5 Reasons Why Fresh Air for Indoor Birds is Necessary

Inquisitive, affectionate, friendly, and intelligent — that's how many pet owners describe their indoor birds. Whether you have a pigeon, a dove, a cockatiel, or another companion bird, you do everything you can to keep them happy, healthy, and stimulated.

What's one of the best ways you can improve your indoor bird's quality of life? Take it outdoors. Not only does this create a wonderful bonding experience for you and your bird, but it also helps keep them engaged with their surroundings and offers some surprising health benefits. Let's take a closer look at some of the reasons fresh air for indoor birds is necessary — and how you can accomplish this in an easy, stress-free way.

5 Reasons Your Indoor Bird Needs to Get Outdoors

Feeling skeptical? When you take a deeper glimpse at birds' social, physical, and mental needs, you'll see that getting outdoors can create some powerful benefits:

1. Fresh Air for Indoor Birds is Good for their Unique Respiratory Systems

When humans and other mammals breathe, we rely on our lungs and diaphragm to take in oxygenated air with each inhale, and we expel carbon dioxide with each exhale. Birds' respiratory systems are more efficient than ours, enabling them to get more oxygen with each breath. In addition to lungs, birds have specially designed air sacs with extremely thin walls that allow them to take in oxygen both while inhaling and exhaling. This ensures a near-constant supply of fresh air. 

While incredible, bird's delicate breathing structures make them extra vulnerable to indoor air pollution. Everyday pollutants from cooking, candles, hairspray, and tobacco products can be downright dangerous to a bird. While it's important to keep indoor air as clear as possible, getting your bird outdoors in the open air can help keep their unique respiratory systems healthy and strong. 

2. Sights, Smells, and Sounds: Indoor Birds Benefit from Stimulation

In the wild, birds respond to a variety of stimuli throughout the day. To protect themselves from predators, find food, care for young, and attract mates, birds need to be constantly alert to their surroundings. Because birds have evolved to respond to so many sights, smells, sounds, and sensations, they can easily become bored indoors. Unfortunately, birds deprived of stimulation can quickly develop behavioral issues and self-harm.

You probably already address this issue by frequently playing with your bird, but it's equally important to expose your bird to new sights, smells, and sounds. As long as it's done safely and appropriately, taking your birds outside can be an incredibly enriching experience for them. Not only will fresh air for indoor birds provide a bunch of new sensory stimuli for them to appreciate, but it will also help keep their minds active and strong — and stave off boredom.

3. You Can Coordinate Outdoor Trips with Cage Cleaning

As a bird owner, you know firsthand how clean and fastidious birds can be. Preening helps birds remove parasites, keep feathers well-oiled for flight, and maintain a sparkling exterior for potential mates. However, while a bird can easily keep themselves cleaned, it's our responsibility as pet owners to ensure that their cages are kept clean and sanitized. 

Though a thorough cage-cleaning can feel like a major hassle, you can make the task easier by coordinating it with outdoor trips — when your bird will be outside of their cage anyway. While you allow your bird to get situated in its outdoor pet carrier, do a quick yet thorough wash — knowing that the cage will be clean, dry, and sanitized when you return.

4. Sunlight Helps Fight Back Against UV-Deficiency

Just like us, birds need to be exposed to natural, full-spectrum light in order to thrive. When exposed to natural or full-spectrum light, birds' bodies are able to produce crucial Vitamin D that keeps their bodies healthy and strong. Without sufficient light, birds won't be able to synthesize the vitamin D necessary to thrive, and you can see this deficiency reflected in behavioral and health issues.

The solution? While it's important (especially in cold-weather climates) to have indoor full-spectrum lighting available, your bird will reap extraordinary benefits from getting outdoors and enjoying the sunshine. In addition to the health benefits of full-spectrum light, your indoor bird will appreciate the light and warmth from a sun-bathed stroll. 

5. It's a Great Way to Bond with Your Bird

As a pet owner, you enjoy sharing new experiences with your indoor birds. You love watching them learn and interact with the world around them. You take pride in keeping them safe, healthy, and well-cared-for, and you enjoy their affectionate and loving ways.

When you take your bird for a walk outside, you're discovering yet another way to interact together. With your pet by your side, you can explore new neighborhoods. Meet new people and run into old friends. Experience the sights and smells of each season. Get a bit of healthy exercise in the park. Whatever you choose, sharing these pleasant experiences with your bird can help deepen your bond with your avian friend.

How a Pet Stroller Keeps Indoor Birds Safe in the Outdoors

At this point, you may be wondering how you can safely help your indoor pet experience the outdoors. Obviously, you should never release a domesticated bird into the outdoors without a restraint of some sort. And unfortunately, using devices like leg leashes can lead to injury if birds get startled and attempt to fly away. 

Luckily, there's another way to allow fresh air for indoor birds and get them outside. The Pigeon Stroller is specially designed to accommodate birds of all species, and provides an ideal environment for birds that is:

• Easy to use. No need to figure out complicated harness or leash systems to take your pet outside. Using a pet stroller, you can safely and easily take your bird (or more than one bird) on a walk. They'll still reap all the benefits of fresh air, UV light, and stimulation — with minimal hassle for you.
• Thoughtfully designed. As a lightweight, foldable device, the Pigeon Stroller is designed to allow maximum ease of use and includes a cup holder, wheel breaks, and special compartments to transport bird food. In addition, it was made specifically with birds in mind and offers both an open mesh side and a closed side so that birds can feel secure while experiencing the outdoors.
• Stress-free. Though it's great to expose birds to new situations, some domesticated birds will experience stress when uncaged outside. By keeping them in a safe and contained pet stroller, you can help your bird feel safe — so that they can simply enjoy the ride.
• No risk of injury or escape. For many pet owners, taking a bird outdoors may feel like an uncomfortable risk. What if the bird somehow flies away? What if they are attacked by a curious dog? Keeping your pet contained in a pet stroller is one of the best ways to mitigate risks so that you can rest assured throughout the outing.

Ready to get out there with your domesticated pigeon, dove, or other indoor bird? The Pet/Pigeon Stroller, designed with birds' comfort and safety in mind, can help you and your pet obtain all the benefits of outdoor time — with no stress, no risk, and greater convenience.