The Basics:

Mynahs are remarkable birds, but keeping one as a pet involves some unique challenges. They are among the best talkers in the avian world, and they are inquisitive, people-friendly birds. Active and playful, they will amuse their human companions with their antics and their incredible talking ability. Mynahs can become aggressive toward smaller birds.

Cage:

A Mynah's cage should provide easy access for cleaning, and room for privacy.  Relatively nervous birds, Mynahs need a nest box or a similar retreat in their cage, where they can go to "get away from it all." The minimum cage size for a Mynah is 36” long by 36” wide by 48” high.  It is essential that the Mynah’s cage be readily accessible so the bird’s human companion can keep it clean and remove waste. Bar spacing should be ½”.

CAUTION

In most cases, more space is more desirable for birds. However, when increasing the size of a Mynah’s cage, the bird’s human companion must be careful to maintain a safe (narrow) space between the bars. The bars of a cage have to be narrow enough to prevent a bird from sticking his head in between. Bars that are spaced too far apart for the bird’s size can result in serious and even fatal injuries.

Positioning The Cage:

Since Mynahs are relatively shy, sensitive birds, care should be taken to locate their cage in a quiet area that affords them some privacy. However, quiet doesn’t mean isolated. The cage position should allow the bird to observe family activity and have interactions with human companions throughout the day. Since Mynahs are messy, their cage should be in an area that is easy to clean, preferably one that does not have carpet. Areas exposed to direct sunlight or drafts should never be used for a cage, nor should a cage ever be located in or near a kitchen, since fumes from cooking can cause serious, even fatal, medical issues. Mynahs do not tolerate cold well, so their cages should never be positioned in an area where the ambient temperature drops below 60 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter.

Playthings:

Although they enjoy toys, the activity Mynahs appreciate most is interacting with their owners. This highly sociable bird needs daily contact with people. Many Mynahs become so attached to their owners that they will sit on their human friend's shoulder and preen his or her hair.

Perches:

A variety of perches of different diameters and made of different materials should be placed in a Mynah’s cage. The diameter of the perches should be 1”. Perches should be placed in front of, but not above, food and water dishes.

Play Time Outside The Cage:

Mynahs should be allowed regular playtime outside the cage several times a day to interact with their human companions. They should be allowed out only in bird-proof, escape-proof rooms. Water should be available to them at all times. They should also be provided with an appropriately sized play gym for outside the cage.

Grooming:

Consult veterinarian or literature about trimming nails and possibly flight feathers.

Bathing:

Mynah’s enjoy bathing. Provide a shallow bowl of chlorine-free water daily for supervised bathing. Also use chlorine-free water if you mist the bird. Water must be lukewarm to room temperature. Avoid drafts.  The bowl should be 6” in diameter and should contain 1-2” of room temperature water. Remove bath bowl when finished. A Mynah bird will dry herself by shaking off the water and running her beak through her feathers.

Diet:

As softbill birds, Mynahs eat a different diet in nature than parrots. Rather than being nut and seed oriented, in nature the Mynah dines on fruits and vegetables. As a pet, this bird should be offered pellets formulated for its species. These pellets will be low in iron, since Mynahs are prone to hemochromatosis, an iron storage disease. Ensuring that the level of iron in their diet remains low should always be a major concern of Mynah owners. Mynahs should be given ½ to 1 cup of diced fruit a day. It is very important that fruit (as well as vegetables) be cut into small, easy-to-swallow pieces, since unlike parrots, Mynahs do not break up their food, and they do not have a crop for storage. It is also very important to avoid fruits that are high in iron, such as raisins and fruits that are very acidic (high in vitamin C), such as oranges, since they increase the absorption of iron. Keeping these two restrictions in mind, you can offer a Mynah a variety of fruits, including apples (not the seeds), strawberries, blueberries, pears, grapes, bananas and mangos. All fruit should be washed, rinsed and dried – and all seeds should be removed. Thinly sliced kale, carrots, corn and sweet potato can be offered, but vegetables should not make up a large part of the Mynah’s diet. Never feed a Mynah bird seeds or parrot foods; both can be fatal. (Mynahs are not natural seed eaters and they lack the ability to crack the shell away from the meat of the seed.) Mynahs can become overweight, so their human companions should avoid over-feeding and under-exercising them. Provide additional calcium during egg laying. Fresh chlorine-free water should always be available.

A Note About Water:

All water given to birds for drinking, as well as water used for misting, soaking or bathing must be 100% free of chlorine and heavy metals.  (Not all home water filtration systems remove 100% of the chlorine and heavy metals from tap water, so check your system's specifications before using it to filter water for your pet.) We recommend that you use unflavored bottled drinking water or bottled natural spring water and never untreated tap water. Do not use distilled water, which can cause severe medical problems, since it lacks minerals that are essential to important body functions.