The right environment for your bird

A bird kept in an improper environment is like a fish out of water. As a responsible pet owner, it's your job to maintain a home for your bird that promotes her health and well-being. Did you know that many environmental stressors can easily by minimized, simply by relocating a bird's cage, for example, or installing an air purifier? Read on for our tips on keeping your home as avian-friendly as possible.

Choose the right location for your bird's cage

When it comes to cage size, all species of birds should have enough room to stretch and flap their wings and fly from perch to perch. The cage itself should be made of non-toxic materials (birds are big chewers!), with the bars spaced closely enough that the bird cannot escape or be injured.

Your bird's cage should be located in a warm part of the house, close to where the action is, but away from drafts and off the floor. Healthy birds will be fine at room temperature or slightly warmer, but keep in mind that sudden changes in temperature can chill your bird and be very stressful for her. Avoid placing the cage near a heating vent or air conditioner. She should have natural light, but take care she's not too close to the window or in direct sunlight – depending on the weather, she could get too cold or overheat.

Other household pets should not be allowed unsupervised access to the room where your bird is. And for a final tip on cage location, it's nice to give your bird some added security by placing the cage in a corner or near a wall.

Housekeeping 101

Regular cleaning of the cage and the area surrounding it will go a long way to maintaining a healthy environment. Every day you should change the cage liner. Plain paper, paper towels or paper bags cut to size all work great; newspaper is okay, too, as long as it's been printed with soy-based, nontoxic inks.

The entire cage should be cleaned twice a month or so. Droppings and other debris left to sit can cause bacteria to build up, which can make your pet ill. Vacuuming and sweeping up feathers, bird dust, seed husks and droppings that have accumulated on the floor outside the cage should be done daily, too.

Air quality is important

If there's one thing about birds we cannot stress enough, it is how sensitive they are to inhalant fumes. For example, the fumes from self-cleaning ovens and Teflon- or Silverstone-coated pans, if overheated, can be deadly to your pet. (P.S. That's why we do not recommend putting the cage in or near the kitchen.) It's also "good scents" to eliminate exposure to:

• Pine room sprays
• Potpourri
• Scented candles
• Spray-type room deodorizers
• Tobacco smoke
• Glues
• Paints
• Insecticidal fumigants
• Perfume
• Hair spray

If you are unsure of a particular substance, play it safe and put the bird in another room until the fumes have dissipated. For more information on common products that could cause problems for your bird, please see our topic on Household Dangers.

For complete protection, we suggest you invest in an air purifier for your bird room. We recommend a model with a HEPA filter that can remove odors, smoke, dust, pollen, bacteria, viruses and mold from the air.

You are the most important aspect of your bird's environment

And last but not least, one of the most important components of a healthy environment for your bird is – you! If your bird is a member of a species that is social with humans, she'll need mental stimulation and lots of attention from you, especially if her bond with you is strong. She'll need a daily exercise session and, if appropriate for her species, supervised time out of the cage. Creating the right environment may not be all fun and games, but fun and games are an important, often-overlooked part of it!