Birds can make for loving, intelligent pets. However, they can be a handful at times, especially if you don’t understand what they’re going through. Stress, for instance, is common in these animals, but if you don’t know how to identify and deal with it, it won’t be good for you or your bird.
What stresses birds out?
There’s no one reason why your pet bird might be stressed. Like humans, there’s a lot that can worry them, particularly if it involves a change to their schedule or environment. Your bird might not enjoy their cage being moved to another room, just as they may feel stressed if you begin feeding them at different times than they’re used to. They’re definitely creatures of habit, so anything that may interfere with this could negatively affect their mental wellbeing.
How do you identify stress?
You don’t need to be a mind reader to know if your bird is stressed. They’ll present certain signs if they’re not in a good place mentally, such as feather picking, loss of appetite, and repetitive behavior. Aggression, boredom, stress bars, and new vocalization patterns are also indicators of stress. If you notice these symptoms, you must consult a vet so they can help your pet feel more like themself again.
What can you do to help?
In some situations, you may be able to help your pet before consulting a vet. If the stressor is something in the bird’s environment that you can remove, getting rid of it should help. However, if your pet is upset because you’ve recently moved home, their stress can’t be resolved with a quick fix. Still, there are ways you can help to keep your pet calm, such as letting them out of their cage more and moving slowly around them. Keeping your voice calm when talking to them and providing them with stimulation should also help.
Can you prevent stress?
Stress is one of those things in life that’s tough to avoid. However, while it might not be entirely preventable, you can certainly control how often and severely it impacts your pet. For instance, avoiding major lifestyle changes is an excellent way to keep things calm. If you’re thinking of moving home or building a family and you don’t yet have a bird, doing these things first would be wise. It might be too late for that, though, in which case you just need to introduce your pet to new stimuli gradually. Positive reinforcement is vital when you do this, as it can make these stressful transitions easier for your bird to handle.
It’s never easy seeing someone you love in pain, whether human or not. Those who appreciate their pets know that they’re more than just animals, so to see them overwhelmed with stress is incredibly upsetting. Thankfully, you don’t just have to sit by if your bird seems to be struggling with something. There’s plenty you can do to resolve the situation, with vets also at hand to ensure that the issue is dealt with in the right way.