Cinderella, a Congo African Grey Parrot
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Two years ago, you simply could not resist those two brightly colored parrots in the pet store window. What a mistake! Now you want a new home for your parrots and are thinking of selling them. If you place a short ad in the local newspaper, how will it read?
1. Virginia parrots for sale
2. Quaker parrots for sale
There are many ways to advertise, even with as few words as that, but do you really need to "sell" your parrots? Might you find a better home through parrot adoption?
What Is Parrot Adoption?
Parrot adoption is very much like baby adoption. Those who have parrots they cannot care for offer them to people who want a parrot. The adoptive parrot owners may not be able to afford the initial outlay, or they may simply want to give a good home to a parrot that must be relocated.
Parrot adoption does not always mean "free" parrots. The term is also used for inexpensive parrots purchased from former owners.
Finding Interested Homes
Parrot adoption requires good homes, of course, but how do you find them? One way to begin is to place a newspaper ad, as you would if you were selling. You might write: "Parrots for adoption" or "Quaker parrots for adoption to good homes" or "Adopt a parrot".
If you are unsuccessful with ads, try contacting a parrot rescue Foundation or parrot adoption organization. They may be able to put you in contact with someone wanting parrots like yours. They may have someone on their waiting lists.
Evaluating Prospective Homes
"But it's just a parrot!" you squawk. Not really. It is a creature that will live many years. During those years, it will need health, safety, love, and happiness. You will want to try your best to provide those by asking a few questions of prospective owners - getting to know them a little. You will want to try, also, to ensure your parrot will not have to move soon again. For proper parrot adoption, begin with these questions.
1. Why do you want a parrot? One wrong answer is, "My child has been begging for one, and I think it would be cool to have a talking pet."
2. Does anyone ever smoke in your home? Smoking can kill a parrot very rapidly, and you want assurance that yours will go to smoke-free homes.
3. What other pets do you own? Parrots have natural predators, and will not be safe or healthy if they share a home with one of them.
4. Can you afford to take the parrot to a veterinarian when necessary? Your parrots have a long life expectancy, and will need occasional visits to a veterinarian.
5. For other important questions, you should contact a parrot adoption group and get advice.
Delivering an Adopted Parrot
Once you have found good parrot adoption homes, you will want to do your best to make the transition smooth. Take your parrot's cage (It's his home, and you won't need it.), his toys, perches, and the food to which he's accustomed. Take time to get the parrot settled before you leave him. Be available to visit now and then during the first week, if asked.
The Other Side of Parrot Adoption
The flip side of parrot adoption is the adoptive family. Parrot adoption can be preferable to purchasing a baby parrot from parrot breeders or a pet store.
Your parrot will be far less expensive, in most cases. It will likely have a cage and accessories, as well, which will save money and time for you. Parrot adoption lets you skip the toddler and adolescent stages, and your bird will likely have a vocabulary, with knowledge of how to add to it. In some cases, an adopted parrot will know some tricks. It will be accustomed to human handling and - hopefully - enjoy it.
The Downside of Parrot Adoption
The upside outweighs the downside of parrot adoption, but there are things you should know.
1. How does the parrot behave? Parrot adoption is often initiated by an owner who does not want to deal with behavioral problems. The parrot may have become aggressive: biting and screeching. You will want to observe the parrot in its home before agreeing to adopt it.
2. Has the parrot ever been injured or struck with anything? You will have a lot of work to overcome this problem and get the parrot to bond with you.
3. Is the parrot healthy - and can you talk to his veterinarian? If the parrot has never been taken to a veterinarian, there may be hidden health concerns. If he has been taken, the veterinarian will be able to tell you about potential problems. Any prospective parrot adoption should include consideration of health information.
Finalizing Parrot Adoption
When you adopt a parrot, you adopt a long-term commitment. It will be your responsibility to care for the bird throughout its lifetime. It will give you affection and will expect the same from you. Before you enter into parrot adoption, think it through carefully. Then enjoy your parrot fully.
