Diamond DOVE - The Pet Bird That Doesn't Talk Back (Or Bite!)

The popularity of keeping parrots as pets has overshadowed the other available pet bird species, species that make endearing pets that are often simpler to care for, and can be highly entertaining when given the opportunity.

The Diamond Dove is one such bird.

Diamond Dove (Geopelia cuneata)  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Diamond Doves are the size of parakeets or budgerigars for those of you in Britain. These birds can live anywhere from five to twenty years old.

The beautiful wild color variation is the most commonly found, with the males bluish-gray on the heads, necks, back, and wings, white tails, white spots on the wings, and a well-defined orange ring around each eye. The female of this color variation has more brown on her head, neck, and wings, and a less well-defined orange eye ring, but is beautiful none the less.

Diamond Doves come in a wide variety of color variations, from the wild type to cinnamon, silver, silver-blue with white tails, soft yellow, to a gorgeous pure white.

The sound the doves make is a gentle 'coo-coo' with the male being somewhat louder during courtship. My female dove Emma's 'coo-coo' is somewhere between a coo and a beep. Diamond Doves are never obnoxiously loud, as so many parrot species are.

Diamond Doves are highly sociable birds always happiest when in the company of their own kind. But these birds are also highly prolific. If you do not want a flock of tiny doves, then purchase only one bird. Be patient and the dove will bond with you in a few weeks' time.

My dove follows me around the house each morning. When she can't find me I hear her coo-coo. I call her name and then mimic her too. I soon hear a flutter of wings as she arrives. I have to be careful not to step on her when she follows me around because Diamond Doves are ground-feeding birds. They spend a lot of time poking about the floor or the bottom of their cage.

The best cage for Diamond Doves should be long rather than high so the birds can fly from perch to perch. A cage two feet by two feet can house a single pair of doves. The birds will even breed in a cage this size.

Remove any wire mesh on the floor of the cage. Your bird or birds will want to pick after fallen seed or grit, or simply sit on the floor from time to time.

Diamond dove  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Feeding a Diamond Dove is simple. A diet of mixed Finch seed with plenty of millet mixed with a vitamin powder will do, with the occasional treat of greens or egg crumbles. Be sure to provide a bowl of grit because doves need the grit to crush seeds. Fresh water should always be available. You can also provide a cuttle bone for calcium, but I find doves get plenty of calcium from their grit. The choice is yours.

Diamond doves have individual personalities best seen when the bird is kept singly in a cage and when bonded with you, much like house cats. He or she may be a fussbudget, a mother hen, aggressive, noisy, laid back, always on the go, or any combination of the above.

Diamond doves can be trained to step onto hand-held perches and even come when called. My dove Emma knows her name and even her nickname ('munchkin bird'). She knows how to nag me into opening her cage and, once out, will often perch on the edge of my laptop while I write, if not on my shoulder. When feeling demonic, she pecks at the keys while I am trying to work. I shoo her off and then she retreats to the houseplants, where she pokes about in the dirt.

Parrots are wonderful birds. But if you are looking for a smaller, quiet, and easier to care for feathered companion, but still a lot of fun, then you owe it to yourself to get better acquainted with the lovely Australian charmer the Diamond Dove.

By Jennifer Harker Jennifer Harker is a freelance writer experienced with writing nonfiction, creative nonfiction, and fiction.  Article Source: EzineArticles

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A Brief Look at Six Admired Species of PARROTS

Have a need to care for a pet? Have you ever wanted to own a parrot? If so, you need to know that there are different species available to bring home. Would you believe that there are over 350 parrot species that you can choose from? Here are six popular parrot species :

• - African Grey
• - Canaries
• - Cockatiel
• - Lovebird
• - Parrotlets
• - Senegal parrots

African Grey Parrot (Psittacus erithacus).  (Psittacus erithacus erithacus). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Before you decide what species you would like to bring into your home, you should know the essential information about the different ones so that they can bring you pleasure for years to come. Here is some basic information about the six popular parrot species listed above.

A Quick Peek at Six Popular Parrot Species

African Grey - If you are looking for a parrot species that imitates other species, then you're going to want the African Grey bird. This bird can eat bird seed. However, if you want to treat them well, consider giving them pellets instead. Include fruits, vegetables and other food supplements so that your African Grey bird will have a healthy diet.

