The Most Important Thing to Do Before Getting a Bird

Bringing home a bird is exciting. It is easy to fall in love with a beautiful color, a playful personality or a sweet chirp and immediately start imagining your life together.

However, the most important thing to do before getting a bird is not choosing a name or buying treats.

The most important step is learning what your bird needs and preparing for those needs before bringing them home.

Birds may be small, but their care is not simple. They need a safe home, suitable nutrition, daily attention, exercise, enrichment and access to proper veterinary care. Preparing in advance will make your bird’s first days safer, calmer and less stressful for both of you.

Why Preparation Is So Important

Your bird cannot tell you that its cage is in an unsafe location, its diet is incomplete or it does not have enough enrichment.

Birds may also hide signs of illness, so owners need to understand their normal behavior and recognize when something changes.

Preparing before your bird arrives can help you avoid common mistakes such as:

• Buying a cage that is too small

• Choosing unsafe or unsuitable perches

• Feeding an unbalanced seed-only diet

• Placing the cage near dangerous fumes

• Having no bird-experienced veterinarian available

• Underestimating the daily cleaning and attention a bird requires

• Expecting a new bird to become tame immediately

• Failing to provide enough exercise and mental stimulation

Preparation does not mean that everything must be perfect. It means making informed decisions and creating the safest possible beginning for your new feathered friend.

1. Make Sure a Bird Fits Your Lifestyle

Before choosing a bird, take an honest look at your daily routine.

Different bird species have different personalities and care requirements, but every companion bird needs consistent daily care.

Ask yourself:

• Can I provide fresh food and clean water every day?

• Can I clean the cage and surrounding area regularly?

• Can I provide safe exercise, training and playtime?

• Am I comfortable with noise, feathers, food debris and droppings?

• Can I afford quality food, housing, toys and veterinary care?

• Does everyone in my home understand bird-safety rules?

• Who will care for my bird when I travel?

• Am I ready for a long-term commitment?

Choose a bird based on its temperament, needs and compatibility with your lifestyle—not its appearance alone.

A successful relationship starts with realistic expectations.

2. Find an Avian Veterinarian Before You Need One

Do not wait for an emergency before searching for a veterinarian who treats birds.

Birds have different medical needs from dogs and cats, and not every veterinary clinic has experience treating them. Find a qualified avian or bird-experienced veterinarian before your bird comes home.

Ask the clinic:

• Do you regularly examine and treat birds?

• Do you provide new-bird wellness examinations?

• How do you handle emergencies outside normal business hours?

• Is there an emergency clinic nearby that accepts birds?

• What do you recommend before introducing a new bird to birds already in the home?

The Association of Avian Veterinarians provides a directory that can help owners locate avian veterinarians.

A veterinarian can also help you make informed decisions about nutrition, housing, preventive care and species-specific needs.

3. Prepare the Cage Before Your Bird Arrives

Your bird should arrive to a safe, completely prepared home.

Choose the largest suitable cage you can reasonably accommodate. It should have safe bar spacing for your bird’s species and enough uncluttered room for the bird to move and fully extend its wings.

Prepare the cage with:

• Several secure, bird-safe perches

• Natural perches with different shapes and diameters

• Clean food and water containers

• Bird-safe toys for chewing and shredding

• Foraging and climbing opportunities

• An easy-to-clean cage liner

• Enough open space for movement

Avoid filling every part of the cage with toys. Your bird should be able to travel between the perches without having every route blocked.

Inspect toys and perches regularly. Remove anything damaged, unstable or capable of trapping your bird’s toes, beak or head.

Choose a Safe Cage Location

Place the cage in a room where your bird can be part of family life without being surrounded by constant noise and activity.

Avoid placing the cage:

• Inside or close to the kitchen

• Near smoke, sprays or strong fragrances

• Beside a heating or cooling vent

• In harsh direct sunlight

• In a strong draft

• Beside a constantly opening exterior door

• In an isolated room where the bird receives little attention

Placing one side of the cage near a wall can help a new bird feel more secure and less exposed.

Your bird also needs a predictable and quiet nighttime routine that allows for sufficient rest.

4. Bird-Proof Your Home

Bird-proofing should be completed before your bird’s first out-of-cage flight.

Walk through the room and look for hazards from a small bird’s perspective.

Important hazards include:

• Open windows and doors

• Moving ceiling fans

• Uncovered mirrors and large windows

• Hot cookware and open flames

• Open toilets, sinks and other containers of water

• Electrical cords

• Toxic plants

• Small objects that could be swallowed

• Dogs, cats and other animals

• Smoke, aerosols and strongly scented products

Non-stick cookware and certain heated non-stick appliances can release fumes that are extremely dangerous to birds. Establish clear household rules before your bird arrives so everyone understands which products and activities need to be avoided around the bird.