By Anna Hart (C)2007, Anna Hart. An avid reader and researcher, Anna explores many parrot breeds and offers more parrot adoption information at http://www.parrots-of-the-world.com If you have a pet parrot you can no longer keep, or want to find a parrot to adopt, you won't want to miss Anna's advice. Article Source: EzineArticles
It's easy to get into bad budgie care habits. But these bad habits that are easy for us to live with are hard for your budgie to live with. Your bad habits can hurt - or even kill - your budgie.
Let's take a look at some these common mistakes:
1. A huge mistake is feeding your budgie an all seed diet.
Budgies need more than just seed mix to stay healthy. Giving your budgie just seed is like you only eating turkey. Turkey might be good food, but you wouldn't stay healthy if that's all you ate, right?
Now, when you bring a budgie home it's probably only been fed seeds so far. So when you give your budgie other food it rejects it. That's a natural reaction. If you'd never seen a potato before, you would be a little suspicious of it when one turned up on your plate.
It's this natural reaction from your budgie that leaves may budgie owners saying things like 'my budgie only likes seed,' or 'I just feed my budgie seed and it looks fine.'
The truth is no animal that has a poor diet will be very healthy or live as long as it could do.
2. Exposing You Budgie Extreme Temperatures
A mistake that's not so obvious - but just as deadly to your budgie - is exposing your budgie to sharp temperature changes and drafts.
Sitting your budgie's cage next to the window, so it can have a pretty view and watch the birds fly by is actually dangerous. You see, constant droughts will likely make your budgie ill. And a budgie that picks up a chest infection can go downhill very fast.
Also, the heat can kill your budgie. If your budgie's cage is getting the full heat of the midday sun it's easy for your budgie to get dehydrated. If there is no shade in the cage then your budgie has no choice but to sit there while the heat makes it uncomfortable.
Budgies might be hardy animals, but there are some conditions they just aren't suited to living in.
3. Unscreened Windows
You might not have even considered this one. Your windows are dangerous to your budgie, and so are any glass doors. When you let your budgie out of its cage and it flies around, the budgie often doesn't realize that the glass is there and tries to fly through it.
This isn't just dangerous - it can be deadly. Sorry if that sounded kind of melodramatic, but I'm being serious here. Loads of budgies break their neck flying into windows. Not to mention shattered beaks and other injuries.
Sadly more budgies die this way every year. Hopefully, your budgie won't be one of them.
While there are dozens of different types of chickens, selecting one to be a part of your flock can be challenging. First you'll want to consider the role of the chicken meaning, is it a pet, will it be bred for meat or an egg producer? There are lots of choices to make when selecting the right type of chicken.
Egg laying chickens come in a variety of breeds and their egg production will vary. The top egg laying chickens that produce white eggs are Ancona, Andalusian, Catalina, Hamburg, Holland, Lakenvelder, Leghorn, Minorca, and Redcap. Each chicken will have their own disposition as well from nervous to the wild, noisy or shy.
There are also chickens that lay brown eggs and they include Australorp, Java, Naked Neck Turkin, Plymouth Rock, Delaware, Dominique, Rhode Island, Sussex, and Wyandotte. Many of these chickens have good dispositions and are relatively mild mannered and good producers.
If you're interested in growing chickens for meat, you want to look for breeds that are able to gain weight within the first 4 months of life. The disposition of these types of chickens is less important than egg layers because they aren't expected to live for long. Meat producing breeds consist of Cornish and Cornish Cross.
Some hens of specific breeds can both be used as egg producers but also provide a good source of meat. These types of birds may be ideal. An example of these types of chickens includes Brahma, Buckeye, Catalina, Araucana, Australorp, Barnevelder, and many others already mentioned above.
Birds like the Cochin, Phoenix, and Showgirls are perhaps a bit more attractive than those chickens bred purely as a food source but whatever type of chicken you decide you'd like to breed or raise, it's good to do a little research based on your ultimate goals.
Bird watching can be a very fun and interesting activity once you are familiar with the thing that you need to know when doing it. The first thing that you need to familiarize yourself about bird watching is identifying the bird that you will watch.
