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Pet Bird Owners' Expenses----4 Costs Associated With Owning A Pet Bird

By Debbie Davis

Republish: EasyPublish™ Published: 14Nov2010 Word count: 539 Viewed: 219 time(s) Get Free Content For Your Site

If you are considering opening your home to a pet bird, you're probably pretty excited. And because many birds, particularly parrots, have the potential for such a long life span, it is important to calculate the costs that will accompany a bird. Knowing these costs up front will help you make a choice and a commitment that you can honor for as long as your bird lives. Here are 4 expenses to consider as you think about adoption.

Purchase Cost---These costs can vary greatly, so be sure to do your homework before you fall in love. The same type of bird can vary greatly depending on where it is purchased. Many times a bird will cost more coming from a breeder rather than a pet shop. But often, not always, the bird is in better condition and the history of the bird is well known and has been documented by the breeder. This knowledge is worth something because it helps you bring home a healthier bird.

Utility Costs---Left to ourselves we might keep the indoor temperature cooler in the winter because we can add more clothes and warmer in the summer because we remove layer of clothing. With a bird in the home, the temperature needs to stay comfortable all the time. And whereas without a bird you might open the windows when it feels good outside, exposing the bird to drafts is not good. You are the best one to determine whether having a bird will affect how you usually control temperature in your home, but if it does, this is an additional expense to be considered.

Medical Care---Wellness visits several times a year are the norm. Talk with several breeders and get contact information for avian vets in the area. Talk with them about costs in involved in normal care as well as ball-park costs involved in critical care.

Be sure to factor in the cost of critical care when your bird is exhibiting symptoms, or a change in behavior that is worrisome. To get answers to the unknown often requires tests that can be costly. And once a diagnosis has been made, treatment can also prove to be expensive. There is obviously no way to predict when or if this will happen. But having a rainy day fund and establishing a good relationship with a vet early can give the most options if and when you need them.

Living Expenses---A proper diet of fresh food, maintaining a safe and roomy cage, maintaining well-equipped play area outside the cage, purchase of toys that keep your bird stimulated and engaged are all ongoing expenses that will result when adopting a bird.

You will also need to clean more often than you would without a bird for both the bird's sake and yours. Because bird dander and dust can clog your feathered friend's small air passages, cleaning the air is a must.

These same airborne particles can aggravate people who already suffer from allergies and asthma, and cause sensitivity in those who have not previously had problems. A HEPA or high efficiency particle arresting vacuum and air purifier will minimize the bird dust and dander in the air and make a healthier environment for all who live in your home.

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