Birds are not good pets for young children. If you intend on getting a bird for a young child please reconsider. A young child may not be capable of handling a bird safely. Children who are too young are unable to understand the importance of gentle, respectful handling and that can end up with a tragedy pretty quickly. There should always be an adult around for supervision and guidance as well as to make sure that the bird's needs are met with fresh food, water and a clean cage, etc.

However, if you are having a baby and already have a pet bird, please refer to our General FAQs where this special circumstance is addressed. There are ways to make room for baby in a birdie household - and not give up the bird!

A wonderful article on this topic, written by By Dr. Jeanne Smith, DVM Avian Health is on the web at Children and Birds.

Cats and dogs

Never leave a dog or cat alone with your bird. Keep them in a separate room with a door shut. They can knock the cage over and terrify your bird, or worse, scratch or even kill the bird. If you suspect your bird has been bitten or scratched by a cat or a dog, you must rush him/her to your avian vet immediately. Dogs and cats carry bacteria in their mouths and claws that are harmful to birds. If a bird is scratched or bitten by a cat or dog and is not taken to an avian vet for prompt treatment your bird could be at risk for a deadly infection or may have internal injuries.

Human medications

Over the counter human medications, even those seemingly benign as aspirin, Tylenol or vitamins, can poison your bird. Commonly available bird products such as antibiotics, mite sprays or feather-picking "remedies" must also be avoided. Always check with your avian vet before giving any health product to your bird.

Second hand tobacco smoke

Second hand tobacco smoke is bad for everyone, including pets. Avian veterinarians say that tobacco smoke can cause chronic eye problems, skin irritation and respiratory disease, such as coughing, sneezing and sinusitis. When a bird stands on a hand of a smoker, nicotine from the smoker's fingers can be absorbed by the skin of the bird's feet, which can lead to contact dermatitis. Some veterinarians believe that tobacco smoke may be a contributing factor in feather plucking. Please do not smoke around your birds, or let others smoke around your birds. If you do smoke, wash your hands thoroughly before handling your birds.

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