This very task is quite challenging because it is not easy to identify them especially when they are so many feet away from the ground. Since birds are energetic and active animals, you need a clear and quick eye to be able to see as many details possible in such as a very short period of time.
Aside from being too far away from you, other problems that you might encounter—especially if you are a first-time bird watcher—is the dim light shaded by trees, the glint of sunlight that can affect your sight, and the hidden places where birds go to play. So, when you are into bird watching, it is always best to have a general knowledge on bird's attitudes and observe them carefully. You might not name them properly the first time but you definitely can the next time if you pay proper attention in observing them.
The following are just of the helpful tips that can help you in your very first bird watching session:
- Always keep on eye on one bird. Bird watching is more effective if one uses a binocular. When you are bird watching, try to spot only one bird that catches your attention. Once you have seen one, never take your eyes off it because it might fly to a place where you cannot see it.
In most bird watching centres, beginners are given a field guide in a form of a booklet or brochure so they can identify the bird once they have seen one. Once you know what is it, take time to observe its physical details as well as its behaviours and mannerisms. Make sure that you observe the bird's movements, markings, feeding habits, songs, colour, and size so you can easily identify it the next time you see it.
- Make sure that you listen intently for the bird's calls and song. Although listening to a bird's song is easy, it doesn’t stay long in a person's memory. What you should do is to listen intently when the bird calls or sings and play the bird's song in your mind repetitively. Listening to a bird's call and the song is important because it can help you identify the bird even without seeing it.
- Take time to estimate the bird's shape and general size. The average shape and size of the bird will give you a huge clue in finding out the family it came from. In bird watching, make sure that you assess its overall appearance and take note of its approximate size and shape. Once you can tell from the size and shape of the bird what kind is it, then you are doing good.
- Pay attention to the bill characteristics and facial markings of the bird in sight. This is one of the hardest things to do because the average of almost all birds is small. They also keep on moving so it will be hard to take note any unique markings on their faces. It is also equally hard to take note of characteristics of its bills because most birds keep on picking all the time.
To get these details, spot a bird that doesn’t fly around that much. Once you found one, start observing it head by looking for any distinguishing hue patches or colour strips. These can be present in their eye lines, crowns, napes, and arcs or in the rings.
The Senegal parrot (Poicephalus senegalus) is classified as a Poicephalus parrot. The parrot is generally green in color with a red, orange, or yellow belly. There are three different subspecies of this parrot, but the only difference among them is the color in their bellies. If it has a red belly, it is the Senegalus versteri. If it has an orange belly, it is the Senegalus mesotypus. If it has a yellow belly, it is the Senegalus senegalus. All three subspecies can be raised and sold as pets and can be given the same kind of parrot care.
Poicephalus senegalus senegalus, the Senegal Parrot (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Senegal Parrot - Natural Habitat
The open woodland and the savanna are the habitats of choice of the Senegal parrot. A gregarious species, this parrot chatters continuously and makes a wide range of whistles and squawks. When left alone in their natural habitat, the parrot has an average lifespan of thirty to forty years. When held captive, they have been known to live for as long as fifty years. Despite the different colors of their bellies or "vests", the three subspecies share the same characteristics. They have the same needs and the same qualities, and they can be shown a similar kind of parrot care. All have a height of approximately nine inches, and they have a weight of about 140 grams.
The Senegal Parrot as Pet
If you are looking to have a feathery friend for a pet, then you might want to consider the Senegal parrot. The Senegal parrot makes an excellent pet. It does not matter whether you are a novice pet owner or an experienced one; the Senegal parrot will settle and feel right at home with you. Some owners even regard this bird to be "bulletproof". This is because this parrot does not scare easily. In fact, they always seem to be up to the challenge of a new experience! If you are concerned about parrot care, fret not since this bird is fairly easy to take care of.
This bird puts the P in personality, or parrot if you wish. This bird makes the perfect feathery companion. The Senegal parrot is, by nature, affectionate. Just like most pets, this parrot loves to be constantly cuddled and kissed. It also loves having its head and belly rubbed often. This bird is also naturally inquisitive. It is not a clingy creature. As long as you provide it with tons of toys it can play with, then the parrot would not mind being left on their own in their cage. Talking is not its strongest point. It can mimic a few words, but that's about it. It imitates sounds more than it does words.
