe that sugar is not good for degus, so check the ingredient list of any pre-packaged foods and avoid dried fruit or molasses. Fresh hay should be constantly available, preferably in a hayrack.
Supplement your degu’s diet with fresh vegetables, but never fruit, which is high in natural sugars. As an occasional treat, offer your degus nuts, seeds or puffed rice. Fresh water should be available at all times.
Find a veterinarian specializing in exotic animals and experienced in treating degus before you have an emergency. Degus are especially prone to chronic respiratory disease, teeth problems and diabetes. Diabetes cannot be treated in small animals, so prevention is essential. Never feed your degu fruit or other foods containing sugar, honey or molasses. If your degu puts on weight, cut out all treats and, if you have been feeding them seed mix, switch to pellets. Degus are also prone to mouth infections, so keep the water bottle spotlessly clean.
If your degu is not eating or drinking, or has diarrhea, see a veterinarian immediately.
Degus become sexually mature very early — at between three and six months — and their gestation period (pregnancy) is very short. Determine each pet’s sex, and keep males and females separate at all times to prevent unwanted babies. Because it is difficult to find appropriate homes for them, breeding degus is strongly discouraged
Curious, friendly and intelligent, gerbils can be happy and healthy in almost any home. Once tamed, they make ideal companions for children or busy apartment dwellers. Gerbils are highly social animals and are happiest sharing their habitat with another gerbil. Their average life span is between one and three years.
Before adopting a gerbil, consider the following:
Essential items:
Gerbils enjoy time outside their cage, but should not be allowed to roam unsupervised. They may look chubby, but they can quickly squeeze through tiny spaces and become hidden or hurt.
Most gerbils need to become accustomed to handling, a process that can take up to two weeks. Children should not handle a gerbil until taming is complete.
Give your gerbils a day or two to settle into their new home, then gradually accustom them to your presence. Begin with presenting your hand for sniffing, progressing to hand feeding and gentle scratching on the back of the head.
Don’t rush things — let your gerbil set the pace. To pick up a gerbil, calmly coax your pet into a corner and gently lift with both hands. Some gerbils like to jump, so form a little cave with your hands and keep them inside. A tame gerbil may like to explore your lap or perch on your shoulder, but stay alert for jumping. Never pick up a gerbil by the tail, even at the base.
Place your gerbils’ home in a quiet space, away from direct heat and sunlight. A ten-gallon aquarium with a secure, chew-proof, open-air cover is an ideal choice for two gerbils. A wire cage must have bars no more than one centimetre apart. Gerbils love to dig, so fill the cage with two to three inches of bedding. Aspen or pine shavings, recycled paper or corncob bedding are all good choices. Avoid sawdust and cedar chips, which contain harmful oils.
Your gerbil will need constant access to fresh water. Bottles are preferable to bowls, as your gerbils are likely to kick bedding into a bowl. If you’re using an aquarium, you will need to purchase a special bottle holder. A food dish isn’t necessary, but if you prefer using a container, select a non-plastic dish. Your gerbils will also need objects to gnaw on. Cardboard and untreated wood pieces from the pet store are all good choices. Gerbils love old toilet paper rolls, running in and out of the tubes before gnawing them to shreds.
Gerbils also appreciate a nesting box. Tear unscented white tissue into narrow strips to provide your gerbils with safe, inexpensive nesting material. Gerbils can become entangled in commercial nesting material, injuring themselves.
Keep your gerbil’s habitat clean by removing soiled litter regularly. Wash food dishes, water bottles and the cage bottom once a week. Always rinse and dry the cage well before adding clean bedding and returning your pet to his cage.
A good commercial gerbil food will provide your gerbil with a balanced diet. Pellets and seed mixes are both available. You can supplement the feed with occasional treats such as puffed wheat, dried kidney beans, apples, broccoli and carrot. Young gerbils can benefit from the extra protein an occasional cricket or mealworm provides.
Place the food in the centre of the cage and allow the gerbils to forage. If you provide a food dish, the gerbils will probably bury it with their bedding, but this is not a problem. Make sure the gerbils have eaten everything before replenishing their food. Otherwise, your gerbils may pick out their favourite high-fat foods, leaving the healthier alternatives behind.
Fresh water should be available at all times.
Find a veterinarian specializing in exotic animals and experienced in treating gerbils before you have an emergency. A gerbil’s health can deteriorate quickly.
If your gerbil is not eating or drinking, or has diarrhea, see a veterinarian immediately. If your gerbil’s nose is red, or appears to be bleeding, an allergy to the bedding is a likely cause. Try another safe alternative.
