Showing posts with label Pet Birds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pet Birds. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

So Many Kinds of PET BIRDS - How to Choose the Right One

A pet juvenile male Eclectus Parrot perching o...
A pet juvenile male Eclectus Parrot perching on a woman's shoulder in Brighton, Victoria, Australia.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
When you first go bird shopping, you might be astonished at the kinds of pet birds available. The surprise might be more dramatic if you just drop into a pet store and browse the pet birds for sale. Some of them can be quite charming and some might even nod and say hello to you. This is a little guide to what you need to know before taking on the responsibility of a pet bird.

First of all, if you do encounter a bird you like on your trip through the store, do not decide on the spot to buy the bird. Do a little research first. Given the kinds of pet birds available, research can help you choose just the kind of bird that will suit your personality, lifestyle, and household. When looking at the types of bird pets available, there are many angles from which to approach the selection of your new pet.

You can look at the choice from the size perspective. The rule of thumb here is that the bigger the bird, the more effort you will have to expand. The bigger birds live longer--sometimes up to 100 years--and demand more space, attention, toys, and training. Sometimes the training might even feel reversed as the macaw or African Grey parrot or some other brightly coloured creature uses its beak to try to teach you what it wants from you.

Another way to look at the kind of bird pet you would enjoy is to think about the kind of bird behaviour that would appeal to you. Some love to get out of the cage and snuggle up with you and others don't like being touched. Birds also have different food requirements. For some, it is just bird seed. For others, it is birdseed plus grains, fruit and vegetables.


It would take a lot of space to detail all the types of bird pets that are available. Here are three generic steps to take before pulling out your wallet to pay for the new bird pet:

1. Ask around about the reputation of the pet store where you intend to buy your pet. Not all pet stores are created equal. You want one with a guaranteed good reputation.
2. Look at the array of birds that are available and get a feeling for the kind of bird that you think you would like.
3. Research that type of bird's habits, personality, and care and feeding requirements.
When thinking about the kinds of pet birds that might be best for you, be cautious. Since this pet bird could last your lifetime, be sure you think twice before you take your pet bird into your life.





Friday, October 13, 2017

Raising A HEALTHY BIRD

Bailey Bird
Pet Birds - Photo by Jen’s Art & Soul 
1. If you want your bird to live a long life it is important to feed it in a nutritionally sound way. Birds often die too young because they are malnourished or they pick up a disease because they were not being fed correctly.

2. Birds who are part of the parrot family should be fed a variety of foods. Seeds are used by most as the only part of the bird’s diet and this is a mistake. Seeds have too much fat, not enough protein and almost no vitamins. Seeds should not make up more than 50 percent of your bird’s diet.

3. Try healthy table foods like items that contain whole grains and pretzels, pasta and whole wheat bread. Many birds can be persuaded, given time and encouragement, to eat dairy and poultry products. Try serving your bird low-fat cheese, yogurt and chicken. Avoid any food that is high in fat and stays away from avocados, they are toxic to
birds!

4. Beans and legumes, as well as fruits and vegetables, are good sources of nutrition for the pet bird. It may take quite awhile to get your fine-feathered friend to except these changes, (up to a year) but it will be the best thing for your bird.

5. When you get ready to make these changes do it slowly. Offer the fresh foods twice a day for about an hour at each feeding. Don’t leave the fresh food in the cage longer than that. It becomes unappealing and can develop bacteria.

6. Feeding your bird twice a day is a good idea. Your bird will become hungry between feedings and this practice produces a more active bird. With a healthy appetite, the bird is more likely to try new foods. You will also be able to keep a closer watch on how much your bird is eating. (If your bird is sick, laying eggs, caring for young, or nesting they should always have food available.) When food consumption drops, a bird is usually not feeling well.

7. If your bird is having a hard time getting used to the new diet, try warming the food or cooking the vegetables. It will take a little time to discover what works for your bird. Offer seeds only at meal time and along with other foods until you see that your bird is eating enough to stay healthy. Birds often do better with new diets when they are fed outside the cage.

8. Water is the final key to your bird’s nutritional success. The water must be fresh and all bowls should be thoroughly cleaned each day with hot water and soap. Disinfect these bowls with bleach every week. Be sure all the bleach is totally rinsed away from the bowls. Adding a multivitamin to the bird’s water daily is a good idea until you know the bird is getting enough vitamins from the fruit and vegetables. Birds are delightful pets and feeding them properly allows them to enjoy a healthy lifestyle and this practice can extend their life expectancy.




Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Common DISEASES in PET BIRDS and How to Detect Them

Eastern Bluebird male close-up bird
Photo  by stefanwesteneng 
Often we are unable to detect illness in our pet birds because they are genetically programmed to hide them. This is because in jungles and the wild if they display illness and disease they will be killed at once. It is survival of the fittest in the wild. Some commonly displayed symptoms are listed below and what they mean in terms of bird illness.