Senegal Parrot - Parrot Care
There is not much fuss involved in the parrot care of this type of parrot. The bird needs the basic food, water, and spacious cage, but that's about it. Bear in mind that you need to expose the parrot to a social environment while it is still young to prevent aggression problems later on. It helps to introduce the bird to different people, situations, and environments to avoid it becoming a one-person bird. This is a dangerous scenario because the bird can get aggressive and jealous.
Love your pet, and it will love you in return, perhaps even more. Given time, effort, and the proper parrot care, you will be one happy Senegal parrot owner.
This article is for you if you own a parrot or are thinking about getting a parrot.
1 - Why Do Parrots Need Toys
You already know that you need a LOT of toys to keep a parrot entertained if you have a parrot or several parrots. If you're thinking about getting a parrot then get ready to hire a staff of Santa's Elves because you're going to need them. Most parrots love to destroy toys. This is a healthy, necessary, and required behavior. After food, water, and your attention, toys are probably the next most important things in your parrot's world. Toys are not an optional accessory for you parrot; they are essential. Toys provide mental stimulation, physical stimulation, and keep your parrot's beak trimmed.
A pet Monk Parakeet (also known as the Quaker Parrot) with a colourful rope and toys. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Parrots spend a lot of time searching and foraging for food in the wild. This entertains them and stimulates them. In your home, the toys provide the necessary means for your parrot to entertain itself. Toys also provide the mental stimulation required by your parrot. Some experts say that the parrot's emotional level is similar to a 2 year-old child. They also say their intelligence is similar to a 3 year-old child. So stimulating toys are just as necessary for you parrot as they are for a 2 or 3 year old child.
There is also another more tangible reason for providing toys for your parrot. Toys are required to keep your parrot's beak trim. The beak is always growing much like out fingernails. Your parrot's beak will become overgrown without something to chew on. This will require a trip to the vet, toweling, and filing of the beak. This is stressful to the parrot and can be avoided by providing toys for your parrot to chew up and destroy.
2 - What Are the Types of Toys?
There are several types of toys. These are general categories and some toys fall into several of the categories. Some are designed to give your parrot mental exercise such as Puzzle Toys. Some are designed to give your parrot physical exercise such as Exercise Toys, and Grasping Toys. Finally, some are designed to give your parrot a healthy beak and healthy feathers such as Chew Toys and Preening Toys.
Puzzle Toys - These are typically puzzles with treats inside them. They encourage the parrot to solve the puzzle to earn the treat. Some are simple lids on boxes and some are complex and require the parrot to unscrew nuts from bolts to open a treat holder.
Exercise Toys - These are typically rings or ladders that encourage your parrot to climb, hang, or swing.
Grasping Toys - These are "hand" held toys and other toys that encourage your parrot to hold them while playing with them. This encourages your parrot to exercise its "hands".
Chew Toys - These are for shredding. They keep your parrot's beak trim.
Preening Toys - These are typically hanging toys that encourage your parrot to preen them. The theory is that if your bird preens it's toys then it will be encouraged to preen itself. Preening is necessary for your parrot to maintain healthy feathers.
3 - Important Toy Safety Issues
There are several things to avoid when buying or making toys. These include safety issues with your parrot consuming the toy and other physical safety concerns. Some materials to avoid include toxic inks, staples, rubber, Styrofoam, soft plastic and costume jewelry. These items are potential dangerous items if your parrot ingests them. There are also items that pose a physical danger. These items include key-chain rings, frayed ropes, and a crowded cage. Key chain rings can potentially get caught on you parrot's beak or their nails. Frayed ropes are also potentially dangerous if your parrot's feet get tangled in the frayed ends. Finally, a crowded cage can be dangerous if your parrot doesn't have room to spread its wings.
Leather strips are often used to tie toy parts together. If you're using your own leather strips then make sure they are not dyed, tanned, or treated in any way. If there is a doubt then don't use it. Glue is often used to glue toy parts together such as Popsicle sticks. Make sure you use a non-toxic glue such as Kid-Safe glues if you use glue and use as little as possible.
