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Search Petco for the information needed about your bird’s body language. We will help you look for the signs in your bird & help you communicate with them.
Updated on October 23rd, 2025
Learn how to care for parakeets (budgies), recommended diet and habitat setup. Find the right food, supplies and equipment at your neighborhood Petco.
Updated on October 23rd, 2025
Read more to learn some basics of bird grooming that include bathing, nail trimming, and wing clipping.
Updated on July 17th, 2026
Parakeets can make great pets. Take a look at these fun facts about these winged companions and wow your friends with your knowledge.
Updated on October 23rd, 2025
Regular cleaning and disinfection of a bird cage and accessories is one of the keys to keeping a bird healthy. Learn how to clean a bird cage, what to wear.
Updated on July 17th, 2026
Thanks for your question about Zinnia. I didn't see how long you have had Zinnia, but part of the reason may be that she is nervous and adjusting to her new home/environment. I am not sure what types of toys you have present, but in the picture I could see some rope material, some wood, and some fibrous types of material. These are all very appropriate toys for a lovebird. Other options may include bells (ensure they are made of stainless steel, including the clapper, as heavy metal toxicity is a concern in birds), plastic (ensure that it is sturdy, as we don't want any ingestion of foreign materials!), and you can make homemade toys as well out of tissue paper (with no dyes) and toilet paper or paper towel rolls. To make these more interesting for Zinnia, you may need to play with the toys with her - of course, this will depend on how social she is with you. You can also incorporate food in with the toys to make them more appealing - this can be done using pellets or produce items. This will not only allow for her to have interaction with the toys, but will provide her with foraging opportunities, which is very important for our pet birds. I hope that gives you a place to start, and congratulations on your new pet!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
It's possible Blue wasn't socialized very well or didn't have access to toys, so these are new and scary to him. However, with any behavioral issue, ruling out any potential health issues with your local avian vet first is good to make sure there isn't something underlying behind it. If he checks out healthy, it may be that he just needs more time to get used to being a "normal" bird. If he has a favorite snack he likes, offering it every time you come by, or hiding it in his toys to encourage exploration and play may help. This can take time even with tame birds, so being extra patient with Blue is best. Many birds also like different types of toys, so trying out a variety of things such as mirrors, ladders, swings, toys that can be chewed, ones with bells, feathers, etc may encourage him to find one he likes to play with.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
It is not uncommon for birds to chew at one particular spot on a perch. It looks like you have a number of wooden dowel perches in the cage - you could try to vary these by providing Manzanita wood perches (they look more like branches) and this may provide them with some areas that they can clean their beaks and wear their nails as well. For your question about the food dishes - it is very common for birds to only utilize materials (including food, water, toys, and perches) that are at the top of their cage. The reason for this is that they typically live in the trees, so they like to be high up the majority of the time. I would advise removing the dishes that are down low, and only providing dishes high in the cage. You can still provide multiple dishes if desired, in case you have some competition for food among the birds in the family. I hope that answers your questions, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Without knowing the size of the cage, it is hard to give advice. If they have a large flight cage where they can easily move around and exercise, then that may be enough. Adding in some fun toys to explore, moving dishes and toys around or rotating them out, offering treats to chew on, etc can all help increase enrichment and make things more fun for your birds. If they're kept in very small cages, then looking for a playpen that can fit in the room or on top of the cage may be nice for your birds to climb on or play on. However, finches tend to explore more and may want to fly around, so it is best to make sure they are only let loose in rooms where they can easily be caught again and cannot fly into windows, doors, or other dangerous objects that can cause injury or death.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
It's definitely normal and is more of a nesting/boredom behavior rather than an indication of a vitamin or mineral deficiency. You can get them to chew on other toys or other objects if you want to minimize the damage to the perches and ladders. Below is a link to some good ideas for keeping them busy. http://www.parrotenrichment.com/ I hope that helps and all is well with the Budgies.
Updated on September 24th, 2025