 Canaries - Besides the African Grey parrot, there are the ever-popular canary species. However, you will have to narrow down what canary type you would like to own. The three types are narrowed down by colour, song and type. It's important to understand that canaries are territorial. Be sure to give them the space they need to fly about.

Cockatiel - Do you want a pet you can teach tricks? Well, you do not need to own a dog to do just that. A cockatiel can learn many tricks. They live up to 20 years of age and should never be left alone in the darkness. The reason? Cockatiels have a tendency to injure themselves when they are in the dark. Be sure to leave on some kind of light.

Lovebirds - Of all of the parrot species, lovebirds are the tiniest. They are characterized by a stout build, a short rounded tail, and a comparatively large, pointed beak. The name Lovebird is derived from these parrots' strong, inseparable pair bonding and the long tenures of time in which these paired birds spends sitting with one another.

Parrotlets - This parrot species is also like love birds in that there are tiny. Yet, these birds are not afraid of being in the dark. Parrotlets will chirp every now and then; however, they don't chirp very loud.

Senegal Parrots - Senegal parrots are a bit bigger than the Lovebird parrot species and make imitating sounds much like the African Grey bird. Never, ever let this bird outside the home, as it will fly off.

Would you be surprised to learn that most of the 350 parrot species would make an ideal pet for your home? Each one of them is fairly easy to take care of. What a bird essentially needs is a cage, to be correctly fed and regularly checked out by a veterinarian who is used to deal with parrots. If you do this, you've assured a long life with your parrot type.

By Sam A. Johnson - Article Source: EzineArticles

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Breeding For The Best RACING PIGEONS

Racing pigeons are a great wonder especially for individuals who have a passion for animal cognition. The ability to return to its owner after traveling thousands of kilometers by flight is certainly an amazing quality especially for a bird. Let alone migratory birds fly the really long distances. But whenever pigeons lovingly return to the arms of their owners, the feeling of elation is just unavoidable.

Racing pigeon photographed near Barkby, Leicestershire
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Amazing as they are, pigeons who are made to race are not as easily cared for like ordinary pets. Breeding pigeons that can win race competitions is not a joke. Any racing pigeon fancier must be ready to invest a huge amount of attention to the pigeons as well as understand that time and money are involved. And certainly a great deal of passion will tremendously affect your success in raising and turning your special pigeons to real winners.

There are basically three types of breeding methods that you can adopt to make sure that you get the best possible pedigree for a racing pigeon: cross-breeding, line-breeding, and in-breeding.

In cross-breeding, unrelated pigeons (or which are five generations apart) are made to mate with the hope of giving birth to better pigeons – better than their parents. This breeding method is more expensive than line-breeding because of the generation gap (the bigger the generation gap, the more expensive) but relatively more effective than in-breeding.

Line-breeding allows the mating of pigeons with smaller generation gaps (ex. grandchild to grandparents or cousin to cousin) than those for cross breeding. Although less expensive than cross-breeding and a lot safer than in-breeding, this method may take a long time to establish the traits that you want in your pigeon.

In-breeding is the riskiest but may also be the most successful method provided that you have really ideal pigeons. In this system, the mating happens between a parent pigeon and its child or between a brother and a sister pigeon. Because of the closeness of the generation, any trait from any of the pigeons can be easily passed to the resulting offspring – both good and bad traits. Add to this, any bad trait found on one of the partner pigeons is likely present on the other too because of their close generations. 

So while in-breeding can magnify the good traits of your pigeons, the risk is that it can also equally magnify their weaknesses. You may even end up with a pigeon that has both the best and worst traits from its parents – what a waste that will be! Also, while in-breeding does not have to spend that much money for bigger generation gaps (because the mating pigeons are IN the same generation), it may however end up becoming more financially-challenging because of the need to eliminate pigeons with non-ideal traits. Not to mention that you should be capable of culling.

The secret to breeding the best racing pigeons lies in thoroughly learning as much as all of their traits. Learn the rules of compatibility – and some genetics too. And be as passionate as you can be in caring for your pigeons.

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QUAKER PARROTS

Whether you know them as Quaker parrots or Monk parrots, these little green and gray birds are the subject of a lot of controversy in the U.S. Quakers are illegal to keep in many states. The worry is that escaped individuals will form large wild populations and become a major pest. Whether these laws are based in reality or not, the issue is being hotly debated between parrot welfare groups and governing agencies. You can get more information about this from the internet--I like quakerville.com--but be sure to add the word “parrot” in your search or you will get a bunch of websites about the Quaker religion! This article is about the Quaker as a pet, for those of you who are allowed to have one. Those who can’t are encouraged to become active in the efforts to overturn the restrictive laws so that everyone can enjoy Quakers.