Diarrhea- If your bird has an infection in the intestinal tract, because of bacteria or virus, there will be additional fluids in the stool. You must take the bird to a vet because if the food is moving too quickly in the digestive tract, nutrients are not being absorbed. Moreover, if the diarrhea is greenish colored, it is a symptom of metal poisoning or Psittacosis.

Eye Discharge- Eye discharge is very dangerous and can lead to the death of the bird. This symptom normally occurs in cases of Psittacosis. Psittacosis is highly infectious and can affect human beings too. Rush your bird to the vet and get other pets and members of the family checked too. If caught in time, it can be cured by antibiotics.

Lethargy- Is your bird not eating properly or is inactive? There can be many causes for this and none of them good. The bird might be suffering some serious ailment like infection, the heart of kidney disease or even cancer. Get your bird tested and treated at once.

Loss of Appetite- This again is an outward manifestation of some serious internal problem. Birds are fragile and neglect of these symptoms can lead to death. Consult your vet, and follow his advice.

Nasal Discharge- Commonly caused by dust, bacteria and even feather dust. Certain species like Cockatoos, Macaws etc produce a large amount of it. In case the discharge is colored and abnormal it is a normal clearing of respiratory passages. If it is colored, take the bird to a vet.

Puffed Up Feathers- This is a normal reaction of birds when they feel insecure or threatened. But if the feathers are puffed up even when the bird is asleep it is an outward symptom of an internal disease. Take the bird to a vet.

Vomiting- Birds often throw up during the mating season. Even so, check with your vet, just to play safe.

Prevention is better than cure, so clean the cage regularly and monitor the bird's feed and other habits. Use an efficient air purifier. Birds are a pleasure to keep, but as with other pets, they come with a set of responsibilities. Ensure that your pet is healthy and clean. This will prevent infections to the bird and to you and your family.



Monday, October 2, 2017

PET BIRDS - The Popularity of Native AUSTRALIAN BIRDS in Aviculture

Australian Zebra Finch Taeniopygia guttata cas...
Australian Zebra Finch Taeniopygia guttata castanotis - pair, female on left. Capertee Valley,Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Lots of popular pet bird species originate from Australia, most of the well-known pet birds are native to this country but not all of them. Many are from the Americas, Africa, and Asia, but the most popular by far and through the sheer numbers in captivity are the Australian species, which range from small finches, right through the range to large parrots.

Famous breeds like the budgerigar (know as the parakeet in some countries), cockatiel, zebra finch, lorikeet, and the cockatoo all became available throughout the world via importation from Australia.
When our ancestors first discovered the Australian continent they found many types of animals that were unique to this part of the globe, such as the now infamous 'duck-billed platypus' and the 'echidna' (egg-laying mammals! How strange must that have been?); marsupials such as the 'kangaroo', 'wallaby', 'Koala' and many new and unique bird species; many of which were very brightly coloured. So they desired specimens of these birds to take home, and in doing so boosted the fondness of exotic pet bird keeping.

Starting with the smaller breeds; Australian finches that are popular as pets include the 'star finch', 'Gouldian finch' and the well known and readily available at a low price 'zebra finch'. However, there are much more.




Small to medium sized parrot-like species from Australia include the most popular small pet bird of all, the 'budgerigar' (or 'parakeet'). The almost as popular 'cockatiel' is also an Australian native, plus no end of other well-known pet birds. The list is almost endless: 'lories' and 'lorikeets' (several types of these), parakeets such as 'turquoise', 'Bourke', 'splendid' 'elegant' and 'red-rumped' to name a few, there's loads more. The medium sized 'Eclectus parrot' also hails from this part of the world.

The 'rosellas' are also medium parrot from Australia and about 6 different varieties are used as pets; 'Eastern', 'Northern', 'Western', 'Crimson', 'green', and 'pale-headed'. All are unique and different in their own way but are closely related. Rosella is known for their strikingly rich coloring, making them a very desirable pet.

Finally the big daddy of Australian pet birds, the 'cockatoo'. There are about 20 different species of cockatoo but not all are popular as pets, and believe it or not the famous 'cockatiel' mentioned earlier is a member of this bird family but of course nowhere near as large as some of its cockatoo cousins. All birds in the cockatoo family are distinguishable by the crest of feathers on the top of the head.
Many breeds of Australian birds live in massive flocks in the wild. The sight of hundreds of budgerigars, cockatiels, finches or lorikeets flocking together is an awe-inspiring sight, and very noisy.


To summarise there is a massive range of Australian birds available as pets all over the world. Many are very colorful, easy to keep, very hardy and all have unique and sometimes entertaining characteristics. The least costly of exotic pet birds are also native Aussies. Is it any wonder that these pet birds are so popular?