Survey
Results: Are
Bird Rooms A Good Idea?
Charlene
Beane
We had a good response to our survey on bird rooms but only two of the responses came from African Parrot Society members; all the rest were from non-members.
Forty percent of our respondents have separate bird rooms, and all of our respondents are pet owners. An equal number, also 40 percent, use air cleaners and shop vacuums to make their jobs easier. About 30 percent use humidifiers. Other useful equipment named includes hand-held vacuums and steam cleaners.
When people improve their bird rooms, the first thing they add is more storage. Thirty-five percent have added storage just to accommodate their bird supplies. The next favorite upgrade is tile. But one respondent said, "I have tile downstairs and chose a Pergo type floor in the bird room because it is warmer and quieter."
Scott in North Carolina advises, "Make sure there are bird-friendly plants, should they walk or fly to them. Remove anything that could endanger them. Soon I am going to paint outdoor scenes on the walls."
Dennis and Pam Tucker, Kansas, installed laminate flooring and full spectrum lighting, and put washable paint on the walls.
Of the pet owners who don't have bird rooms, 33 percent would like to have a bird room, but 66 percent don't want one. One reason for wanting a bird room came from an anonymous respondent who said, "So they have their privacy and we have ours, especially at night, so we don't interrupt their sleep."
But Shannon from Ontario, Canada, voiced the majority
opinion, "They are part of the family and live where we spend the most
time. I don't want them shut away
in a room. I want them to be able
to see what I'm up to at all times."
Respondents were about evenly split as to whether or not birds in a bird room get less attention than they would in the main part of the house. About half of our respondents think that birds in a bird room feel like they are a flock, but a lot of people did not have an opinion on this questions.
We got some good tips for making bird care easier.
Deanna from Virginia said, "I like to layer paper in the cage with
small sheets under the seed dish so I can change just that area daily."
Anonymous bird owners said:
"The
best thing I did was take out the carpet!"
"My bird room has decorative wall hangings, splatter guards, a clock radio, a fountain on a timer and full spectrum lighting on a timer."
Alison in Minneapolis streamlines her work by having interchangeable feeding dishes that she puts in the dishwasher, plus a water purifier. She also splits her cleaning into morning and evening chores.
Dana from Pennsylvania wrote: "Using a sleep cage for my bird enables me to clean up messes nightly after she goes to bed. If cleaning is done daily, it should take no more than 20 minutes." She also recommends "putting a clear shower liner behind the cage to make it easy to clean the food spatters."
Lee in Huntington Beach, California, may have the
best idea: "I ask my husband
to do some of it!"
© 2003 African Parrot Society
Last updated: March 03, 2003