Monk Parakeet or Quaker Parrot (Myiopsitta monachus)  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Quakers are a small parrot native to South America. They are a very affordable bird compared to other parrots their size. Beautiful color mutations like powder blue and yellow are available, too. They’re more expensive than the normal greens, but as they become more established, the prices become more reasonable. A Quaker’s size makes him easy to accommodate if you don’t have a lot of space, but if you live in an apartment, you may want to check to see how “soundproof” your walls are. Noise is often one of the biggest behavior problems reported by Quaker owners. Nipping is another. These birds are outgoing and active, and their energy levels can be hard for some people to manage. If you’re a patient person and know how to provide a sense of authority without being a bully, you’re more likely to get along with a Quaker than someone who’s either too hesitant or too aggressive. Overall, the Quaker is a feisty but lovable little parrot. One thing that makes them so cute is their lively, bouncy bob. When you see it, you can’t help but be drawn to the bird.

Snuggles and kisses are activities Quakers like to engage in, but they’re also playful and like to show off. Their talking ability can be quite impressive, and they tend to be enthusiastic learners. Games and trick training are good ways to provide needed physical and mental exercise, as well as giving your bird some structure to his daily life. Appropriate activity helps the bird channel his energy in a way that’s not as likely to get him into trouble. When behavior problems do occur with Quakers, boredom is a common contributor. Keep your Quaker busy, and you’ll keep him happy.

Because Quakers are very social, they’re eager for attention, and will usually want to hang around with you. Encouraging independent play is very important so your Quaker can be by himself when he needs to. You’ll also want him to meet and be handled by other people, and set consistent rules so he knows what he can and can’t get away with. If children are going to handle him, they’ll need to know the rules, too, so they don’t accidentally encourage bad habits. A Quaker may quickly take advantage of a person he thinks isn’t going to make his mind.

Some Quakers may be reluctant to step up onto people’s hands. We had one like this. It wasn’t that he didn’t’ want to come to us, but he would rather be picked up like a ball than step up. At first, we thought he had a physical problem or was mentally not too bright, but we eventually realized this wasn’t the case. He just liked being picked up. The people who had him before we did probably took the path of least resistance and never worked on stepping up since it was easier to pick him up. Having talked to other Quaker owners with a similar problem, I think this may be more common in birds that came from large breeding facilities, or any place where the hand feeder didn’t have time to wait for the young bird to figure out the hand thing. Quakers are smart, but they’re also on the stubborn side, which can be part of their charm. That, and their little bob.

Submitted by: Chet Womach About the Author: This article was co-authored by Chet Womach and Kim Bear. Kim Bear is a parrot behavioral specialist who has helped people around the world with their Quaker parrots. http://www.birdtricks.com/quaker-parrot.html Source: www.isnare.com

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RAISING CHICKENS: Pros and Cons

There are so many reasons why someone would want or wouldn’t want a chicken in their backyard. There are debates about it and here are some:

White Chicken (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Pros

1. Costs incredibly cheap.

When we say cheap, not only does the chicken itself count but also the maintenance of it all. Compared to keeping a dog or a cat for a pet, it is much cheaper to take care of a number of chickens most likely because they are not choosy when it comes to food. You can feed them scraps and table leftovers and they will happily gobble it up. With as little as $2 a day, you can spend on a bunch of layer mash.

2. You can get something from them.

Eggs. Meat. Ornament. Who wouldn’t want it? In terms of eggs, it is seldom that you encounter a chicken that can’t lay eggs. It is a good source of iron, which is good for the brain. You could either sell these eggs or keep them in your fridge. With meat, every part of a chicken can be eaten. Yes, every. In cases of those who don’t want to see their chickens go bye-bye, they raise them as pets and for exhibition purposes.

3. Low maintenance.

Unlike dogs who need everyday grooming and cats who need your undivided attention, chickens need none of those. You don’t have to bring them to your vet every once in a while to take shots and doses of vaccines. All you have to do is feed them and supply clean water every day. Their coops must be cleaned at least once a week or twice every month depending on the number of chickens that you own.

