Here you will find a list of things safe and also things unsafe for your parrot . A list of Avian Certified Veterinarians. Basic care and Nutrition.
In Addition to safety tips , we are here for your parrot grooming needs such as wing and nail trimming . Keep in mind that many Scented Candles and Air fresheners are very toxic to your bird. Safe Scents Orange and Lemon Peels Boiled add clove and cinnamon Combine one lemon peel, one lime peel and one orange peel with 6 cups of water. Simmer the mixture on the stove for until the fragrance fills the room. Safe Cage Cleaning: Vinegar is safely useable on bird cages to remove any soiling |
Veterinarian Services Local Recommendations for emergency services and well baby check up: Central Animal Hospital - KIM TALLY Energy IL. 618-997-6536 Carbondale IL. 618-549-4738 Harrisburg IL. 618-253-6266 We highly recommend Kims' services for our local customers and recommend our customers take their new baby birds to Kim for a well baby check up within the first few weeks of taking your babies home. The first check up is very important to form a baseline on blood work ect. should your baby become ill , it is much easier to treat illness if there is a baseline on blood work done from the very beginning. Avian Veterinarian List : Scott E. McDonald , DVM office: 630-654-3580 18 Waverly Ave. Clarendon Hills, IL 60514
Dr. David Kersting - Bird Medicine and Surgery 132 Four Seasons Shopping Center, Chesterfield, Missouri 63017 (314) 469-6661 Dr. Nye - Avian Specialists - Surgical Sexing 192 South Manheim Road, Westchester, IL 60154 (708) 344-8166
|
FACTS ABOUT CLIPPING BIRDS' WINGS: Clipping a bird's wings is safe and painless when done correctly. If you do not know how to do it yourself, find a pet shop that specializes in birds and have them do it for you. Often a bird will resent being handled during wing clips, and having it done by another person allows the bird to feel any ill-will towards the bird-groomer and not you. Birds CAN FLY with clipped wings...a clipped bird IS NOT ESCAPE PROOF! They are slowed down, and they fly lower and clumsier, but are still potential victims to household hazards: open windows or doors, and other animals. Watch for clipped feathers to molt out...new feather re-growth can happen very fast, creating a wing with full-flight capabilities. NEVER CLIP A PIN-FEATHER! (see "C") This opens up the vein and the bird can bleed to death. Wait until the feather is all the way grown in, opened and hardened. While your bird is growing new flight feathers; and they have an active blood supply; restrict time out of the cage. GUIDELINE FOR CLIPPING BIRDS' WINGS: Clipping a bird's wing requires very sharp scissors (smaller size may be best.) Hold the bird securely but gently, taking care not to close your hand over the bird's chest (this will prevent breathing and bird will panic.) Clip the grown-out primary feathers back until they meet the edge of the secondary feathers. This will yield a neat, blunt clip. Optional clip is to leave the first two primaries - marked here as "A" and "B" - to give a visually full looking wing. (the clipped bird above right was not very attractively clipped. DO NOT LEAVE outer primaries on strong fliers, i.e. Cockatiels.Be sure to clip both wings , a one wing clip can be dangerous as the bird can still fly but cannot control its direction. |
Feeding and Watering
Make sure your bird has access to food and clean, uncontaminated water daily. Fresh foods such as fruits and vegetables should be provided in clean bowls on a daily basis and removed after about two hours to avoid spoilage.
Hygiene
Practicing good hygiene is far more important in the prevention of disease than the use of disinfectants. The cage should be washed and dried in sunlight on a weekly basis and food and water bowls need to be scrubbed daily to prevent the build up slime and algae. The lining of the cage should also be changed daily as the accumulation of spoiled foods and droppings draws pests and promotes the growth of bacteria and fungi. Should a disinfectant become necessary, regular chlorine bleach is very efficient and will kill most anything. However, it is corrosive and will pit metal.