Gerbils clean themselves by rolling in dust, so you will need to provide a dust bath. Fill a large ceramic bowl with chinchilla dust and place it in your gerbil’s cage. Remove the dust bath once your gerbil has finished. Repeat this two to three times a week.
Gerbils become sexually mature at five weeks. Determine each pet’s sex, and keep males and females separate at all times to prevent unwanted babies. Because it is difficult to find enough appropriate homes for them, breeding gerbils is strongly discouraged.
Friendly and intelligent, rats are the most responsive of the small rodents, making them ideal pets for children. Mice will not be quite so eager for your company, but watching them scamper can provide hours of enjoyment. Both rats and mice are highly social animals, happiest when sharing their habitat with another of their kind. Mice generally live between two and three years. Rats have a slightly longer life span, averaging two to four years.
Before adopting a pet rat or mouse, consider the following:
Essential items:
Optional items
Rats enjoy supervised time outside their cage to play and explore. Make a room safe by preventing access to electrical cords, blocking gaps under appliances and furniture, removing hazardous items and removing any other pets. Rats do not get along well with other animals.
Mice will also enjoy an occasional romp outside the cage but must be supervised even more closely. Their small size makes escape more likely and, unlike rats, escaped mice are likely to fend for themselves in the house rather than return to their cage.
With gentle care, most rats bond strongly with their humans and enjoy being stroked and held. Let your rat become gradually accustomed to your presence. Start by letting your pet sniff your hand and progress to hand feeding treats. Always approach your rat slowly, being careful not to startle. Pick up your rat by gently enclosing your pet’s whole body with your hand. Support all four feet with your other hand. Some rats like to scamper up your arm and perch on your shoulder. Mice are generally not as fond of handling, but with patience mice can become quite tame. Give your mice plenty of time to become used to your presence before trying to pick them up.
Pick up a mouse as you would a rat or gently scoop the mouse up in your hand. When holding or carrying a mouse, cup your pet with one hand and hold the other over the back. A short fall could cause serious injury.
Place your pet’s cage away from drafts and direct sunlight and out of reach of other household pets. Select as large a cage as possible. A solid bottom is best, as mesh can irritate your pet’s feet. Wire cages, aquariums and plastic cages are all available. Aquariums are easy to clean but require a top with adequate ventilation. Horizontal bars on a wire cage offer plenty of climbing fun.
The minimum size cage for a mouse is 18 inches long x 12 inches wide x 12 inches high. For each additional mouse, increase the floor area by half a square foot. The bars on a wire cage should be no more than 1/4 inch apart —mice can squeeze through very small places. Rats will need a larger cage, a minimum of 20 inches long x 14 inches wide x 24 inches high. The floor area will need to be increased one square foot for each additional rat. Bars should be no more than one inch apart. If your rats are very young, you may want to select a cage with narrower spacing.
Line the bottom of the cage with any safe bedding. You can shred sheets of plain white paper or purchase shavings. Your rat or mouse will appreciate a hiding house such as an old cardboard box, which also doubles as a gnawing object. Shred white, unscented tissues to provide nesting material. Offer food in a sturdy ceramic dish and water in a sipper bottle.
Rats and mice love to play, so provide plenty of toys, such as old tissue boxes, paper rolls, tunnels, ropes and ladders. Commercial gnaws or twigs from a pesticide-free beech, maple or fruit tree will help keep your pet’s teeth properly worn down.
Remove soiled litter and clean the sipper bottle and food dish daily. Wash and disinfect the cage at least once a week. Always rinse and dry the cage well before adding clean bedding and returning your pet.
Pellets, blocks and mixes are available for both rats and mice. Mixes tend to be high in fatty foods, so the best choice is formulated pellets or blocks supplemented by fresh fruit and vegetables and occasional treats, such as nuts, seeds and cheese. Rats are prone to obesity, so limit treats. Never offer food containing chocolate or caffeine. Fresh water should be available at all times.
Keeping Your Mouse or Rat Healthy
Find a veterinarian specializing in exotic animals and experienced in treating rats or mice before you have an emergency. Mice and rats can sometimes become infested with mites and other parasites. If your pet is scratching, consult your veterinarian. If your pet is not eating or drinking, has diarrhea, is sniffling or sneezing, has lumps anywhere on the body, is breathing laboriously, is lethargic, has a noticeable head tilt, or your pet’s coat seems rough, see a veterinarian immediately.
