FAQ: Getting Flying Friends

The question has long been debated: what's the best pet to have? Well, I can't speak for everyone, but I think one of the best kinds of pets to have are birds. I have two of them and am here to answer all of your questions about what taking care of them is like.

Enjoy!

Why did you choose birds?

I went a little bird-crazy when I was 10. I used to draw peacocks and tons of others from a drawing guide, and loved how beautiful and majestic they were. Plus, birds are really low-maintenance. They only make a mess in their cage, which itself is small. Their food, toys, and supplies aren't as expensive as other pets' items can be.

How did you get your birds?

We walked into the pet store one day and came back with... a fish.

Seriously.

The next day, we went back and brought a beautiful, light-blue bellied budgie (otherwise known as a parakeet). A few months later, my dad brought another one home as a surprise to keep it company.

Our first budgie passed away a few months ago, so we bought a yellow and gray budgie so my second budgie wouldn't feel alone. I'm in the process of hand-taming it (wish me luck!).

Also, we ended up loving the fish :).

What do you have to do to take care of them?

Once or twice a week, you should clean out their cage (which takes around 20 minutes max.). You should also spend some time with them (at least 15-20 minutes per day) just unwinding and having fun. Feed them and change their water out daily as well (5-6 minutes). I also like to play them some music when no one else is around. They seem to love classical music (looking at you, Mozart!).

So as you can see, it only takes around half an hour to take care of birds everyday!

But birds just sit there!

This is an actual complaint I've received, which is very not true! If you tame your birds, they can come out of their cage to play. Even if you don't, you'll notice that they have their own cute personalities and won't seem boring at all! If you keep an open mind, you'll both develop a great relationship.

Are they really that soft?

They're little fluff balls covered in feathers. So of course they're that soft!

I'm really bird crazy, and hope to infect you, too. If you're looking for a low-maintenance, cuddly friend to stay by your side, maybe birds are the right fit! If not, buy one for me and mail it. I'll take it!

Do you have any pets? Are you as crazy about them as I am? Tell me all about them!

My two birds. From left to right: Pringle (the baby) and Lola.