Читать книгу Birds For Dummies - Gina Spadafori - Страница 22

Birds are expensive to care for properly, much more so than most people anticipate. The price of acquiring a bird itself can run from the inexpensive for finches, canaries, and budgies to the monthly-salary figures some people are willing to shell out for large, flashy parrots. And that’s just the beginning.

Safe, roomy caging isn’t cheap, nor is a proper diet of pellets and fresh foods. Preventive veterinary care to keep your bird healthy is a pricey must, and if your bird gets really sick, be prepared to dig deep. All these aspects of care must be factored in, along with such necessities as toys, which a large parrot can go through with awesome efficiency. It all adds up.

Throughout this book, we note places where you can save money without cheating your bird. A good place to start is with your choice of bird. Although many people are drawn to the largest and most colorful of parrots, some of the other species are less expensive to acquire and maintain. We highlight these alternatives in Chapters 2 and 19.