A pelleted diet is the ideal diet for all types of birds.  When you feed your birds a seed exclusive diet they will tend to pick out the ones they don’t like and only eat their favorites.  This can make it difficult for an owner to know what essential vitamins and minerals their birds are missing in their diets.  Of course you can buy a supplement, but ingestion of the supplement can be dubious at best.  When your bird is fed a diet based exclusively on seed, there are health risks such as obesity, fatty liver disease and many other serious medical conditions. 

An owner is usually unaware their bird is ill, because as a prey animal, they know full well not to show any sign of weakness or illness lest they be thrown from the flock as predator fodder.  It is typically when the illness progresses to a dangerous level, or even death, that the owner becomes aware there is a problem.

When you feed your bird a pelleted diet supplemented by fresh fruit and vegetables and whole grains, you can be sure your bird is eating a nutritionally complete diet.  Each pellet is made as equally nutritious as the next pellet, no matter what the color or shape.  Birds can be picky about what they eat and with a pelleted diet you can be certain that even if your birds hate the color red or star shapes, he will be getting the complete dietary requirements to ensure a long and happy life.

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A few articles back we wrote extensively on the dietary requirements your parrot should be receiving.

To outline the importance of feeding your parrot a variety of good foods we would like to introduce Max.

Max, is a 40-45 year old wild caught umbrella cockatoo currently living in an American store receiving all the love and attention he rightly deserves. 

Unfortunately Max isn’t going to live more then another year or two, he is nearly blind, has heart failure, liver failure and he is extremely emaciated.

What caused this?

His whole life his owner refused to feed him anything but sunflower seed and safflower seed. These seeds are extremely high in fat so it equates your kids eating nothing but burgers and chips for 45 years.

WARNING this heart-wrenching video may disturb some viewers.

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Following on from our previous article with regard to bathing equipment we realize not everyone’s familiar with bathing their birds.

It is incredibly important that all birds have access to bathing facilities be in a small bowl of water, the kitchen sink, being sprayed with a fine mist or the "human" shower.

It cures irritation that builds up amongst their feathers and is one of the causes for plucking.

Yes that’s right feather plucking doesn’t always mean the bird is bored but they’re merely trying to correct the "itching". Imagine having unreachable aggravations all over your body for hours, it would be enough to drive anyone crazy.

To some, the idea of taking birds in the shower may seem laughable but it’s a great way to spend some quality time with your bird as most love being in the warm, humid shower.

You can also ensure they receive a good bathing. If you have never taken your bird in the shower but would like to give it a go hopefully the following tips will be of use.

It is important to note throughout this recommended process the aim is to get the bird to LOVE the shower. Skipping steps or moving too quickly can scare your bird which will make it incredibly difficult to make any headway.

THE FOLLOWING PROCESS IS NOT TO BE USED WITH A POWER-SHOWER!

• Buy a shower perch as outlined in our previous article. Let the bird sit on the perch without the shower on for a few minutes a day (roughly 2 days) - this will get him/her used to the environment.
• If you’re bird is happy sitting on the perch and not showing any signs of nervousness continue to the next step.
• Run the shower before attempting to put your bird on the perch
• We recommend not getting the bird wet the first 2 - 3 shower attempts. It is a strange environment for a bird so take it very slow.
• Take one of it’s favourite toys…… Read the rest of this entry »

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Ok so we will forget the loaves… if you’re hungry make yourself a sarnie!

A finch is a small, active, captive bird that originates from Asia, Australia, and Africa.    Finches are native to the forests and grasslands in their country of origin. These tiny, flitting birds are ideal for a community aviary or a flight cage.  You can also keep a pair in a cage in your home.  It is best to buy them in pairs because these birds don’t interact very well with people and having two will keep your finch from becoming lonely and bored. 

Sometimes a few birds have been known to sit on the shoulders of their owners, but most finches are quite content to be admired from afar.

Many species of finches have beautifully coloured feathers, and many sing pretty songs.  The markings on finches vary according to the species.  One of the most remarkable finches is the Owl finch.  Their stunning facial markings mimic those of an owl.  There are many species to choose from, starting with the Owl finch, to the brightly colored Lady Gouldian finch.  This finch is sometimes described as “a stained glass window with feathers.”  If you are a first time bird owner, check with the staff at your local bird store for names of the species that may be best for you.

If you decide that you would like to own finches, keep in mind that you will be buying a pair and that they will spend most of their time in the cage.  Ensure that is large enough for them to fly around a bit.  It is wise to place perches on the opposite ends of the cages to give them more room to fly.

Finches are anywhere from 3 to 8 inches in length and weigh from 10 to 20 grams…..   Read the rest of this entry »

If you have always wanted bird as your pet but felt you didn’t have the time or the space for one, you can think again.  Canaries are the perfect pet bird for the apartment dweller.  They don’t require interaction with their humans and are perfectly happy living alone.  If you work outside the home, you don’t have to feel guilty leaving your pet home alone.  Your canary will be happy to sing up a storm whether you are there or not.

Before you rush out and buy a canary, many breeds of canaries have been developed over time. 

• These birds have been bred in captivity for over 500 years. 
• They’re indigenous to the Canary Islands which is where they obviously get their name. 
• There are still canaries in the wild, but they are not as colorful as the birds you will find for sale as pets. 
• The breeds are classified as song, type, or color canaries. 
• The German Roller or Hartz Mountain is the canary many of us are thinking of when we think of these birds. 
• The color canaries are becoming more popular because of the bright hues of the birds.

Canaries were the most common kept cage birds for a long time.  They are not hard to breed, but……….
Read the rest of this entry »

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