Best Pets for Seniors - Part 5 - Best Birds for Seniors

By Anna Hazard

View the Rest of the Series

Part 1 - Benefits & Drawbacks
Part 2 - Tips, Alternatives, & Helpful Programs
Part 3 - Best Dogs for Seniors
Part 4 - Best Cats for Seniors
Part 5 - Best Birds for Seniors
Part 6 - Best Rodents for Seniors
Part 7 - Aquariums & Aquarium Plants
Part 8 - Best Aquarium Fish for Seniors

Introduction

Benefits of Birds

• Birds are a good option for those seniors who tend to stay at home and don't have the mobility or resources required for owning a dog or cat. They require minimal clean-up and maintenance and are a good source of relaxing background noise.
• Birds are an option for those potential pet owners who are allergic to the fur or dander produced by dogs, cats, or rodents.
• Birds with smaller cage requirements can often be kept in living arrangements such as small apartments, condos, assisted living, or nursing homes that don't allow cats & dogs.
• Smaller birds cost less to initially acquire compared to cats & dogs and have less on-going maintenance costs as well.
• Birds require less maintenance & attention as compared to cats & dogs. Less mobility is required on the part of their owner or caregiver regarding the cleaning of their cages (as compared to the need to walk a dog or stoop to clean up a litter bin)
• The singing, twittering, and talking of birds is considered by most as therapeutic background noise that can be both calming and stimulating to the mind

Drawbacks of Birds

• While less expensive than cats & dogs, there are still cheaper options for living pets such as fish or rodents (gerbils, hamsters, mice)
• A basic level of mobility & hand dexterity on the part of the owner or caregiver is still required when it comes to maintaining a birdcage (such as during cleaning & feeding)
• Due to the sounds they produce, birds may not be appropriate for group settings where extraneous noise is a problem
• Bird still require grooming in the form of nail clipping. Pedicure & sand perches can be installed in the cages to help wear down both nails & beaks. Beaks may also be overgrown and require clipping if the provided cuttle bones, wooden toys, and hard food items don't wear them down enough. Birds that are allowed to leave their cages should also have their wings clipped monthly to prevent them from flying to a dangerous height (such as into ceiling fans etc)

Tips & Advice

Things to Keep in Mind

• Besides requiring more attention & greater resources (such as larger cages & more supplies), larger birds tend to have much longer life spans (counted in decades versus years) compared to their smaller counterparts which would require planning ahead by many years on the part of senior owners.
• Larger birds also tend to be louder and often have cries that can be described as shrieks or screams.

• Birds that are allowed to fly free of their cages for play & exercise require a higher level of maintenance to keep their wings clipped, clean up any potential bird droppings in the home, to re-catch the birds when it's time to return them to their cage, and to make certain that any potential escape routes or trouble areas are closed off ahead of time.
• While smaller birds that do not require (or should not have) excess handling need the least amount of maintenance, they also don't provide the tactile stimulation of being able to pet, stroke, or otherwise snuggle with a more hands-on pet.
• Birds require a roomy wired cage  (medium sized for the recommended bird species referenced here) that should have a removable bottom plate or tray to allow for easy excess & cleaning.
• The cage will require perches that should be placed away from the bird's eating, drinking, & bathing areas to avoid contamination from their droppings.
• The bird cage will also require a cover for use during the night or whenever the birds need to be kept quiet.

Best Birds for Seniors

Canaries

• Size: 4 - 8"
• Lifespan: 10 - 15 years
• Initial Cost : $40 - $150
• Color: Yellow, White, Green, Blue, Cinnamon, Fawn
• Cage Requirements: 30"L x 16" H for a single bird
• Often considered calming with their softer songs, these birds are the quietest amongst the ones recommended for seniors. The males are more known for their singing & vocalization compared to females.
• Canaries are small & active, sociable & friendly, and have minimal care requirements. They don't require excessive attention, can remain in their cages permanently without being allowed to fly around the house, and can be kept in singles or pairs. While canaries enjoy being around people, no physical handling of them is required.

Zebra Finches

• Size: 3.9 - 4.3"
• Lifespan: 2 - 5 years
• Initial Cost: $10 - $40
• Color: Gray, Fawn, White, Beige, Cream, Charcoal
• Cage Requirements: 24"L x 18"W x 18"H for a pair
• These birds have quiet vocalizations and are often described as relaxing to watch tflit around their cages. They should not be allowed outside of their cages and should be handled minimally.
• Zebra finches are very small & active-- flashy & fast moving in action. They are very sociable and thus require to kept in flocks of at least 2 - 4 birds. While minimal attention is required for them, they do enjoy the presence and maintaining visual contact with people.

Parakeets (Budgies)

• Size: 6 - 8"
• Lifespan: 5 - 15 years
• Initial Cost:  $10 - $400
• Color: Multi-colored
• Cage Requirements: 20" L x 18" W x 18" H for a single bird
• The parakeet is the most popular & easiest to find of the smaller birds. It's a colorful and inexpensive parrot species that talks in tiny voices and can be taught words and basic commands for tricks. While they are vocal, they do not screech or scream like larger parrots and require less room their all other parrot species.
• These birds are active & intelligent as well as being very sociable, friendly, and affectionate to humans. They generally enjoy being petted, stroked, or otherwise held & handled. Parakeets require more attention, interaction, and playtime (upto 1 hour a day) as compared to the other recommended birds for seniors. This includes require time spent outside of their cages, so owners or designated caretakers must have basic mobility to keep track of them within the house.