Bird Shoppe

Bird Houses, Bird Feeders, Window Feeders, Decorative Feeders, Bird Baths, Birdwatching, Bat Houses, Lady Bug Houses, Butterflies, Wildlife Feeders and Houses, Accessories, Books, Gift Ideas & Kits

A Healthy Bird Checklist

Foods That Can Be Dangerous to Birds

Which Parrot is Right For Me? By Medha Roy

Which parrot is right for me?

This is a question that you must ask yourself before you think of keeping these lovely birds as pets. It is as important as your decision to have a child. You need to ask - which parrot is right for me - because every parrot has its distinctive temperament and nature. No two parrots are alike. Parrots need a lot of attention and love to become adorable pets. Once they bond with you, you will realize how precious they are as pets.

Choose your parrot according to your lifestyle.

10 Commandments for choosing the right parrot for your household:

No Impulse Shopping: Try not to adopt or purchase a pet on a whim or inspiration. Make it a deliberate, thought-out action.

Shop Around: Take the time to learn all about the kind of pet you are considering buying.

Visit The Humane Society And Animal Rescue Organizations: Pay a few walk-through trips to your local humane society. Just observe the pet when it is alone with you and try to make a mental list of its positive and negative points.

Match Your Pet To Your Life Style: Do you work long hours? Do you have children? Are they mature enough not to be a threat to the pet you choose? If you travel a lot who will care for the pet while you are away?

Match Your Pet To Your Home Environment: How much free space is there? Is there a back yard? Is it fenced? How will your neighbors feel about this new pet? If you rent, what will your landlord think about this pet?

Decide Why You Want A Pet: Is this pet going to be a child substitute? Do you want to teach it tricks and interact with it? Do you want to play with it and caress it? Your personality traits are very important.

Decide If This Is The Right Time In Your Life To Get A Pet: Frankly consider if this is really the right time in your life to own a (another) pet. If you already have other pets how will they get along with the new one? How stable are your human relationships? How good is your health? Decide How Long You Want Your Pet To Live : Small parrots live 8-14 years; larger ones 35-60 years.

Decide If You Are Able To Meet This Pet’s Specific Needs: It is a good idea to do some research at the library as to how much care your pet will need and visit pet owners. Do you have enough time to properly feed and clean for it? Many pets get bored if they do not have enough one-on-one contact. This boredom can lead to a host of undesirable behaviors.

Cost: Besides the initial cost of the pet you may incur considerable expense in purchasing the pet a suitable cage. Over time, the cost of a good diet will far exceed whatever you paid for the parrot. It may need veterinary care and grooming from time to time.

The main species are - parrots, macaws, conures, cockatoos, cockatiels, parakeets and budgies.

Parrots - Parrots are a very popular group of birds. Parrots are intelligent animals who depend on some degree of socialization and training. Different parrots have different needs. See that you cater to all these needs to have a healthy and happy parrot in your house.

Macaws - Macaws have been rightly called winged rainbows. Macaws are flamboyant, colorful, intelligent and captivating birds. Their personalities are legendary. Because of their great beauty and engaging personalities, macaws have been kept in captivity for centuries.

Conures - Conures are known for their sweet dispositions and playfulness. They definitely have a mind of their own. In the wild conures are friendly, peaceful birds and seldom fight with each other.

Cockatoos - Most are colored mainly in white, but others come in grays and pinks, blacks, and in the Palm's case, deep blue. Well-raised cockatoos are adorable; a hog for attention, a socialite , and just a pleasure to have around.

Cockatiels - Cockatiels are ideal for the first time pet owner. They are characteristically happy and cheerful birds, never moody or demanding. They demand to be let on your shoulder for a ride, and make cute noises.

Parakeets - 'Parakeets' means "small parrots". Their small size, bright colors, and cheerful disposition make them perfect pets. It is calming to listen to their quiet chattering and chirping. Some parakeets even learn to talk.

Budgies - Each has its distinctive personality. Some budgies may be sensitive while others might get into mischief at every opportunity. Its popularity is gained mainly by its amazing powers of mimicry, and its antics are very amusing.

Ask yourself again - which parrot is right for me? All parrots need time and patience to make wonderful pets. Some parrots are cheerful all the time, some are often moody. Some play on their own, while some always demand your company. These birds can make your life beautiful and chirpy, but they can also die of heart aches. Think hard before you make your choice!

