You have a bird. That bird is so much fun that you decided to get another bird. Then someone gives you a bird so you have 3. That bird seems lonely because he isn't tame and the other 2 birds have each other, so you get another bird to keep this one company.

This is how it sometimes starts and continues from there. How do you know when you should stop and say NO MORE BIRDS?

There are so many different types & different colours of birds and each one is so amazing and each one has a different personality. Maybe you can get just one more.

There always seems to be people who are looking for new homes for their birds. You can’t take them all, but maybe just one more.

You may be in a pet store and see a bird that has been there for a long time. He is such a sweet bird, and you feel sorry for him because he doesn’t have a family to love him or you see some people poking at him and teasing him. Maybe you can get just one more.

There are a few things you have to stop and consider before you add just one more bird to your home.

One major consideration is the cost. Maybe this bird won’t cost you anything, but what about the cage, the toys, the food and the veterinary care.

Another major consideration is the time. Each bird should have some one on one time with you and each bird needs to have a clean cage as well as fresh food and water each day. Each bird should also have some out of cage flying or play time. If your birds all get along they can all be out at the same time, but if they don’t get along, they will need their own private time out.

One more consideration is the space to house another bird. Each bird should have a spacious cage and the cages should not be too close. How many cages can you fit into a living room?

Birds can be messy. If one bird makes a lot of mess – think about how much mess ten birds can make.

Think about what you are going to do with your birds if you want to go on vacation or have to travel for business purposes. Dogs and cats can go to kennels, but birds are usually not as easy to send off in that manner. The more birds you have, the harder it will be to find someone to take care of them while you are gone.

Each time you add a new bird to your home, you are putting your current birds at risk of contracting an illness brought in by the new bird. You must quarantine each new bird for its own safety as well as the safety of the rest of your flock.

If you have no problem with any of the considerations above, then maybe another bird would fit just fine into your household. But if you do have concerns, then maybe its time to say enough is enough and just spend as much time as you can with the birds you have now.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to drop by the Bird Forum anytime.

After many years of pet bird ownership, I have decided to write e-books about the care of some of these wonderful birds.