Untitled Document

Bird Tips

Basic Needs for Birds
Health Information
Feeding
Feathers
Baths
Molting
Wing trimming
Nails and Nail Trimming
Beak
Household Hazards
Life Chart

Cage - Large enough to fully extend & exercise wings
Food - A good variety of seeds or pellets
Vitamins - For better nutrition & health
Cuttle Bone - Provides calcium & conditions the beak

Treat Foods - Added nutrition & variety in diet
Millet Spray - Good natural seed source
Egg Biscuit - Added nutrition
Cage Paper - Sanitary, easy cleaning
Conditioning Perch - For well groomed beak & nails
Toys - For entertainment & fun
Bird Wash/Spray - For clean & shiny feathers
Bird Bath - Allows bird to bathe as desired
Bird Protector - Kills mites
Extra Cups - For treats & gravel
Seed Guard - Less mess & helps to keep seed in cage
Books - For general information & good care

Cage- Large enough to fully extend & exercise wings
Food- A good variety of seeds or pellets
Treat Foods- Added nutrition & variety in diet
Vitamins- For better health & nutrition
Toys- For entertainment & fun
Chew Blocks/Toys- Beak conditioning & entertainment needs
Conditioning Perch- For well groomed beak & nails
Bird Wash- For clean & shiny feathers
Spray Bottle- Convenient way to bathe bird
Books- For general information & good care

Birds are naturally healthy and disease resistant. The most common health problems are colds and bronchial infections. Sneezing, coughing, watery eyes, runny nose, etc. are symptoms of these illnesses. Avoid drafts and rapid changes in temperature.

Other signs of illness:

Loss of appetite - not eating
Diarrhea
Ruffled feathers
Inactivity - excessive sleeping

Feeding birds a variety of foods is essential for good health. We recommend feeding basic staple seeds or pellets, treat foods, fresh fruits, and vegetables.

Most bird owners would never dream their feathered friends are closely related to reptiles. In fact, the feathers of birds actually evolved from the scales of reptiles. Scales protect reptile’s skin as feathers do for a bird’s. Preening is work a bird does on it’s feather to maintain their beauty and function. Birds have two to three thousand feathers. Each feather must be cleaned of dust and dirt, untangled, fluffed, lubricated and properly placed in position every day.

Bathing is an excellent way to encourage preening. Bathe two or three times weekly. There are many ways to bathe birds. Every bird will have its own preference when it comes to bathing. A bird bath usually encourages bathing. Birds that resist bathing can bemisted with a bird spray bottle.

Molting is a term given to the shedding or loss of old feathers. New feathers grow in during the molting process. Growing new feathers requires considerable energy. A good diet is very important.

Properly done, a wing trim should prevent full flight. Wing trimming will prevent a bird from flying away, avoid injuries commonly associated with flying, and makes training easier. The preferred technique is to trim both wings. By trimming the flight feathers of both wings instead of just one, a bird can still have a safe, controlled glide to the floor. Flight feathers are the first 10-12 feathers on the wing. When only one wing is trimmed, balance is poor, directional ability is lost and dangerous ‘crash landings’ can occur.

Wing trimming must be done on a regular basis. It is recommended that the wings be checked regularly. If you are going to trim the bird’s wings, be careful not to cut the blood feathers. These are new feathers that maintain a large blood supply. If a blood feather is accidentally cut, it will bleed. Once this happens the blood feather must be removed. Have a veterinarian or a qualified person help you trim your birds wings until you are comfortable doing it on your own.

In captivity, toenails may grow too long and require periodic trimming. Overgrown nails can make perching difficult, catch easily, and can lead to leg or foot injury. A normal nail will curve down and form a right angle to the end of the toe. When trimming nails, be careful not to cut the vein. It can be seen, in light-colored nails, as a pink coloration inside the claw. Have styptic powder on hand to stop bleeding. One person should do the trimming while another restrains the bird. Cut off only tiny amounts at a time until the proper length is achieved. Stop at the first sign of bleeding.

Trimming beaks is difficult. It is strongly recommended to have an avian veterinarian do the trimming.

Poisons such as insecticides, sprays, paint fumes, and smoke.
Non-stick coatings such as Teflon® or Silverstone®. Rather than burning, these coatings are transformed into a toxic gas that can be harmful to birds.
Hot Cookware, hot foods and hot range tops.
Windows & Mirrors do not appear to be a barrier and birds may fly into them.
Open Doors & Open Windows can result in your bird flying away. Even a tame bird will fly away. Keeping the bird’s wings clipped should keep your bird from flying any distance.
Water in sinks, toilets or containers of water present the risk of drowning.
Ceiling Fans should be turned off while birds are out of their cage. They may fly into them.
Loud Noise may cause stress, lowering resistance to infection or creating emotional problems.
Other Pets may harm the bird.
House Plants can be poisonous to birds. Check with your local poison control center or veterinarian as to which plants may be poisonous.

	Finch	Canary	Dove	Parakeet	Cockatiel	Lovebirds	Conure	Lorie & Lorikeet	African Grey	Amazon	Macaw	Cockatoo
Longevity (years)	5	5-15	8	8-15	15-25	10-15	10-35	15+	40+	25-50	25-50+	30+
Incubation (days)	12-14	13-14	14	16	21	18	21-23	21	24-26	23-24	small:23-24 large:26-28	24-26
Weaned (weeks)	3	6	4	5-6	6-8	6-8	6-9	3-4	10-12	10-12	small: 8-10 large:26-28	12-15
Sexual Maturity	2+ mos.	1 yr.	1 yr.	6-8 mos.	7 mos. - 1yr.	8-12 mos.	1-3 yrs.	1-2 yrs.	3 yrs.	2+ yrs.	small: 2 yrs. large: 5 yrs.	2+ yrs.