4. Fertilizers for free and an instant pest control agent.

These are the two things that chicken raisers love about owning a chicken. When you allow your chickens to roam around your backyard, it is in their nature to peck on whatever it is that catches their interest and their hunger. Chickens love anything that came from the ground most especially the ones that are moving. They eat insects, bugs, worms and the like. For them, these are special treats. Furthermore, it is in their nature to eradicate their internal wastes anywhere they please. But their poops are considered as natural fertilizers that the ground needs to grow plants and root crops in a healthy state.

Cons

1. They are not the best guard pets to have.

While chickens can coo and make familiar sounds, it is not in their nature to bite or coo on anyone they see who looks suspicious. All they can do is grow, eat, and lay eggs. They are also not the ideal pets you would want to have especially if you need a response like waggling of the tail or a purring sound.

2. Chickens are messy.

Indeed. Plus, their poop smells terrible that it can reach certain areas in your house. If you’re the type of person who doesn’t want to go through enduring hours of cleaning, chickens aren’t really the pets for you.

3. One for all, all for one.

Well, in terms of getting sick this is a con. Because when one catches flu, everyone gets it too. And if one dies because of that flu, it is expected that every single chicken living with that infected chicken who also got that flu is also going to die after a few days.

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Caring For PARAKEETS

Caring for parakeets is the most important step in keeping parakeets as pets. Remember their immune systems can be touchy. This means that at the first sign of illness, you should contact your veterinarian immediately. Even a simple virus can turn deadly overnight. A regular care and check up of your parakeet can keep you away from visiting the vet too frequently. Caring for parakeets means

Three Nanday Parakeets (also known as the Black-hooded Parakeet and Nanday Conure) captive in Madeira. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A regular checkup of their plumage - birds keep their plumage in peak condition by preening. You can encourage this by occasionally misting it with warm water.

Selecting the right cage for your parakeet - choose a cage that is large enough to allow it plenty of exercises. Most cages come with 2 perches. For more specialized caring for parakeets, you can attach a cuttlebone to the side of the cage. It will help keep the bird's beak in good condition and will serve as a source of calcium and other minerals.

A proper and adequate diet – this is the single most notable aspect in shaping the health, vitality, and permanence of your parakeet. Give them leafy green vegetables, rice, tofu, some seeds and fruits like orange and papaya. These would give them all the required nutrients to keep them healthy.

Regular bathing of your parakeet – give your parakeet a regular shower of 5-7 times a week in the summer and 3-5 times a week during the winter. This routine will help you keep your parakeet clean and avoid skin related diseases.

Proper grooming of your parakeet – proper and regular trimming of the toenails is very essential. Consult a veterinarian if you wish to clip its wings.

Lack of parakeet care can result in feather plucking, moody and ill-trained parakeets at home. It is always a good idea to know what injuries and what diseases can affect your parakeet, what is the ideal diet for a parakeet, how many times a week should you give it a bath. These would help you undertake foolproof caring for your pet parakeets.

A healthy parakeet is more likely to be immune to diseases and can stay around for a long time to make you laugh, make you entertained and give you a moment to smile…

Submitted by: Nancy Richards About the Author: The author is a parrot lover for the last 12 years and is the owner of the website http://www.pet-parrots.com Source: www.isnare.com Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=838&ca=Pets

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Flooding – A Bad Parrot Training Technique For MACAWS

When I first decided to become a parrot trainer I read up on all sorts of training techniques from supposedly good parrot trainers. These trainer’s birds were amazing. Their Green Wing Macaws were capable of jumping off the top of hotel roofs, without any restraints and would willingly fly down from the roof and land on their trainer's hand.

Two Military Macaws at Whipsnade Zoo, Bedfordshire, England. The macaw on the left has damaged feathers on its chest and abdomen probably because of a feather plucking habit.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It was an amazing thing to watch, so amazing that I decided to follow all instructions he gave me to the core. I obeyed everything he said, including a method that I later realized, was FAR from the best way to train a parrot not to bite.

The method that this trainer taught me was what is known in the animal training industry as flooding. Flooding is where you put an animal in a situation and force it to comply with whatever means is necessary. In my case, I was trying to get my Blue and Gold Macaws to willingly come out of their cages without biting me. And I was instructed to take two wooden dowels, one in each hand, and proceed to forcibly put my Blue and Gold Macaws with the wooden dowels.

Obviously, my Macaws did not like this situation as they didn’t like being touched. But I was instructed that they would soon realize that the touching was OK and that I (the trainer) was the boss and not the bird.

