Choosing to have a bird as a pet can be very rewarding, however birds are not suitable pets for everyone. There are many types of birds to choose from as pets. It is important to choose a bird that is most suitable for your lifestyle. Hand raised birds are best as pets because they are more mild tempered and are used to being cared by humans. Birds are smart, active, playful and affectionate. It is best to place your bird in a busy area of your home so that you could ensure that your bird is not secluded. Your bird will not be happy if it is being ignored. Toys are a good idea to have for your bird. It will provide some entertainment for your bird at times when you are not able to spend time with it. Make sure the toys are safe for the bird to play with. You do not want to have small parts that can come apart and be swallowed by your bird. Rotate toys for your bird so that it is constantly being stimulated. You do not want your bird to be bored because it could than be destructive.

If you choose to let your bird loose to roam free in your house, make sure to put items away that will catch your birds attention. Items such as jewelry, glasses, or smaller objects that your bird could swallow. It is also important to make sure that you do not have any indoor plants that could be poisonous to your bird. Keep all windows and doors closed to make sure your bird does not sneak out of the house. Some birds are able to be trained. You can train your bird to sing, say phrases or words that you come up. You can also train your bird to do physical tricks. What your bird is able to do is very dependent on how much time you are willing to invest in it.

When you decide you want to have your bird perch on your hand, do not be afraid when your birds mouth is open. More than likely your bird is testing the perch before it decides to stand on it. Pet birds are usually housed in cages or aviaries. It is important to understand that birds are very intelligent animals and must be let out of their cage several times a day. This is especially true for larger birds such as parrots. The width of the cage or aviary is more important than it's height because your bird should be able to comfortably stretch it's wings. It is required that you provide clean water and food on a daily bases. Cleaning the cage thoroughly once a week is necessary also. For easier clean up you could lay out newspapers or paper bags at the bottom of the cage. You could also put kitty litter and just make sure to clean it out when need be. Also be aware that when you let your bird out, it will poop wherever, whenever. Once you put your bird back in the cage, make sure to search for poop stains in your house.