Rats become sexually mature at six to ten weeks, mice at six to seven weeks. A rat’s gestation period (pregnancy) is only 20 to 22 days, with litters from 6 to 16! A mouse’s gestation is 19 to 21 days, with litters between 8 and 12. Because rats and mice are so prolific, breeding them is strongly discouraged. Determine the sex of each pet, and keep males and females separate. Males and females should be separated before birthing, as they will mate within 12 hours of giving birth.
As pets, canaries and finches are fairly easy to maintain. While songbirds generally don’t like to be handled, they are fascinating to observe. Depending on the bird, expect a life span of 5–10 years.
Before adopting a pet songbird, consider the following:
Essential items:
Optional items:
Your songbird will need plenty of opportunity to fly, but it’s best not to allow a canary or finch out of the cage. A typical house offers many dangers to a bird. Provide your bird with an appropriately sized cage, not free reign of your house. Offer your songbird a bath at least twice a week. Fill a shallow dish with six centimetre of room-temperature water and place it in the cage. Once your songbird has finished bathing, remove the water.
Nails should be trimmed about twice a year, by you or a qualified professional.
In cool climates like ours, you need to cover your bird’s cage at night. Some birds appreciate the extra privacy and others feel panicked.
Take your cue from your bird’s behaviour.
Songbirds do not like to be handled. If you must remove a songbird from the cage, remove all perches, turn out the lights, then gently reach into the enclosure. Place one hand over the bird’s back, with the head resting between your first and second finger. Use your thumb and remaining fingers to gently restrain the wings.
Songbirds may not like to be handled, but they do enjoy company. Place your songbirds’ cage in a draft-free area, out of direct sunlight, where they can watch and be watched. Don’t place the cage under or near an air conditioning unit or vent, or in the kitchen.
Select as large a cage as possible. The minimum suggested size is 60 centimetres long, 30 centimetres wide and 30 centimetra tall. Width is more important than height, as songbirds fly back and forth, rather than up and down.
A rectangular, metal cage with vertical bars is best. Wood or wicker cages may be attractive, but are impossible to disinfect. The bars should be no more than 12 millimetres apart, to prevent the bird from getting their head stuck. Line the bottom of the cage with newspaper or paper towels.
Provide your songbirds with plenty of perches of varying diameters. Pesticide-free branches from non-toxic trees such as apple, elm, or maple make natural and attractive perches. Finches, in particular, will appreciate the privacy that the leaves offer.
Wood, plastic and hemp perches can also be purchased. Monitor hemp or rope perches carefully, as the fibres can become tangled around the bird’s toes. Avoid perches made of synthetic fibres or covered in sandpaper, which can cause irritation to the feet. Concrete perches can help keep the nails and beak properly worn down, but provide some non-concrete perches as well.
Food and water dishes should be made from easy-to-clean, non-toxic materials. Be sure not to place them on the bottom of the cage, which is the bird’s toilet, or directly under a perch. Each bird should have a separate food container, ensuring that those on the bottom of the pecking order have a chance to eat.
Songbirds love to play and explore. Ladders, ropes, swings and mirrors can all provide necessary entertainment. Check all toys for potential dangers. Mirrors must have a covered back to avoid exposing your bird to potentially toxic reflective backing. If your bird bores easily, rotate the toys regularly. You can also provide your bird with a cuttlebone or lava rock to help keep the beak and nails properly worn down.
To keep your songbirds’ habitat clean, change the cage papers daily. Food and water dishes will also need daily disinfecting. Clean and disinfect the cage at least once a week. Toys and perches will need occasional disinfecting as well. Replace wooden perches periodically as they cannot be properly disinfected.
Remember to rinse all items thoroughly after disinfecting.
Canaries and finches will rarely take to formulated bird feed, available as pellets, crumbles or mash. Instead, provide a finch seed mix, with oyster shell (for grit and calcium) and fresh greens available
every day. Most fresh fruits and vegetables are suitable, but avoid avocado, which is potentially toxic. Your veterinarian can help determine whether or not vitamin supplements are required. Fresh water must be available at all times.
Your songbirds will require regular, routine veterinary check-ups, just like a cat or dog. During your annual visits, your veterinarian can perform any necessary grooming and a physical examination.
Songbirds try to hide signs of illness, so by the time you notice something is wrong, the illness is usually well advanced. The following signs mean your pet needs urgent veterinary care:
Because it is difficult to find enough appropriate homes for these birds, breeding pet songbirds is strongly discouraged. Determine the sex of each bird. Do not keep males together in the same cage, as they will fight.
