Freeing Companion Birds (Parrots, etc.) From Their Cages

The Benefits of Outdoor Exposure

Bird owners may choose to bring their birds outdoors because of the health benefits from full-spectrum lighting. Full-spectrum lighting, including exposure to UV A/B rays, provides birds with vitamin D, which aids their physical and reproductive health. Birds with exposure to full-spectrum light also have better sleep patterns, psychological health, stronger bones and stronger immune systems. Outdoor exposure can also offer birds healthy levels of stimulation and socialization. Owners can remove their birds like finches, canaries and parrots from bird cages and bring them outdoors to enjoy warmer weather. This allows birds to participate in social activities with their owners in a variety of settings, and the pets won't feel abandoned when the weather tempts everyone outdoors

The Outdoor Dangers of Not Leaving Small And Large Breeds Like Cockatiel, Amazon Or Other Parrot Birds in Cages

But along with the benefits come great risks for owners to consider:

Predators
Although owners are advised to clip their birds’ wings, this will also put their birds at a greater risk of a predator attack.  Bird predators include hawks, owls and eagles.  Owners must also watch out for neighborhood cats.  Scratches or bites from predators can lead to deadly infections for companion birds.  If their wings are clipped or if they are caged, the pet birds are unable to flee, which is a natural defensive impulse.  An owner’s presence will not always deter predators, so vigilance outdoors is especially important.

Chemicals
The outdoor environment is less controlled than that inside of parrot bird cages.  Some hazards include rat poison, weed killer, DDT, gasoline, fertilizer and insecticides.  These chemicals can affect birds that walk through freshly-sprayed grass or preen their feathers after coming into contact with a substance.  Birds are also at risk of ingesting chemicals or eating insects that have ingested insecticides.

Loss/Escape
Taking pet birds outside will always increase the risk of escape or theft.  Any new stimuli can frighten birds enough to encourage them to flee.  The outdoors offers plenty of foreign stimuli that could potentially cause birds anxiety.  Additionally, even with clipped wings, birds may still have enough flight ability to stray from their owners.  Close bonds with owners cannot guarantee their return either.  Companion birds that spend most of their time in parrot bird cages do not develop the navigational skills of their wild counterparts, thus, after wandering, they may not be able to find their way back home even if they wanted to.

Guidelines for Safe Outdoor Exposure

Owners trying to strike a balance between the safety of parrot bird cages, canary bird cages, finch bird cages, etc. and the health benefits of taking their birds outdoors can follow a few guidelines for safe outdoor exposure:

• Clip wings to minimize flight risk.
• Allow the birds time outside of their parrot bird cages while still indoors in order to assess how birds will handle the extra freedom in a “practice” setting.
• Only allow birds to be outside if the temperature is 68 degrees or warmer, and avoid long hours of sun exposure, which can lead to overheating.
• Gradually increase the time spent outdoors and the distance away from the house.
• Consider only taking birds out that are in parrot bird cages or in bird harnesses.  Not all birds will accept harnesses, so travel cages or carriers may be a good alternative.
• Make sure all parrot bird cages are locked securely.

The most important practice for owners to remember when allowing time outside of their cages for parrots and other  birds is to watch the birds closely.  Although there are plenty of dangers outside, many of them can be avoided with careful attention.  Birds that have been tamed lose their instincts to survive in the wild.  Pet owners have an obligation to provide the basic resources of food, comfort and shelter for animals they have tamed.  Bird-cage.com offers different travel carriers and portable cages that allow birds to enjoy time outside with their owners while still keeping them safe.