If you own just one bird, chances are you have minimum cleaning and waste problems.  It is easy to buy treats and toys because you are not spending so much on things like grooming.

When you lay out big bucks for items like toys, perches and playgyms, it takes a bite out of your wallet.  To ensure that these items last for some time, the proper care should be afforded for each piece of your bird’s equipment. Sand or scrape wooden perches that have been cleaned to keep them looking like new.  Clean and dry your cage bars on a daily basis to prevent any corrosion.  It is always a good idea to rotate your bird’s toys frequently to keep his interest engaged. 

When you are choosing toys for your bird, get the appropriate size.  If you buy a toy too big, your bird will ignore it and you will have wasted your money.  If you buy a toy too small, your bird is bound to destroy it quicker than it took for you to get it out of the package.  Remember, size does matter.

So do the materials that toys are made from matter?  Pick toys that are made of sturdy and easily cleaned materials.  You can find toys made with hardwood, plastic, leather, and other durable materials.  Some toys come with replacement parts, and bird owners always have the option of creating unique toys from the materials their birds prefer.  You can find many things to help you build and design your own bird toys.  In the end you may actually find that it is not only cheaper, but you enjoy creating them! In a future article we will discuss the materials you can use for making your own parrot toys!

To keep toys in rotation, wash them and dry them thoroughly.  Inspect them closely looking for any cracks that may catch little toes and strings where they can tangled.  Sand any wooden toys that look a bit worse for wear and make sure that you wash any cotton or leather toys in warm sudsy water and rinse extremely well.  Clip any loose or frayed string to ensure added safety.

Our birds are our world, but they can cost us quite a bit of money if we aren’t careful. Daily newspaper and be used for cage liner; never place your bird’s food underneath any of his favorite perches to keep his poop from spoiling it.  Feeding him a well balanced diet of veggies and fruit can also allow your bird mix to last longer. You can own a bird without breaking the bank!

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Pellet Diets

The importance of parrot nutrition!

What should I feed my parrot?

Popularity: 42% [?]

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.

Popularity: 43% [?]

Most people are under the impression that parrots should eat a diet that is rich in seed.  This is simply not true.  Seeds are fine for an occasional treat, but as a steady diet, it lacks the proper nutrition requirements that parrots need to thrive.

Understanding your parrot’s nutrition requirements is a vital part of pet bird ownership.  The pelleted diet that is offered today is a far cry from the conventional seeds and water diet that was the common fare for birds in captivity. 

When birds are in the wild, they eat a vast array of foods.  They have been observed eating seeds, fruit, nectar, pollen, berries, nuts, snails and even insects.

As humans, we have been hearing about the importance of eating from the four basic food groups.  It may be hard to believe, but these same principles of good nutrition can be applied to your pet parrot’s diet as well.  The Association of Avian Veterinarians say that a diet that is composed of 50 percent grain and legumes, 45 percent dark green or dark orange vegetables and fruits and finally, 5 percent meat that is broiled and well cooked, eggs that are scrambled well and dairy products is ideal.

How can you serve this to your bird? 

If we start with carbohydrates, this would include pellets, whole grain pasta and unsweetened breakfast cereal. 

You can also give your bird whole wheat bread, cooked rice or beans.  Dark green or dark orange vegetables contain the important vitamin A. 

This will help your bird to fight infections.  You can serve your bird carrots, yams, sweet potatoes, broccoli, dried red peppers, dandelion greens and/or spinach.

To feed meat and dairy foods…… Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 10% [?]