Glues should be avoided when making toys unless necessary. A "Kid-Safe" glue that is non-toxic should be used if required and you should use as little as possible.
One final consideration regarding safety is toys mixed with food or treats. Some toys have treats in them or fastened to them. This is acceptable and this type of toys is one of the parrot's favorite toys. However, flavoring toys with food can be dangerous and should be avoided. This happens when some people make toys and want to color the toys. The coloring should be non-toxic and food free. If it tastes like food or a treat then your parrot may consume it. If you want to dye wood blocks then use a nonflavored coloring for the same reason. Some people recommend food coloring or unsweetened Kool-Aid to color your wood blocks.
4 - What Makes a Toy a Good Toy?
There are several factors that make a toy a "Good Toy". The most important factor is that the toy must be safe. The previous section listed some materials to avoid. This section lists some characteristics that make a toy a "Good Toy".
Colorful - Parrots can see colors.
Chewable - This will help keep their beak trim.
Different Textures - Parrots "feel" with their beaks and can distinguish different textures.
Appropriate Size - Buying or making your toys the appropriate size is a key consideration.
Mentally Challenging - The toys should be mentally challenging such as Treats inside Toys.
Quick Links - Also called "C clips" or "C clamps". They have a screw fastener and are shaped like a "C"
Moving Parts - Parrots love a lot of moving part and swinging parts.
Makes Noise - Parrots love bells and musical toys.
Puzzles - Some "puzzles" are simple (lid on a box) and some are very complex.
5 - Where Can I Get Toys?
Now we know what makes a dangerous toy and what makes a good toy. There are a few places/means to get toys. You can purchase them at pet stores or on the Internet. This is the easiest and most convenient way to get toys. You can also build your own toys. These are referred to as DIY (Do-It-Yourself) toys. This is the cheapest way to get toys. Finally, you can do a combination of buying, building, and recycling which for most people is a happy medium.
Buying toys at pet stores or online is very convenient. There are two key considerations necessary before buying the toys. These are material and size. Toys come in a variety of materials and are often a mix of the following materials. The common toy materials are wood, rope, leather, acrylic, and metal. All of these materials are safe. However, you should check each toy to ensure that there aren't other hazards such as entanglement (frayed rope or clips) or ingesting hazards (small parts). The size of the toy is also a key consideration. Most pet stores recommend what toys should be purchased for what size of parrots. However, there isn't an industry standard in "sizing". Check the size of the toy and match the size of the toy with the size of your parrot. A general sizing is small (Conures & Pionus) , medium (African Greys & Amazons), and large (Macaws & Large Cockatoos).
Buying toys is often how parrot owners start out getting toys for their parrots. After buying parrot toys for a while you will soon realize that the cost is very high. You will find yourself spending $10 for a toy with nothing to show after a couple hours of your parrot chewing on it. It's very similar to feeding money into a shredder. Some parrots are better at destroying toys than others so some parrots require a lot more toys than others require. You will soon begin to realize that you can build your own toys a lot cheaper than you can buy them.
Building your own toys is the cheapest way to get toys for your parrot. DIY (Do-It-Yourself) toys are a cost effective means to provide your parrot with toys. This does require some knowledge and experience using tools but only very basic tools. You might need a wood saw to cut wood, a drill to drill holes, and possibly a pair of pliers. You can purchase the wood at a local hardware store, bring it home and cut it up, then hang it from your bird's cage using rope, wire, cloth, or leather strips. The DIY method also requires some creativity on your part. However, after looking at other toys at pet stores or online, you can come up with your own ideas about building your own toys. While this is the cheapest way to get toys, it does require a lot of cutting and drilling. There is a third option for those of you who don't have the energy or inclination to dedicate this much effort. This option is a combination of buying toys and making toys.
