How To Care For a Hookbill Bird

Ingredients

• A hook-billed bird in search of a great owner
• A birdcage
• Bird bowls or dishes
• Bird toys
• A variety of bird perches
• At least one bird swing
• A spray bottle for water
• A “play gym” for the top of your bird’s cage (optional)

Steps

1. Before bringing your bird home, do your hookbill homework! What are you looking for in a bird? Consult bird books and magazines at your library, bookstore, and pet store. Look online for hookbill websites, too. (34 sec. )
2. Although hookbills are generally considered “talking birds,” not all hookbill species can talk. (49 sec. )
3. Different breeds have different needs. Research them carefully—you may be in for more than you expected! (54 sec. )
4. Some of the larger hookbills, such as parrots and macaws, can live for decades. Be prepared to write Polly into your will if necessary. (61 sec. )
5. Make sure your hookbill’s cage is the biggest you can afford. For some parrots, a walk-in cage is best. (69 sec. )
6. Most hookbills should spend part of every day outside their cages—with clipped wings, of course. A “play gym” on top of the cage makes a great playground for your bird buddy. (79 sec. )
7. Different hookbills need different cage accessories. A swing will be fun for a parakeet; a rope perch will make a nice change for a parrot. A pet store or website can direct you to perches and toys for your particular bird. (89 sec. )
8. Feed your bird the correct diet—again, after doing your homework. Some hookbills, like lories, need fruit. Cockatiels eat a lot of seeds but also need fresh veggies. And many parrots can be offered small amounts of almost any healthy “people foods.” (103 sec. )
9. Steer clear of junk food for any bird. “Bird treats” are mostly empty calories, and just because a hookbill can eat “people food” doesn’t mean it should. (117 sec. )
10. Your feathered friend will need fresh water daily—both for drinking and bathing. Rinse and refill food and water bowls every day, and mist her with lukewarm water from a plant mister. (127 sec. )
11. Make sure your bird mister has never held anything but water. (139 sec. )
12. Give your hookbill the vitamin-mineral supplement that’s best for her. Most hookbills prefer having supplements added to their food, not their water. (143 sec. )
13. Change the lining of your hookbill’s cage every day if possible, and give the whole cage a thorough cleaning once a week. Better cage hygiene equals better health for your bird. (153 sec. )
14. Hookbills thrive on company! Spend as much time with your bird as you can. Take her out of the cage and handle her as much as possible—but at least once a day. Talk to her a lot, even if she says nothing back. (164 sec. )
15. With these basics under your belt, your home will be a hookbill haven. Your bird will be lucky to have you—and vice versa! (178 sec. )
16. Alex, a famous African grey parrot, could hold real conversations, label colors, and count up to six objects. (185 sec. )