Hide Saved searches. Jacque Lynn Schultz, C. Photo Credit: Thinkstock. Share this Article Print. More in Bird Adoption. Choosing a Feathered Friend Get tips about adopting the right companion bird before you adopt.
Finding pets for you…. However, radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis is much more difficult to discern. Chronic renal and liver disease occurs as our parrot friends age. Gout occurs more often in older birds. When the kidneys begin to fail, uric acid can accumulate within joints or on the surfaces of organs.
Endocrine diseases tend to be more common as birds age, with gonadal degeneration often reported. Atherosclerosis and increased pulmonary hypertension have also been documented.
The most common species affected include blue-fronted Amazon parrots The average age when atherosclerosis occurs is 12 years, with plaques primarily in the brachiocephalic trunk, along with the pectoral and carotid arteries. Interestingly, fatty changes are rare in the coronary arteries.
These devastating changes are associated with high-fat diets and lack of exercise. So how then can we provide quality care to our parrots as they age?
The first step is taking your senior bird in for a yearly exam by your avian veterinarian. The physical exam of the senior bird should include looking at the eyes for cataracts, determining the quality of feathering and, if there are skin changes, looking for lumps and bumps; palpating joints and determining if there is a change in mobility; if there is pain, auscultating the heart and lungs and taking a blood pressure and general palpation of the body.
Additional diagnostic tests may be indicated in the individual patient. How then can we support our senior feathered friends? Providing a good diet is the first step, one that offers balanced omega fatty acids to help with the quenching of oxidation from the free radicals.
Foods should provide slightly increased levels of vitamin E and C, as these are used up at a higher rate as animals age. Vitamin A and beta-carotenes are also important in maintaining the membranes of the body — from the respiratory tree to the intestinal tract and the tubules of the kidneys.
Some individuals have lived up to 9 years old, making this species' life span well below 20 years. The health of the female can be determined by how often she lays eggs and whether or not she's received adequate nutrition to keep up with this. Most people might not think of getting a quail as a pet, but with the right care, they are perfect for someone seeking a bird to keep them company for a few years.
The zebra finch is a popular pet bird that has been kept in captivity for more than years. They can live around 5 years in the wild and 5—9 years on average in captivity. One individual lived to Gouldian Finches are another colorful, popular pet bird that live 8 years on average, although some individuals have reached Finches are great birds for people who prefer a pet's life span to be under 15 years, although they are better for viewing than interacting.
Their ease of care and short life spans make them a good 'starter' bird for first-time bird owners and responsible children. How long these small birds live is strongly dependent on the quality of their care. Their stated life spans vary from 5 to even 20 years. You will probably see year-old budgies as often as you see humans older than , so a better estimate for a very well-cared-for budgie is 8—10 years.
Domesticated guineafowl originate from Africa and can be kept in a similar fashion to chickens. They are related to other game birds such as pheasants, turkeys, and partridges. They can live up to 15 years. Unlike finches, these small, commonly kept soft-bills live 5—10 years on average, but some can live up to 15 or even With extravagant care, a canary can be around for as long as a dog, so take this into account. Male canaries tend to live longer than females due to the egg production being taxing on their bodies.
These small parrots are unfortunately accident-prone. As tiny, interactive birds that enjoy human company, they can accidentally be stepped on, have things fall on them, or be crushed in other tragic ways when they are allowed to play outside of their cage. Extreme caution needs to be taken when parrotlets are let out. These tiny birds are said to have a life span of 12—20; however, some owners have reported higher, possibly up to So despite their size, they are a longer-lived bird, and they will demand your attention.
As their name implies, love birds prefer to have another bird to partner with, but if they are kept alone, a human should be an available surrogate friend for them. Love birds live on average 10 years, but they can live up to Some owners, if they are correct, have reported even higher life spans, up to Pigeons have short life spans of around 5 years in the wild, but in captivity, they are said to live about 15 years. One individual was recorded at 33 years. Since most of the birds that generally live under 20 years are smaller and very few are companion birds, here is a list of pet birds that may live over Generally, though, the average life span for well-cared-for animals is around 20— Ringneck doves are popular domesticated birds with distinctive vocalizations.
They are very tame and do well as community birds. It can cause mental illness, as well as resulting in feelings of loneliness and desolation, with general opinion being that it does not make them any tamer.
The best remedy for loneliness is always to bring a second bird into the home. After slowly and cautiously adapting to the presence of another bird, even long-time singletons will flourish! The second bird should always be of the same species as the first — budgies with budgies and parrots with parrots.
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