This technique was to be executed so as never to harm the bird, but scare it into submission. My blue and Golds would scream, flap their wings and bite at the sticks, and each time he did so I was to overwhelm them even more by touching them with the other stick in my other hand until they realized there was no hope and finally gave up.

Luckily for me, this technique works on Macaws that like to attack their owners, but it’s woefully ineffective on other species of parrots, especially certain species that are prone to running away in fear vs. holding their ground and putting up a fight like my blue and gold Macaws were.

In hind sight, there are much more gentle approaches to training that not only work faster than the flooding method I’ve just described but work for helping parrots of all temperaments learn to not bite. It involves putting a parrot in situations where he has to choose to do or not do something and is rewarded for the correct choice, and ignored with the wrong choice.

The end result is a parrot who realizes that you are trying to communicate with him in a nice way because you’ve never scared him or hurt him. Plus the parrot realizes that life with you is a puzzle… and it’s his job to figure out because there’s always a nice treat in it for him if he can figure out the answer.

This type of training is extremely mentally stimulating and with just a few short practice sessions a week with a parrot can be the perfect preventative medicine for all sorts of behavior problems like feather plucking, screaming, and boredom.

Submitted by: Chet Womach About the Author: To learn more about how Chet Womach teaches positive reinforcement my Blue and Gold Macaws visit http://www.birdtricks.com/macaws.html and sign up for my free ezine jam packed with parrot training tips you can start using today.  Source: www.isnare.com Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=149979&ca=Pets

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LOVEBIRD Species and Their Amazing Characteristics

The genus Agapornis or the African lovebird has nine species. Eight of these lovebird species originated from mainland Africa while the remaining one originated from the Madagascar region. Three species are common varieties while five species belonging to the rare kind.

The common varieties of the lovebird include the masked lovebird, the peach-faced lovebird, and the Fischer's lovebird species. On the other hand, the uncommon or rare ones comprise the bright red-faced lovebird, the Nyasa lovebird, the Madagascar lovebird, the black-collared, the Abyssinian lovebird and the black-cheeked lovebirds.

Photo  by Tambako the Jaguar 

The masked lovebird species are identified through their face that is covered with green mask-like color. Wild ones have blue mask or cobalt. Meanwhile, peach-faced lovebirds are the most popular and most common in terms of captivity. They are noisy lovebird species. If you have one at home, be careful in picking a cage as they need to be safe. They can weigh up to sixty grams. The peach-faced is both inquisitive and vibrant by nature.

Fischer's lovebird is also a very common lovebird species. It was named after the person who discovered it, German explorer Gustav Fischer. It is identified with its green wing, chest and back and its bluish rump. It is a native east-central Africa and Northern Tanzania. It inhabits remote trees with grass plains. It has the ability to fly straight and speedily.

Nyasa Lovebirds typically come in green color. They have different mutations such as the bluish Nyasa and the lutino Nyasa. Another rare variety is the Madagascar lovebird species which is also known as Maddies to many lovebirds experts and enthusiasts. This species originated Madagascar, making it unique from the rest of the species which came from Africa.

Compared to the other lovebird varieties, the Maddie is very small which can only weigh as much as grams and not reaching kilos. It has an apprehensive and delicate looks and has somewhat finches rather than the hook bills which birds have in common. It has a small beak and usually chooses Finch and/or canary seeds over sunflower or safflower seed blends as their staple food.

Black-collared species are withdrawn and not competent in terms of breeding in captivity. The Abyssinian Lovebird is very rare that they are not normally preferred as a pet while the black-cheeked African lovebird species, on the other hand, can consist of the bluish variation aside from the black which is more common.

By Elise Gonzalez Elise Gonzalez is a lovebird expert. Do You Want To Know How To Take Care Of Your Lovebird & Build Great Friendship With Your Bird? Discover more information about Lovebird Species, visit Lovebird Care. Article Source: EzineArticles

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BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE

Black-capped Chickadee is a very small bird with a large head. He has a busy habit of darting everywhere. Sometimes it appears to not know what direction to go. But this behavior seems to help it to catch insects while in flight.

The Black-capped Chickadee is the state bird of Massachusetts.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It does not mind company when it flies. In fact, the Black-capped Chickadee prefers flying with a flock of any number and kinds of other birds. This may be for the company and also for protection. They prefer forests, woodlots, backyards, and shrubby areas in the West. They are usually found in deciduous type trees.

