Myna birds make fun pets, but be prepared for a lot of noise and commotion!
How do I choose a myna bird?
It’s important to do a lot of research before buying any pet, but especially a bird that may have come from wild sources. When looking for a myna bird, be sure to look for one that has been domestically bred. You may have to find a myna bird breeder, which you can locate by asking your local pet store or getting online. Many breeders will ship the bird via airplane if you cannot drive the distance to the breeder’s home. There is a great variety of myna birds with different sizes, coming from different areas of the world. Research is key to finding which breed best suits your desires. Most Myna birds are mostly black or brown with bright orange beaks and some have yellow facial feathers.
The Java Hill myna is one type of myna bird that is popular for a pet. It is usually around 12 inches in length and can be taught to mimic human voices. But don’t expect to get too close to your Java Hill myna because it doesn’t like a lot of human interaction besides possibly perching on your hand.
When choosing a myna bird for a pet make sure you’re bringing home a healthy bird. If the myna bird is six weeks or order, it should be fully feathered and have bright, clear eyes. Another sure sign of a healthy bird is normal, clear breathing. If the myna bird has raspy breathing it probably means the nasal passages are not open and clear which could mean the feathers around the vent are dirty. You don’t want to take an unhealthy myna bird home with you.
One myna bird or two?
Myna birds do not have to be kept in pairs, but remember if you decide to have two you have to be willing to devote twice as much time, energy and money toward the birds. It shouldn’t be a problem to keep two myna birds of the same sex in the same cage, but as they get older myna birds may become territorial, especially two males. Like all pet birds, mynas need a lot of room and will be happiest if they can live in an outdoor aviary, especially if you have more than one. Also if you’re thinking about getting more than one myna bird keep in mind they may be louder in pairs as they encourage each other to whistle and chirp.