Friendly and affectionate, small parrots can provide endless hours of pleasure and companionship. Most small parrots require training to learn to talk, but even without words, they can charm you. Budgies and lovebirds will generally live between six and twelve years. Cockatiels have a longer life span, averaging ten to fourteen years.
Before adopting a small parrot, consider the following:
Essential items:
Optional items:
Your small parrot will need plenty of opportunity to fly, but should never be allowed out of the cage unsupervised. A typical house offers many dangers to a bird. Provide your bird with an appropriately sized cage and supervised in-house flight, not free reign of your house.
Offer your small parrot a bath at least twice a week. Fill a shallow dish with six centimetres of room-temperature water and place it in the cage. Once your bird has finished bathing, remove the water. Cockatiels and larger budgies may prefer being misted. Nails and wings will need to be routinely trimmed. Occasional beak filing may be required and should be performed only by a qualified veterinarian. Consult your veterinarian about your bird’s grooming needs.
Unless you live in a cool climate, you likely won’t need to cover your bird’s cage at night. Some birds appreciate the extra privacy and others feel panicked. Take your cue from your bird’s behaviour.
With training, cockatiels like to be held and scratched. Hold a treat between two fingers, and coax your cockatiel onto your hand. If your cockatiel nips, say “no” and repeat. Budgies don’t like to be held or cuddled, but will learn to perch on your finger or stay on your shoulder. Lovebirds, if acquired as hand-fed babies and regularly handled, love to burrow in your hair or pockets. If your bird is unwilling to hop onto your finger or hand, and you need to pick your pet up, place one hand over the bird’s back, with the head resting between your first and second finger. Use your thumb and remaining fingers to gently restrain the wings.
Place your bird’s cage in a draft-free area, out of direct sunlight. Don’t place the cage under or near an air conditioning unit or vent, or in the kitchen. Select as large a cage as possible. The minimum suggested size is 30 cm x 30 cm x 60 cm for a budgie and 60 cm x 60 cm x 90 cm for lovebirds and cockatiels. The bars need to be close enough together to prevent the bird from getting his head stuck — a little over 1 cm for a budgie and 1.5–2.0 cm for cockatiels and lovebirds. Horizontal bars are best, as small parrots love to climb.
A metal cage is preferable to wood or wicker. Line the bottom of the cage with newspaper or paper towels. Provide your small parrots with plenty of perches of varying diameters. Pesticide-free branches from nontoxic trees such as apple, elm or maple make natural and attractive perches. Wood, plastic and hemp perches can also be purchased. Monitor hemp or rope perches carefully, as the fibres can become tangled around the bird’s toes.
Avoid perches made of synthetic fibres, which can cause irritation to the feet. Concrete perches can help keep the nails and beak properly worn down, but provide some nonconcrete perches as well.
Food and water dishes should be made from easy-to-clean, non-toxic materials. Do not place them on the cage bottom, which is the bird’s toilet, or directly under a perch. Each bird should have a separate food container so that those on the bottom of the pecking order have a chance to eat.
Small parrots love to play and explore. Ladders, ropes, swings and mirrors can all provide entertainment. Check all toys for potential dangers. Mirrors must have a covered back to avoid exposure to potentially toxic reflective backing. Rotate toys regularly. Provide your bird with a cuttlebone or lava rock to help keep the beak and nails properly worn down.
Change cage papers and disinfect food and water dishes daily. Clean and disinfect the cage at least once a week. Toys and perches will need occasional disinfecting as well. Replace wooden perches periodically as they cannot be properly disinfected. Rinse all items thoroughly after disinfecting.
Formulated bird feed, available as pellets, crumbles or mash, should provide the bulk of your bird’s diet, though budgies almost never eat formulated food. For budgies only, try a vitamin-enriched seed mix. The remainder of the diet should be made up of fresh fruits and vegetables (about 20–25%) and a small amount of seed. Most fresh fruits and vegetables are suitable, but avoid avocado, which is potentially toxic. Ask your veterinarian about vitamin supplements. Fresh water must be available at all times.
Keeping Your Small Parrot Healthy
Your small parrot will require regular, routine veterinary check-ups. During your annual visits, your veterinarian can perform any necessary grooming and a physical examination. Birds try to hide signs of illness, so by the time you notice something is wrong, the illness is usually well advanced. The following signs mean your pet needs urgent veterinary care:
Because it is difficult to find enough appropriate homes for these birds, breeding of small parrots is strongly discouraged. Determine the sex of each bird, and keep males and females separate.
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