Bird care and introducing the new parrot to the rest of the flock, by My Companion Parrots. Many people do not want to get another bird because they are afraid that the first bird won’t pay enough attention to them anymore. If the bird does pay less attention to his or her human friends, it just proves how starved for same-species attention he or she was. Two birds can actually be easier to care for than one—with the companionship of another bird, they may be less disruptive and destructive. When the birds have become friends, you can be comforted by the fact that they have each other’s company when you are not home. The following tips will help keep birds healthy, calm, and contented: Before introducing a new bird, take him or her to an avian veterinarian for a checkup. If the newcomer is in good health and free of diseases, put his or her cage inside the larger flight enclosure so that the birds can see each other. I always ask for the total health check from the breeder before i quarantine the parrot. With all the avian vet results i move forward with the introduction or the quarantine. Watch to see how they get along. If they seem friendly to each other, open the door of the cage after 2-3 days. The newcomer will come out when he or she feels comfortable enough. Leave this cage in place, with the door open, for as many days as the newcomer may want to use it as a safe place, until he or she totally abandons it. Until you’re absolutely sure that the birds have bonded, don’t leave them alone or in a situation where one cannot get away from the other. Do not assume that these two birds will definitely become friends. Be prepared to house the birds separately if they do not bond. Let the birds fly free for long periods of time every day spending as much time out of the cage as possible. After the parrot feel confident to roam around the cage should be used just for the night sleep, or if you work and they need to stay inside. Again as i said in my other post, parrots should have someone home all the time, as they feel safer and stress less. Convert your balcony or porch into an aviary or build a good-weather aviary in your back yard, if possible. Otherwise, provide a bird proof room or rooms, with no ceiling fans or other bird hazards. Include a bird gym or nonpoisonous tree branches (such as eucalyptus, dogwood, apple, or elm) for exercise. Ideally, birds should get about 12 hours of sleep a night, preferably from dusk on, in a draped flight enclosure or a covered cage. Eliminate hazards like ceiling fans, pots of water, open toilet bowls, electrical wires, large glass windows and mirrors, places where birds could become stuck, etc. The fumes emitted by overheated nonstick cookware and self cleaning ovens are deadly to birds, therefore never use them in a home with birds. Use ecologically safe products; no strong cleaners, aerosols, artificial air fresheners, or insecticides. If your apartment complex demands that you make your apartment available to an exterminator, you can legally refuse for health reasons of the parrot/s. Keep food and water containers above perches, high enough so that they do not get soiled with droppings. Containers that have become soiled should be cleaned immediately. Some birds dunk food in their water, and those water containers should be cleaned at least twice a day to prevent bacterial growth. Vitamins should never be administered through the water unless the containers can be thoroughly cleaned every couple of hours, as this encourages bacterial growth. Wild birds don’t live on seeds alone, so you shouldn’t condemn your companion bird to such a bland and nutritionally inadequate diet either. Offer a variety of fruits and vegetables along with grains, nuts, cooked beans, and seeds. Birds have tremendously fast metabolisms and cannot go without food for long. Different species have different nutritional needs, so it’s imperative that you read up on your bird or consult with a veterinarian. Malnutrition accounts for more than 90 percent of the health problems and deaths of companion birds. Birds need the proper combination of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids to remain healthy. A good supplement can help, although a variety of the proper foods should meet all your bird/s needs. Please consult a qualified avian veterinarian or the bird nutritionist for further information on parrot natural diets and how you can mimic them Never provide grit for your birds. This supplement is marketed as an aid to digestion, and contains a bad calcium. Grit is not found in the wild and has no place in a bird’s diet, as it can mineralize in the gizzard and cause crop impactions. Fresh organic vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, okra, etc. should be offered instead. Make sure that your plants are not poisonous to birds. Common plants that are toxic if birds ingest them include English ivy, philodendron, azaleas, and holly. A good avian veterinarian can provide you with an extensive list. Provide shallow containers or a birdbath filled with water. Some birds like to be sprayed with water from a spray bottle; others love taking showers in the bathtub. After your birds bathe, keep them away from drafts until their feathers dry. Nail trims may be necessary but can often be avoided by providing perches from safe wooden branches with bark, and i recommend the thickness to be wide as the parrot can grip it twice. Nails should not touch when the parrot grips. Plastic perches as many people use the safety pumice i dont recommend as the bigger parrots like to chew on it, and they can digest the plastic and the glue the perch contains. Beak trims should not be needed unless there is an underlying health problem. Only use good avian vet to trim the parrot beak. Chewing on toys is necessary and good for birds and their beak. Provide numerous bird safe toys for chewing and playing, including clean, nonpoisonous wood and other natural materials. Companion animal supply, toy store companies online sell suitable wooden bird toys. Research before buying suitable toys for your companion/s.
Posted on: Sat, 05 Apr 2014 13:23:28 +0000
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