upatsix.com - Your Source For Pet Bird Information

Hi, I am new to this forum but not new to birds. I have a B&G, Grey, Eclectus & Quaker. I teach at a private school & we have 2 new cages, 18x18x24, that we want to put birds in for the children. The children will NOT be handling them. Teachers won't either. We do not know what the best bird or birds would be good in a classroom with children. Some want finches, some canaries, & some want budgies. With the cages being small, & we do not want to breed, we are just not knowledgeable enough what type bird would be happy. I know nothing of the small birds, so I am no help. lol.....Can I have some input from the forum, as to what would be suitable for our classrooms. Thank you so much. cattyy

The cage would be small for a pair of budgies, but not too horribly in my oppinion. If the bar spacing is 1/2 in or smaller that is!! Finches would do fine, but if you go that route, try for all the same sex in a cage as finches reproduce easily (and no nests, no matter what the pet store says.) I have no expierence with canaries, but I'm sure they would do fine as well.

Whichever you decide to get, be sure to have a rescue plan for bad weather days when the school is closed w/o warning for lack of heat.

We have a teacher who lives across the street from school & a vet. who is 1/4 mile from school. So yes, we are covered. We have chickens, gerbils, fish & turtles. We are a Montessori school.

I'd go for a quiet, undemanding, gentle bird than can be handled .
a female cockatiel.

The little flying birds produce a lot of flying dander and
seed hulls, and little children, no matter how well-behaved,
will try to frighten them to watch them fly.

Yes, we had thought of a cockatiel, but decided it would be too quite. That is why we thought maybe a canary. We just didn't know if one in a cage that size would be happy. The only thing I know of canaries is the male is the singer.

Everyone has been so very helpful! Thank you so much. As soon as we decide, I will let you know how the birdie is doing.

We have cockatiels and trust me, they are not quiet. Our male mutation in super tame and sweet but has bonded to me so he whistles all day long. I had to give him a bath to mellow him out a little today. He's been quiet ever since.

It's all in relation to what we are used to. Older tiels are pretty quiet I have 3 that are in the 12(ish) to 22 year age range. I've taken my birds into classrooms before.

Welcome to the board 3kids4fids. This is an old thread. You can look next to the person's name and see the date that something was posted, just so you know!

Diamond Doves