Freedom from fear and distress

• House them in the right location, away from stress
• Slowly get them used to the daily routine of feeding and cleaning
• Provide them with a friend that they get along with
• Train them to think that being handled is fun, by providing things your bird loves every time you interact.
• Keep reading for more information about how to help your new bird feel safe!

Birds are prey animals, which means they’re always on the lookout for things that may harm them.

It’s important to help your new bird feel safe by housing them in an area away from loud noises and other companion animals (pets). Birds feel safest when they are able to get up high or can take cover under shelter.

Find out more about the ideal environment for your bird under our Freedom from discomfort section.

To help your birds settle in, it's really important to:

Every time you enter your bird's enclosure, do so slowly and quietly. Birds feel safer when you make slow, predictable movements. It is best to place the food and water close to the door, so it is easy to change it every morning with the least amount of disturbance.

New birds can be stressed easily by the presence of other pets, lots of people or noisy appliances (e.g. vacuum cleaners and lawn mowers), so avoid overwhelming your bird with those things when they are settling in. Over time, your bird may get used to these things, but it is important to keep your new bird’s environment calm and quiet for the time being

Absolutely! It's one of the best things you can do to make your bird’s life a happy and fulfilled one. Birds in the wild live in large flocks, so it makes sense that they should live with other bird friends!

Once you have witnessed pet birds interacting together, it's unlikely you would ever want to keep a bird on their own.

While tame birds can enjoy human company, it does not replace the fact another bird of the same species will be the best companion for them. Many people believe that if they get a second bird then they may lose the bond with their bird.

This is simply not true - just like any relationship, the more positive interactions your bird has with you, the stronger your bond with being. Tame birds need daily interaction with their guardians (owners).

It's best to pair birds of the same species, as they understand each other's behaviour best.

They can talk the same language, understand each other's body signals and play, preen each other, relax, eat together and look out for each other.

Having birds of the same gender will prevent unwanted breeding. If you have birds of different genders, it's best to speak to your vet about how to prevent any breeding behaviours that may lead to eggs.

After your new birds have completed their quarantine period and been cleared of any illness, it's time to start the introductions. The most important thing is to introduce new birds gradually, first by housing them near each other in separate enclosures, and gradually bringing the enclosures closer over a few days.

By monitoring their interactions over a week or so, you will get an idea of how they may interact when they finally meet. If your birds are spending a lot of time sitting near each other or seem calm around each other, this is a good sign that they want to become friends. When you are confident that it is the right time to introduce them.

Move your new bird(s) into your aviary and allow them to slowly come out of their enclosure/carrier on their own. Never force a bird out of the carrier, as this may stress them. Remember that you need a larger enclosure for multiple birds, that allows them to get away from each other if they want.

In the wild, birds have the freedom to interact with birds they get along with and get away from those they don’t. Unfortunately, pet birds living in an aviary don’t always have the ability to get away. Imagine if you were put in a room with someone you didn’t like and you weren’t allowed out for your entire life - it wouldn’t be much fun!

There could be a number of reasons why your birds are fighting...

1) Are you giving your birds the right amount of food? Are there multiple food dishes for your birds to eat? Birds sometimes fight over food. Try increasing the amount of food you provide and offer it in a few separate dishes around your bird's enclosure.

2) Are your birds bored? Do they have toys to play with, that are rotated daily? Do they need more flying time outside of their indoor enclosure? Boredom can lead to aggression, for healthy birds, keep your birds' bodies and minds busy by providing toys or enrichment. 

3) Is one bird chasing another bird repeatedly? Try and figure out who is doing the chasing. Is it around food, a certain object or in a particular area? Birds can be protective of their food or toys, just like we are with our siblings. If you can figure out what the cause is, you may be able to solve the problem easily. Creating visual barriers (for example putting a nice leafy branch in between perches may also help prevent aggression from escalating (be sure to check our bird safe browse list to make sure it's not toxic). Birds can become aggressive, particularly during breeding season. You may need to house your birds in a larger enclosure or separate them if their aggression continues.

Birds do have the potential to harm each other, so it is best to contact an avian behaviourist or your vet if you are unsure as to why your birds are fighting.

If your birds absolutely must be separated, it’s even more important to provide your birds with interesting toys or things to do each day.

Birds in the wild are always on the go, foraging for food, finding mates or even avoiding predators. Pet birds are lucky in that they always have food available and a safe place to sleep, but this can make their life a little boring.

A bored bird can quickly turn into a distressed bird. Deprived of things that are natural to them, such as companionship, flying and exploring, many birds left alone in cages can become depressed or neurotic.

Boredom, fear, frustration and anxiety can lead to a number of behavioural problems. These can include:

• Feather mutilation (plucking)
• Aggression (biting)
• Screeching
• Head weaving
• Or other stress induced behaviours.

Birds may be aggressive and bite for a number of reasons:

• Fear can develop when birds are cornered and have nowhere to escape, as a result a bird may lash out.
• Birds may attack when they are in pain.
• Territorial aggression can occur around objects or places in the aviary or inside the home.
• Birds that are strongly bonded to their guardians (owners) can also develop mate aggression.

