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Top Summer Concerns for Pet Birds

Top Summer Care Tips for Pet Birds

Summer bird care

The arrival of summer marks the beginning of a season filled with outdoor fun and relaxation. But as the temperatures rise, pet bird parents need to be even more attentive to their birds’ wellbeing. During the hot summer months, pet birds commonly face potential heat-related hazards. 

With a little extra care, however, you can help keep your bird safe even as temperatures rise. Check out the following top summer care tips for pet birds. 

Table of Contents

Keep your bird cool

Responsible and loving pet parents are always looking for ways to keep their pets safe and healthy and the hot summer months are no exception. While birds tolerate a slight increase in room temperature,  a significant increase in temperature can spell trouble.

In general, pet birds are comfortable in our homes living at the temperature ranges we are comfortable living in. They can tolerate gradual changes to environmental temperatures but have trouble acclimating to rapid temperature changes. During summer, our homes can get very warm quickly, and birds often become overheated when it gets hot too fast. As a rule of thumb, when the temperature climbs quickly above 80°F, pet birds may start to pant with their mouths open and extend their wings out to their sides to try to increase their body surface area over which they dissipate heat. When their body temperatures increase very quickly, birds can overheat and die. Never leave your bird inside a vehicle on a warm day or in a habitat that is placed in direct sunlight, as temperatures in these enclosed spaces can skyrocket quickly. Signs that your bird is overheating include:

  • Acting disoriented or lethargic
  • Panting excessively 
  • Falling or being unable to perch
  • Holding their wings away from their body

If you suspect heat exhaustion in your bird, seek the advice of a veterinarian right away. Your vet can advise you on the best course of action to take to help cool down your bird safely.

Fan safety

While electric fans can be an effective way to cool the air in your bird's environment, always exercise caution when using them. Make sure your bird’s habitat is not placed in the path of a direct air current. Air consistently blowing directly on your bird can cause stress; they cannot escape the constant air, which can be very stressful and upsetting. So, if you use a fan to circulate air in the room to help keep your bird’s environment cool, be sure not to point it directly at their habitat.  

Additionally, practice extra caution when using overhead ceiling fans. The exposed blades on a ceiling fan pose a particular danger to birds who are allowed to fly freely throughout a room. Birds can fly into circulating ceiling fans and become badly injured or killed. Even with clipped wings, some birds can gain enough lift to reach a ceiling fan. Never run a ceiling fan when your bird is near and keep your bird safely in their habitat when the fans are on.  

Ensure proper hydration

Birds naturally increase their water intake during warm weather. Check your bird's water supply several times a day in summer and add fresh water when necessary.

In warm weather, water evaporates much faster, and your bird may bathe in their water cup more often when it’s hot out, so the water may become dirty more frequently. Clean and refresh your bird's water daily during periods of warm weather—especially if your bird uses their water container for bathing.

Some bird parents provide water bottles in addition to water cups. The advantage of providing a water bottle is that your bird will have a water source that cannot be spilled or contaminated. However, not all birds know how to drink water from a bottle, so you shouldn't rely solely on a water bottle as your bird’s water source unless you're sure your bird knows how to drink from it (and likes to use it!).

Incorporate fresh summer foods

Take advantage of summer's fresh, healthy foods to boost your bird's nutrition during this time of year. Preparing fresh treats at home, such as fresh fruits and veggies, can provide essential vitamins to your pet bird. Just make sure that as you add new foods, you provide them only as treats in addition to a balanced diet of nutritionally complete, commercially available bird pellets.

Summer produce can also help your bird maintain a healthy weight, which in turn can help cut down on the risk of overheating. Overweight birds may be more prone to becoming overheated when they exercise in the summer heat. Be aware not all summer produce is low-calorie. As you incorporate fresh summer produce, be sure to introduce new foods slowly in small amounts.

Consider offering your bird a few of the following summer picks:

  • Bell peppers 
  • Blueberries
  • Carrots
  • Cantaloupes
  • Mangoes 
  • Papayas
  • Snap peas
  • Sweet potatoes

When feeding your bird fresh fruits and veggies, make sure to cut them up into  appropriately sized bites. Wash all produce thoroughly to remove toxins, pesticides or infectious organisms before feeding it to your bird. Finally, before offering your bird any new foods, talk to your vet about what fresh foods best meet your bird’s specific nutritional needs. 

Summer bird care

Create an escape-proof house

When the warmer temperatures arrive, it's tempting to open your doors and windows to usher in fresh outdoor air. But open access to the outdoors also provides your bird with the opportunity to escape.

Make sure your window screens are intact and installed properly and any open doors have a closed screen door in place behind them. Even with the added precaution of screens, your bird can slip through an opening and escape. Watch your bird carefully whenever you open the door and caution family and friends to do the same.

If your bird is prone to trying to escape, keep them in a room without direct outdoor access through windows or doors. If you think  your bird will still try to make a break for it, consider clipping your bird's wings. This is a common procedure that, when done properly by a veterinarian or other trained individual, will allow your bird to sail safely down to the floor without getting lift for flight. A proper wing trim involves trimming only the last 4–5 outermost (primary) feathers and will only temporarily hinder flight until the trimmed feathers molt out and are replaced by new feathers.

Avoid travel when possible

When possible, avoid traveling with your bird during the summer months, even for short trips. On an 80°F day, the temperature inside a closed vehicle can reach 109° in only 20 minutes, making accidental overheating and death a more common occurrence in birds who travel by car in summer.

If you do need to drive long distances with your bird in the summer heat, have the air conditioning running and constantly monitor the indoor temperature. Never leave your bird unattended in a closed vehicle, as birds easily get trapped between the seats or fly into the windshield, and bring your bird into a cool indoor environment when you arrive at your destination.

Use misting as a bonus summer activity

One easy way to help keep your bird cooler and cleaner in summer is to mist them with water. Misting can help your bird maintain the right core temperature and, if they drink some of the misted water, will help keep them from dehydrating in particularly dry, hot climates.

To mist your bird, fill a new, clean spray bottle with fresh, room-temperature water. If your bird is not used to misting, start slowly. Turn the spray nozzle to a fine mist and test it out by aiming the mister above (not directly at) your bird so the mist falls like fine rain on them.

Once they are acclimated to being misted, many birds enjoy this activity. They will often extend their wings and tail and vocalize while they are misted to show their enjoyment. If your bird enjoys being misted, this activity can help you bond with your bird while you help keep them clean and well hydrated.

Finally, take time to learn more about specific care for your pet bird. Each bird breed has unique care needs. The more you know about your bird’s specific needs, the more you can help contribute to their wellbeing year-round. 

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