With your binoculars take some time and look for general markings and characteristics, things that you might notice right off. Do not spend a lot of time trying to memorize different aspects of the Black-capped Chickadee. Just look for general information and then you will be able to quickly recognize what group these birds belong to by noticing the size, general shape, colors and their behavior.

I suggest that you keep a notebook of these characteristics. You can add to it from time to time. This will help you understand and learn. But be patient and note things only one at a time. Otherwise, you may get tired and discouraged because you can't remember everything at once. It will all come in time as you watch these birds. Also, take a look at the field marks such as a wingbar and eyering markings to tie some IDs down.

Please remember also to note what time of year you see them as well as other kinds of birds you see in your neighborhood. Then you will be able to keep track of them better next year when the return.

A good field book on birds will help, but do not try to memorize everything in it all at once. Just learn about your specific bird of interest.

Black-capped Chickadee

Size & Shape

A real tiny bird with large head, plump, almost fat body, narrow tail, and a very short bill

Color Pattern

It has a beautiful shiny black cap and throat against white cheeks. Puffy sides; wings and back of soft gray coloring

Behavior

Very busy, with acrobatic flight, and often with feeding flocks of several species

Habitat

Likes forests, woodlots, backyards, and shrubby areas; in the West, associated with deciduous trees

Birding is a great sport, especially watching Black-capped Chickadees. Their antics and activities will keep you busy for hours. With some enjoyable work in preparation by learning a few basics about them and with a good pair of bird watching binoculars, you can have many hours of pleasure with your family or by yourself.

By Roger L Johnson Roger Johnson has loved watching birds, animals and great scenery with binoculars and telescopes for years. - Article Source: EzineArticles

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LORIKEETS As Live-Ins - What to Expect From Pet Lorikeets

Lorikeets are an incredibly colorful variety of parrot. Their stunning plumage has led to names such as Yellow-streaked, Olive-headed, Black-winged, Plum-faced, Purple-crowned, and Rainbow. If you are considering purchasing a Lorikeet as a family pet you will certainly have added a stunningly beautiful companion. But before you make your final decision take a look at what to expect from your pet Lorikeet, and what it will expect from you.

Photo  by kun0me 

Personality The Lorikeet is very active and is full of antics both in the wild and in captivity. Their pointed tail and tapered wings give them the gift of flexibility and easy flight. Those with blunt tails are often referred to as Lories. They are easily tamed and will provide entertainment for hours often behaving more like a cat than a bird. Don't panic if you find your bird lying on its back with its feet poking straight up. They often sleep in this unnerving (for you) position.

Implications of Size A small Lorikeet is relatively quiet and does not have the talking ability of the larger Lorikeet. It is more suited for those who live where low noise is a requirement. The larger Lorikeet is quite noisy and talkative and can imitate household appliances such as the dishwasher, microwave, and even a flushing toilet. Larger Lorikeets require an owner who is willing to do regular obedience training to maintain a safe and proper relationship between bird and family.

Cages should be large and uncluttered to allow for proper exercise and movement. The minimum cage size for a single Lorikeet should be 3' high X 3 1/2' wide X 24" deep. Check for a powder coat paint finish that is lead-free, and a cage that is free of brass, lead and other metals that are highly toxic.

Dietary Requirements Originally from the tropics, Lorikeets dined on nectar and fruit and were known as honeyeaters. This exotic diet must continue in your home. Commercial or homemade honey should be given daily, and honey should be removed from the cage before it spoils (more likely to occur during warm weather) or it will kill your bird. Fruits should consist of grapes, apples, pineapple, cantaloupe, pomegranates, papaya, figs, kiwi, and a variety of vegetables. Avocado, new potatoes, chocolate, or any substance with caffeine or alcohol should be avoided as they are toxic to birds. Lorikeets should also have their diet balanced by making flowers such as marigold, pansies, roses, hibiscus, and dandelions available daily. Using organic fruits and flowers will ensure that they are free of pesticides.

Maintenance Lorikeets require a bit more maintenance than most birds because their diet causes them to have a fairly runny stool which they can, and often do, eject out of the cage and onto walls floors and other nearby furniture. Viruses can then very easily attach to these droppings and go airborne to cause illness in your bird and sometimes family. To avoid the spread of disease, replenish fresh water as needed, clean the cage and the surrounding floor daily, and use an air purifier to eliminate airborne pollutants that can cause the spread of disease and infection.