If your bird is exhibiting any behavioural problems, your vet will need to perform a health check and disease testing to rule out any underlying medical problem. If medical causes are ruled out, you will then need to seek expert advice from an animal behaviourist.

Some types of birds are easier to train than others. Hand raised parrots and parakeets (e.g. Budgies and Cockatiels) are easily trainable, provided you have the time and patience to spend with them. Adult birds can be extremely difficult to tame, even by experts. Gaining a bird's trust takes time. We recommend interacting with your birds daily in a positive way, so they learn to see you as a friend and companion.

• Go slowly, speak quietly and allow your bird to approach you.
• Don’t expect your bird to become your best friend overnight - gaining their trust takes time.
• Chasing a bird around and stressing them out may cause them to lose trust in you.
• Find out what your birds favourite foods are. The best way to gain your bird's trust is through their stomach. When you give your bird their food, what do they pick out first? Parakeets like Budgies and Cockatiels generally love sunflower seeds or small pieces of peanut.

If you are worried about being nipped by your pet bird’s beak, here are a few hints to avoid your bird mistaking your finger for a tasty treat.

• It’s best to wear a long sleeved-shirt or jumper when encouraging your bird to hop on your arm.
• Avoid feeding your bird from your fingers. A good way to offer your bird a treat is to place the treat in a coloured milk bottle lid instead. This way the bird will learn that the yummy things come from the bottle lid, not your fingers.
• Never punish a bird if they accidentally bite you. A bird’s beak is like a human’s fingers - they use them to explore their environment. Your bird needs to learn that you are not a threat.

Placing treats in a brightly coloured milk bottle lid is a great way to train your bird to come to you, or go to a certain place (e.g. back in its enclosure)

• It’s a bright visual symbol, that your bird will associate getting his or her favourite foods from. Make sure you use the same colour and shape each time.
• It helps protect your fingers from being nibbled, as the treats are further away from your fingers.

Once you know your bird’s favourite foods, you can begin training him/her to “come” to you, “step up” or “fly down.” Birds feel safest up high and feel vulnerable when flying down to a lower perch. Getting a bird used to come to you (particularly from up high) is the most important thing you can train in a pet bird - it may save your birds life if they were to ever escape.

Teaching ‘come’ is easy if your bird is comfortable approaching you for a treat. Hold a treat out at a short distance, and reward your bird for coming to you. As it learns that coming to you means treats, you can start to practice from greater distances.

If your bird isn’t used to being around people, start with these steps:

• Spend time getting your bird used to eating near you as you feed him/her every morning. If your bird is reluctant to eat, they may feel uncomfortable that you are too close. Take a step back until they feel comfortable eating. Your bird will begin to learn that you are not a threat and you can move closer.
• Once your bird is comfortable eating near you, place a trail of treats between you and your bird, encouraging him/her to come closer to you.
• Soon you will be able to offer treats directly from your hand (or by holding the milk bottle lid).
• Once your bird will happily eat from your hand, you have established trust and can work on ‘come’ from short distances.

‘Fly down’ can be harder to teach, as birds feel vulnerable flying to a lower perch. The most important thing when training ‘fly down’ is to start from small distances (as little as 10cm) and reward lots with your bird’s favourite treats. As your bird begins to feel comfortable flying short distances, you can increase the distance between you and the bird.

• Place your hand (or a small perch if you are worried about your bird's beak) between your bird and yourself. Reward your bird with a treat every time they get closer to stepping up on your hand (or perch).
   
• Pressing your hand (or a perch) gently against your bird’s stomach usually encourages them to step up. If this scares your bird, take a step back and work on getting your bird more comfortable with eating from your hand. You will need to spend more time building their trust.
   
• Practicing this daily is the fastest way to teach ‘step up.’
   

There will be times when you may need to look at your bird more closely, such as for health checks. Birds are prey animals and can easily become stressed (or hurt) by being handled. Tame birds can be taught to “step up” on your hand, which is a great time to check them over for any health problems.

If you believe your bird may be ill and needs to go to the vet, here are some ways to safely put your pet in a carrier box.

1) The best way to get a bird into a carry box is to get them to walk in themselves. You can train this behaviour over a period of time by placing their favourite treats in the carry box.

• Birds can be scared to go into dark, narrow areas, so start by having the treats at the front of the carrier, close to the door.
• As your bird becomes comfortable walking up to the front of the carry box, you can move the treats further into the carry box.
• Keep in mind that you may need to do this lots and lots to get your bird comfortable with walking into the carrier themselves. It's good to practice this every day so that when your bird DOES need to go to the vet, they walk right in straight away.

2) If your bird is tame and understands the “step up” command, ask your bird to step up on your hand, and move your hand into the carry box.

3) If your bird is not tame and you need to catch your bird straight away, you may need to ask an adult to catch them using a bird net or small, lightweight towel to throw over the bird. Being chased around an aviary room is very stressful for any bird, so make sure to do this quickly and handle the bird gently. Never catch a bird mid-flight, as their wings can be easily damaged.