Environment
Birds that must be maintained indoors with little or no access to natural light will need to be provided with some type of full spectrum lighting. Healthy birds can tolerate temperatures that are comfortable to humans. During very hot temperatures, a bird may show signs of overheating by panting and holding it's wings away from it's body. The feet may also feel very warm to the touch. Heat stroke can occur and misting the bird will quickly cool it down. In very cold temperatures, a bird will sit fluffed up on it's perch with it's wings held tight against it's body. It may perch on only one foot while keeping the other tucked up close to it's body for warmth. The feet will also feel cold to the touch. Place the bird in a heated room to warm it up. Never place a bird's cage or play stand near vents, ducts, or drafty windows or doors. Birds can become ill from prolonged exposure. Activity In the wild, most parrots spend their days foraging for food and participating in a variety of flock activities. They fly, climb, open fruits and nuts, and socialize with other members of their flock. Birds require more than a cage to fulfill their intrinsic need for social interaction and activity. They will thrive with attention and wither with neglect. A bird kept in it's cage without diversion may develop behavioral problems that include screaming or plucking. Your bird's cage should be located near family activity. Be sure to provide your bird with adequate social time outside of it's cage. While inside the cage, make sure your bird has a supply of toys that will keep it busy and entertained |
Diet : Basically, birds are very hardy and easy to care for. Poor nutrition or inadequate diet are the most common causes of illness. Dietary deficiencies can lead to a wide range of diseases, from poor feathering to fatty liver disease. Seeds should never make up the bulk of a bird's diet. They are high in fat and low in nutritional value. Certain species, such as amazons, tend to be obese and may benefit from having seeds completely eliminated from their diets. On the other hand, it may not be prudent to totally cut seeds from the diets of macaws and conures which seem to have a higher need for fat. Nuts are a better source of fat and have higher nutritional value.
Some believe that pellets are a complete source for bird nutrition and can be fed to the exclusion of all other foods. While pellets make up a good portion of our birds' diets, we still believe in the benefits of feeding a variety of other healthy foods. In addition to pellets, we feed our birds fresh fruits and vegetables, cooked beans and rice, grains, breads, pastas, nuts and seeds.
A varied diet serves a dual purpose. Not only is the bird supplied with healthy foods to eat, it is also mentally stimulating and enjoyable. Birds are smart and do have a sense of taste so it's important to make sure that they are consuming a variety of foods and not just one or two favorite foods. Birdie mashes and breads or muffins with veggies baked in are a great way to get the finicky eater to consume a variety of healthy foods. To maintain your birds health, it is best as a pet owner to offer your bird a wide variety of foods. It is an important part of the care you give your bird. An all seed diet is now recognized as a very poor diet for birds kept in captivity as pets. The seeds alone are unhealthy for him and will usually cause early death. Many birds can live happily for many years with the correct care and nutrition. Unlike people with poor eating habits, birds have to eat what we owners feed them and often without even knowing it, can be all the wrong things.
Here is a list of NO, NO'S to begin with.
Avocado (will kill your bird ! ) Onion Garlic , It is in the onion family , Known for improving immune function in humans , Not necessarily birds. Chocolate ( Will kill your bird ! ) Fruit Seeds (such as apple, orange, peach, lemon, etc.) Sugar Mushrooms of any sort High Fat Foods such as chips and fried foods and also a lot seed in the diet such as Sun Flower seed will also cause Fatty Liver Disease Salt : Their bodies cannot metabolize it ! Remember to Bird proof your home just the way you would baby proof it . Cleaning chemicals and many things around your home that you may use from time to time can be very toxic to your bird. |
Sanitation Your bird Should be kept clean and sanitary for its own health and yours . So clean food and water are a must , along with a clean cage . Frequent bathing , which ever your bird likes most . A shower in the bathroom or in the safety of his own territory as a Mist Bath . I add a cap of Listerine to a large mist bottle of warm water, it will keep their skin and feathers in good condition especially during molting periods. When pin feathers are starting to come through the skin , Touch very gently during this time , as molting is stressful for your bird and the skin is very tender. Bird baths help your bird get through this period much quicker and with a lot less stress. Not to mention , consistant bathing will help keep any bird dust to a minimum level in your home. Protect your lungs and your birds air sac. You also may try preening your bird gently to help break down the sheath that is wrapped around the feather , this is what one bird will do for another as some areas are hard to reach such as the head and neck area. This will also help them through this stressful time. |
Household Toxins
|
|
|
TOXIC PLANTS |
|
|