The third option for getting toys is to combine the buying and making methods. In this case you purchase toy parts and make your own toys. These toy parts come in toy making kits where all the pieces are included and you just have to assemble them. These toy parts also come in packages that just include wood blocks or just include plastic blocks, or just include other parts. In this case, you may want to purchase several different packages of toy parts and mix and match them. This requires very little work because the toy parts are ready to assemble and don't require cutting or drilling. And these DIY kits are often cheaper than the fully assembled toys. This option is how most long time parrot owners get toys for their parrots.
6 - How Can I Save Money on Toys?
There are several ways to save money on toys. The first option is to use common household materials to make toys and to supplement toys. Here's the "Top Ten Cheap Materials to Use to Make Parrot Toys" It actually has sixteen items but who has ever heard of the "Top Sixteen List"?
Unscented Toilet Paper rolls and Paper Towel rolls - Most parrots love to shred these. You can put them with other toys or just hang them from their cage. Some recommend that you not use these items due to the glue on the rolls containing Zinc. You may want to watch your parrot the first time to see if they're eating them or just shredding them before turning them loose to shred these.
Chinese Finger-Cuffs - That may not be the politically correct name for these. They're the tubes that you put your fingers in and they tighten as you pull your fingers out. These can liven up any toy or be used alone and hung from the cage bars..
Magazine Inserts - You know those annoying things ads that fall out of magazines? Guess what your parrot thinks of them. They love to shred them. Some warn against giving these if they have ink on them but just watch your parrot the first time to see if they're eating them or just shredding them before turning them loose to shred these.
Baby Key Rings - Baby toys usually make an excellent toy for parrots too. The baby key rings are a lot of fun and provide long lasting entertainment to your parrot.
Paper Cups, Plates, Straws - All of these are inexpensive and easy to chew for your parrots. Cut them and tie them together. The more creative you are, the more your parrot will appreciate them.
Ping Pong Balls - These provide good "hand" toys or if you poke a hole through them you can hang them in their cage or on their play-stand.
Pine Cones - If you have these available, they make a great toy. Make sure they're clean before giving them to your parrot.
Newspapers - Just make sure the ink isn't toxic. Roll the paper up into a tight roll and tie it together. A paper-log can provide hours of fun to your parrot or just minutes depending on what type of parrot you have.
Cardboard boxes - Small boxes can provide fun to your parrot and you as you watch your parrot experiment.
Ink Pens - Those plastic pins with the clicker button make an excellent toy. Just make sure you remove the ink part and the inside parts (clicker,spring,etc) before giving it to your parrot.
BONUS!--Wooden Clothes Pins - If you have any, these are great chew toys for parrots. Just make sure they're the old style without the metal springs.
BONUS!--Worn Shoe String - Make sure they're clean and use them to tie other toy parts together. Watch for frayed ends, which may get tangled in the parrots talons.
BONUS!--Rag Strips - Cut old (clean) rags up and tie them in knots. Just make sure they're clean and watch for frayed ends, which may get tangled in the parrots talons.
BONUS!--Unscented Paper Towels - Just tie them around their cage bars or around toys and watch them shred these. This is also a good way to encourage a parrot to play with a new toy.
BONUS!--Coffee Filters - Just the plain cheap paper filters. Cut a hole through a bunch of them and tie them together with string or a leather strip. This is cheap and will provide a lot of entertainment.
BONUS!--Food Stuff - Some people use Cheerios and raw pasta to supplement their toys. They tie the Cheerios or raw pasta onto toys or just hang strings of them from the cage. I personally don't like to mix food and toys but it's just a personal preference.
BONUS!--Popsicle sticks - You can buy these at craft store at reasonable prices. If you use them after eating the Popsicle then rinse it thoroughly.
The second way to save money is to reuse and recycle old toys. It is important to regularly clean and rotate in new toys to keep your parrot healthy and stimulated. This is the perfect opportunity to clean and disassemble old toys and use the old parts with new parts to make new toys. This recycling saves money and also provides some familiarity to your bird when you rotate in new toys. This familiarity will encourage your bird to play with the new toys. Getting your parrot to play with new toys is sometimes a challenge. This topic is covered in the next section.