Never assume that another pet is safe with your bird because it appears calm. Contact between birds and predatory animals should always be prevented.

5. Learn What Your Bird Should Eat

Do not assume that a bowl filled with seeds provides everything your bird needs.

Nutritional requirements can vary by species and individual bird. Speak with an avian veterinarian about an appropriate diet that may include formulated food, vegetables and other suitable fresh foods.

Before bringing your bird home:

• Ask what food the bird currently eats

• Purchase a supply of that familiar food

• Learn which vegetables and fresh foods are safe

• Learn which foods must be avoided

• Prepare clean food and water containers

• Plan any diet changes with an avian veterinarian

Avoid changing a new bird’s diet suddenly. Moving into a new home is already stressful, so major dietary changes should normally be gradual and carefully monitored.

Fresh water should always be available, and food and water containers should be washed regularly.

Pay attention to what your bird actually eats—not only what you place inside the cage.

6. Prepare for Exercise, Attention and Enrichment

Birds are intelligent and active animals.

A cage containing only food, water and one perch does not provide enough physical activity or mental stimulation.

Your bird’s routine should include opportunities to:

• Fly and exercise in a safe area

• Forage for food

• Shred bird-safe materials

• Chew safe, natural wood

• Climb on branches, ladders or suitable ropes

• Explore different textures

• Participate in simple training activities

• Interact socially

• Play with a rotating selection of toys

Rotating toys helps keep the environment interesting without overcrowding the cage.

If you are getting a budgie, remember that budgies are highly social. Your budgie will need regular companionship, attention and stimulation.

However, bonding cannot be rushed. Trust develops through calm, patient and consistent interactions. Never force a frightened bird to be touched or handled.

7. Prepare for the First Few Days

Moving into a new home can feel overwhelming to a small bird.

Keep the first few days calm and predictable. Avoid surrounding your bird with visitors or immediately trying to hold it.

Have these essentials ready:

• A secure travel carrier

• A completely assembled cage

• Familiar food

• Fresh water

• A quiet and safe cage location

• Appropriate perches and enrichment

• Contact information for an avian veterinarian

• A simple schedule for feeding, cleaning and sleep

Allow your bird to observe its new environment. Move slowly, speak gently and give the bird time to become comfortable.

Monitor your bird’s appetite, droppings, breathing, posture and activity. If something appears unusual or you are worried about your bird’s health, contact an avian veterinarian promptly.

Your Before-Getting-a-Bird Checklist

Complete this checklist before welcoming your new bird:

• I have researched the species and its daily care requirements.

• Everyone in my household understands the commitment.

• My household knows the important bird-safety rules.

• I have located a bird-experienced veterinarian.

• I know where to seek help during an emergency.

• The cage is large, secure and fully assembled.

• The cage is positioned in a safe location.

• I have suitable natural perches.

• I have clean food and water containers.

• I have safe toys and enrichment activities.

• I know what food the bird currently eats.

• I have learned about safe and unsafe foods.

• The bird’s flight and play area has been bird-proofed.

• I have budgeted for food, toys and veterinary care.

• I own a secure travel carrier.

• I understand that bonding and taming require patience.

Make Preparation Easier With the Budgie Tips Guide Book

Preparing for a budgie can initially feel overwhelming. There is a lot to learn about nutrition, housing, health, behavior, training and enrichment.

That is why we created the Budgie Tips Guide Book 2024 Edition.

This beginner-friendly guide brings essential budgie-care information together in one convenient resource, helping you prepare before your budgie arrives and make more confident decisions throughout your journey.

Inside the guide, you will find practical information about:

• Budgie nutrition and foods to avoid

• Taming and training techniques

• Health and first-aid essentials

• Cage setup and enrichment

• Budgie behavior and communication

The digital edition is available as an instant download, allowing you to begin learning immediately and return to the guide whenever you need help.

Get the Budgie Tips Guide Book from BudgieUniverse

The Budgie Tips Guide Book is an educational resource and does not replace individualized veterinary advice or emergency care.

Final Thoughts

The greatest gift you can give your new bird is not the most expensive cage or the fanciest accessory.

It is becoming a prepared and informed owner.

Research your chosen species, create a safe environment, find an avian veterinarian, learn the basics of nutrition and make time for exercise and enrichment.

When everything is prepared before your bird arrives, you can spend less time worrying and more time building trust with your new companion.

Thinking about welcoming a budgie into your family?

Order the Budgie Tips Guide Book today and begin your budgie journey with the knowledge and confidence you need.