This article can be re-printed and/or published online or offline for free, provided the website, www.pet-parrots.com, is posted along with it. The article must remain intact without any alteration. The author is a parrot owner for the last 12 years. She works for http://www.pet-parrots.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

A Healthy Bird Checklist

When you’re selecting your new feathered friend, look carefully at these features.

The best advice when choosing a healthy bird is to take your time. Don’t rush the purchase, because you may end up being sorry. Select a seller who is helpful and attentive and doesn’t hurry you, and who keeps his or her birdcages clean. Cleanliness is important to the health of birds.

A good way to determine if a bird is healthy is to examine it carefully. Starting with the head and working down the bird’s body, check for these signs of the bird’s health:

Nostrils should be clear, free of discharge, and of equal size.

Eyes should be bright and alert and free of discharge. If you’re considering a red-eyed bird, such as a budgerigar, look at the eyes even more closely because these birds are more prone to cataracts and blindness than their dark-eyed counterparts.

Breathing should be inaudible. Listen closely for wheezing, which could indicate parasites. Tip: You can get an accurate assessment of the bird’s breathing by watching its tail movements. You should see barely any tail movement while the bird is in a resting state.
Bill should be free of any deformities. The top and bottom parts of the bill should meet and open and close properly.

Face should be free of swelling around the sides of the bill and around the eyes. Also look for face mites, which look like snail tracks and scar the upper bill area.
Plumage should be glossy and free of bald patches.

Alertness should be shown. Healthy birds are alert and should respond to you when you are nearby.

Breastbone should be barely noticeable, with pectoral muscles on both sides. The breastbone runs from the midline to the lower chest.

Wings should have no feather gaps or blood present when extended. Also check to make sure the bird does not pluck its own feathers.
Skin should be clear and unspotted when the feathers are parted.

Feet should be smooth, not scaly.
Toes/Claws should be paired—all the toes should have claws. Claws should be slightly curved, not curled, hooked, or wavy.

Observe how the bird perches. Usually two or three claws will rest on the front of the perch and one to two toes in the back. A healthy bird perches easily, without slipping or falling off.

Weight should be distributed so you aren’t able to place your fingers on both sides of the keel (breastbone).

Vent (excretory opening) should be free of any fecal matter.

Foods That Can Be Dangerous to Birds

Alcoholic Beverages
Avocado
Cabbage - raw
Caffeine
Eggplant
Milk products - can't digest
Mushrooms - allergic reactions
Onion - raw
Potato - All green parts
Rhubarb - Leaf blade
Tomato - All green parts

A few comments about some of these foods:

Rhubarb -- There are different varieties of rhubarb (Rheum sp.): Garden rhubard (Rheum rhabarbarum), grown in North America, differs from medicinal rhubarb (Rheum officianale and R. palmatum). The leaves of both varieties contain the highly toxic oxalic and should not be fed to birds. The stalks of garden rhubarb are edible and can be given to birds. The stalks of medicinal rhubarb contain anthraquinones, which cause catharsis. These are not present in garden rhubarb.

Alcohol – Never give your bird anything with alcohol in it. One teaspoon of an alcoholic beverage can kill a bird, because their livers cannot process alcohol. Mushrooms can cause allergic reactions

Spinach -- Quantities of spinach have a large amount of iron, which can lead to poisoning of some birds since their system cannot adequately get rid of excesses. Lories are especially susceptible to this problem.
Celery – Its long, stringy fiber, if swallowed whole and not chewed, can clog a bird's digestive system. Celery leaves are very good for your bird, however. They are an excellent source of all seven essential body salts.

Coffee – Avoid feeding your bird anything with caffeine in it.

Milk – Give this to your bird in cultured forms, such as cottage cheese, cheese, yogurt, sour cream, etc.

Additionally, you may allow your bird to sample food from your plate, but don't let him eat from your mouth, or off a utensil you have put in your mouth. The bacteria in your mouth can make your bird sick, since their bodies have different natural bacteria than ours.

Finally, be careful in using dog food and cat foods to feed your bird. These foods may contain gram negative bacteria, which can make birds very ill. Be especially careful that these foods are not rancid.