The third way to save money is to go to "Second Hand" stores such as "Goodwill" and "Salvation Army" stores. They probably don't have bird toys but they do often have baby toys. Most baby toys are also safe for parrots. Be sure to heed the safety warnings earlier in this article. Most toys like wooden blocks use toxic free paints that make them usable by parrots. Also some of the toys such as the hard plastic baby key rings make excellent toys for parrots. There are excellent values to be found in these stores and these stores provide another way for you to save money on your parrot's toys.
7 - How to Get Your Parrot to Play With Toys?
So either you spent $20 on a new toy or you spent 20 minutes making a new toy and you show it to your bird. Your anticipation and excitement level is about 10 on a scale from 1 to 10 but your bird's excitement level is about a 1 on a scale from 1 to 10. What happened and how can you fix this problem? Some parrots are afraid of new things, some are afraid of certain colors, or just afraid of the way some objects look. These fears or your parrot's shyness can challenge you and your parrot. Here are some ideas to overcome these fears and to encourage your parrot to play with toys.
Introduce new toys slowly.
Try new location in the cage
Tie paper towels around the new toy
Put a dab of peanut butter on it but make sure you wash it off later.
Try the toy again in a couple months
Recycle old toy parts into new toys
Regularly rotate new toys into your bird's environment
The first idea, "Introduce new toys slowly", will vary depending on your parrot. Use the following process for very shy or frightful parrots.
Start with the new toy several feet from the cage but within sight of the bird.
Every other day move the toy closer to the cage
Put the toy in the bottom of the cage for a couple days.
When your parrot plays with it then hang it in the cage.
If you notice fear in your parrot at any point in the process then you should back up a step in the process and proceed slower.
8 - Top Ten Cheap DIY Toys
There are thousands of possible DIY toys that you can make your parrot. Here are ten ideas that require no tools and very little time.
Wrap a treat in a paper towel and tie both ends.
Use a clean cloth glove as a piata.
Take a piece of paper towel roll and put a treat inside it and crimp both ends.
Tie Paper Towels onto a string with wood blocks and hang it.
Poke holes into nuts and make a string of nuts and wood blocks.
Roll up a newspaper into a tight log, tie it in the middle, and hang it.
Poke holes into a stack of Magazine Inserts, thread them on a string with wooden blocks and hang it.
Glue Popsicle sticks together and hang it.
Put a Ping Pong ball inside a closed paper cub and hang it.
Any combination or mix of the 9 ideas above.
9 - Concluding Remarks
Hopefully this article has been a useful introduction to toys for your parrot. The topics in this article will help you save money, help you make entertaining toys, and help you provide your parrot with the stimulation and entertainment that it requires. The Internet is a good source for ideas. Check out the commercial toys for sale on the Internet and try to duplicate them. Have fun, be creative, and save some money.
The wild species is also known as Canary, Island Canary, Tame Canary, and Atlantic Canary. The Domestic Canary has been bred in captivity since the 1600s. They are divided into three main groups: Colorbred Canaries (bred for mutations), Type Canaries (bred for their shape), and Song Canaries (bred for unique song patterns). The word "Canary" is derived from the Latin canaria, "of the dogs", referring to the numerous wild dogs that inhabited the islands.
Physical Description:
The average length of the wild Canary is 12.5 cm, with a wingspan of 20 to 23 cm, and a weight of 15 to 20 gm. They are yellow green, with brownish streaking on their back and wings and have gray and brown in their plumage. The beaks and feet are pale in color. Females are duller in color.
In the case of the domesticated Canaries, there are hundreds of mutations that will have numerous variations in color.
Diet:
The diet in the wild consists of fruits, seeds, and nuts. They have a grove on the inner beak that helps them to break open nuts.
Habitat:
The Canary is native to the Azores, the Canary Islands, and Madeira. It inhabits semi-open areas such as orchards where it nests in shrubs and trees. It resides in elevations from sea level to 1700 m. A number of escaped populations occur on Bermuda, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.
Reproduction:
Breeding is generally between January and July. Females build the nests in bushes or small trees. Incubation takes about 14 days and the chicks fledge after two weeks.
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.
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.
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.
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 :
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.
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.
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
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.
or Monk 
