by Trick or 'Tiel » Fri May 05, 2017 2:10 pm
I really don't want to start an argument here, but small birds should be able to come out too, for at least two hours every day. My tiel will chirp A LOT if he doesn't get enough time outside his cage. He doesn't actually like being in his cage, even though it is very large (20 by 30 by 40 inches) and has tons of toys and perches, and of course gloop and greens and pellets. But he still LOVES to come out, even though his cage has everything he could ever need and would go crazy if he had to stay in the cage all the time. Every time I let him out, he flies around and around the room to stretch those wings after being cooped up for a while. No parrot should waste its life away in a cage without ever coming out. Of course, if they live in an aviary, they don't need to come out, but if they live in a cage, they do. I know you may be thinking that if the cage is large enough, they won't need it, but birds can never really truly fly in a cage, even a flight one. They might be able to fly from perch to perch, but never fly laps around the room out of pure joy. My budgie and tiel love to fly laps together around our bird room, if one bird takes off the other follows. And they love human interaction, even if they have a mate or a flock. If a bird bows his head down, that means they want scritches. They simply can't get enough exercise, social interaction, and mental stimulation just sitting around in a cage. And I also think that tiels are a little more work than budgies. My budgie will be okay if she's in her cage for a while and she actually likes her cage, but not my tiel. The only time he chooses to go back in his cage is when he's hungry or thirsty, but even then he just gets a sip of water or a bite of pellets, then I find him landing on my head.