By Debbie Davis An excellent resource for a bird air purifier to eliminate bird dander, feathers and other airborne pollutants that can spread disease and infection is offered by PurerAir.com-- the Bird Dander Purifier at http://purerair.com/bird_dander_air_purifier.html Article Source: EzineArticles

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COCKATIELS and BIRD SHOWS

Why not try entering your cockatiel in a bird show. This can be a great experience for both you and your bird.

Cockatiel yawning (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The first thing that you will need to do is contact your local bird club and see what is on offer. Do they have someone on hand to show someone new the ropes when showing their cockatiels? You should visit a bird show first and see what types of birds get first prizes. Ask for advice on training your cockatiel for these types of events.

To find out what is happening in your area, you should find plenty of information at your local pet shops or vets. Your best bet would be to contact the organizers of the show and ask them for a catalog. You may need accommodation details if you are an out of towner. When looking through the catalog make a special note of the time that the categories that you want to enter start, as late entries are not usually accepted.

The show catalog also lets you know what the classes are that will be judged and what the rewards will be. Make sure that you fill in the forms correctly and enter your cockatiel in the right category, or you could be disqualified.

There are various standards that are expected when showing your bird. The most common standards used today are ACS Standards and NCS Standards. The judges judge against these standards, so it is a good idea to know what they are looking for. Both standards have a point system and a visual system that are marked.

Once you know what the judges expect, you can start grooming and training your cockatiel. You need to have a cockatiel that shows grace under pressure. Your cockatiel must be able to withstand the pressure of lots of people around and adjust to lots of strangers tapping on his cage. A good show cage will be needed in order to showcase your cockatiel. The show cage must be in maculate condition and most importantly, clean. Let your cockatiel get used to the cage before the day of the show, and encourage it to sit on the perch and be as still as possible. This type of training can prove challenging with active cockatiels. Try having some friends over for a fake bird show to get your bird used to lots of strangers.

Before entering your cockatiel in a show, make sure he is fully feathered. Your cockatiel should have no pin feathers visible. Wings and nails must be trimmed and feet and beak cleaned. If you regularly mist your cockatiel with clean warm water, it will encourage him to preen himself more often, which will make his feathers look wonderful.

Most importantly, when entering your cockatiel in a bird show, learn to be a good winner as well as a good loser.

By Michel Maling For more cockatiel food, visit http://cockatielsaspets.com. Article Source: EzineArticles

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Teaching and Training SUN CONURES - 5 Tips on Training Sun Conures to Talk

If you've ever had the privilege of owning a sun conure parrot, then you already know the joy these beautiful little birds can bring to the household. They overwhelm us with their warm and friendly behavior while mesmerizing us with their naturally beautiful colors. What more could we ask out of these cuddly little friends?

Well, for starters, you have to remember sun conures belong to the parrot family and if you have ever wondered how difficult teaching and training sun conures could be, always remember that the same rules for training parrots apply to training sun conures.

Photo  by Makuahine Pa’i Ki’i 

There is a little degree of difficulty being that sun conure parrots are not as talkative as an Amazon parrot, but nonetheless, teaching and training sun conures is definitely worth our time and effort. I have discovered 5 tips on teaching and training sun conures to talk that will sure make your lives easier.

First Tip:

Using a primitive microphone on your computer, record yourself repeating simple cute phrases such as; hello, pretty bird, how are you, goodbye, etc. and burn the audio track onto a CD. Leave the CD playing in your home stereo system in repeat mode during the day while you are at work so that your sun conure bird can listen to the repeated words throughout the entire day. In about a week, he will be speaking those phrases to you.

Second Tip:

If the first tip works like a charm (and it has never failed in my dedicated years of teaching and training sun conures), make sure to praise your sun conure parrot by giving him a small treat such as a pumpkin seed or piece of fruit every time he successfully repeats a phrase.

Third Tip:

Train your conure to talk in small 5 minute sessions throughout the week. Sun conures are delicate birds and you do not want to frustrate them or stress them out. Just take 5 minutes of your day and repeat some phrases to your sun conure, each time he repeats it on cue, praise him with a treat and happy cheer.

Fourth Tip:

Never ever hit your sun conure parrot or spray him with water if he is not learning as quickly as expected. Teaching and training sun conures to talk requires patience. If your sun conure parrot does not cooperate, do not hit him or punish him. Instead, end the training session and try it again later in the day or the following day.

Fifth Tip:

Try to have them relate a certain phrase with an action. If you feed your sun conure at a certain time of the day every day, and you happen to say the words lunch time each and every time you are feeding them, they will associate this phrase with their hunger and will consciously speak those words when it's time for lunch.

If you are truly dedicated to teaching and training sun conures, you will find that these 5 tips will help you get your pet sun conure parrot to speak in no time. I suggest starting out by having a short 5-minute training session with your sun conure parrot today using an easy word such as hello or its name.

Follow the rest of the tips for about 2 weeks and if practiced correctly, you will see a huge improvement in your sun conure's speech vocabulary.

Folks, did you know that 75% of sun conure parrot owners have never heard them speak a single word or phrase? Studies show that most sun conure parrot owners aren't even aware that their conures could be trained to speak or perform tricks. Find out how you can do both!

By Laura Belle   Laura Belle has been training exotic birds and parrots for over 22 years. Article Source: EzineArticles

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BIRD ADOPTION

There are several birds that you can keep at home as pets. Bird adoption is another common adoption that goes on such as adopting dogs and cats. However, when adopting birds you must be prepared to take care of them, because unlike other pets birds need a lot of care.

When you adopt birds you must be ready for feathers flying all over and in the case of certain parrots the mimicking of your voice. But birds do need constant care because you have to ensure you have put the right amount of bird food and water in the cage. Secondly, the cage will have to be cleaned out all the time due to the fact the bird poop should not accumulate. The cage must be kept outside, at least most of the day because it is not nice for the birds to be in the house all the time. However, if you do leave outside be sure the cage door can't open by mistake.

Birds are some of the most beautiful creatures ever created. They have beautiful voices when they sing such as the mockingbird which however is very rare to have as a pet. There are few birds you can make pets such as parrots, owls and much more. However birds like hawks, crows, and eagles are not the kind you will find as home pets, they will probably be found in bird shelters.

When people decide to choose bird adoption they must know what birds eat and drink as well as what is necessary to take care of the animal. This information can be provided via the internet or from your local bird center or sanctuary. Most birds like seeds and fruits.

By Peter Gitundu Peter Gitundu Creates Interesting And Thought Provoking Content on Pet Adoption. Article Source: EzineArticles

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PIED COCKATIEL - The First to Develop the Colorful Mutations of Cockatiels

Big and random bodily blotches these are the major characteristics in which the pied cockatiel is known for. This mutation is any color cropping up from solid cockatiel colors. Color quantity and placement differ a single bird to the other. The tint of cockatiels has been a result of the feather pattern changes, not a color change. These pied cockatiels are also called as pied tiel, variegated cockatiel and Harlequin cockatiel.

Pied Cockatiel - Photo: Wikipedia 

The pied upshot in cockatiel actually is a large mixture of colors in blotches or patches, such as permutation of whites and greys among grey cockatiels or a blend of yellow and cinnamon on the cinnamon cockatiels. Some stunning birds show a perfect balance of these blotches although it is not always achieved when breeding cockatiels. As a result, the variation of patterns makes it hard to determine between the sexes of a pied cockatiel.

The record of this cockatiel mutation is indistinct although it has been established that it was done in California. After the death of the first mutation developer, his stock was acquired by a certain Mr. Hubbell who continued the breeding program until today. Chances are that when you had a pied cockatiel, it comes from the continued mutation which was originally from California.

The pied cockatiel was initially developed by breeders so basically these birds did not come from the wilderness or anywhere. The grey ones are seen among the areas of Australia excluding the Tasmania and Australia's coasts. As a Cacatuidae family member, they have generally crests. These crests can go erect when these birds are agitated and enthused. Conversely, their crests level goes down significantly when they are angry or defensive.

The genes which have created the pattern in every cockatiel give no significant effect on the bird's coloring. However, the color distribution is the one that is affected. Pied cockatiels have major combinations of grays and whites within a random pattern. These mutations can weigh to up to four ounces and more.

Making the pied cockatiel an ultimate desirable pet is because of their behavior ñ they are not loud unlike other parrot species which are not only noisy but also are annoying. You can leave it alone it its cage or location for some time without their behavior being affected negatively. These species are steadfast and affectionate. Likewise, they love to play with toys and to climb perches which you have provided in their cage.

By Sara Looper - Sara Looper is a cockatiels expert. - Article Source: EzineArticles

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