Archive for the ‘Birds’ Category
Things You Need to Know About Pet Birds
Birds are becoming more and more popular as pets. There are a variety of bird species and sizes to choose from. The smaller birds are the Parakeet, Canary, Finch, Budgies, Lovebird…the larger birds are the Cockatiel, African Grey, Cockatoo, Amazon, Quaker, among others. Birds are highly intelligent animals. They are extremely social creatures… fairly inexpensive to feed… relatively easy to care for… and display amazing colors and behavior patterns that are interesting to watch and have even proven to improve peoples health i.e lower blood pressure and stress levels. The smaller birds… canaries, budgies, love birds…are ideal for apartment dwellers. Cages: Stainless steel or aluminum cages are more fitting for housing bird(s) than are painted cages. Not only will they give longer service, but the older painted cages may contain lead based paint which is toxic to birds. Cages should be wide enough for the bird to stretch its wings.
Cages should be placed near family activities in the home. Lining the bottom of the cage with newspapers or paper towels will make for easier clean up. Food and water bowls should be cleaned daily and once a week thorough cleaning of the cage should be done. Cages should also include toys, perches, mirrors and chewable items. Diet: Dietary needs among bird species are not all the same. Some have very specific dietary needs and need special diets. Feeding pet birds the right foods is one of the most important considerations of its overall care. Balancing a pet birds diet will prevent many health problems later.
Diet for most seed-eating birds should consist of pelleted foods, fresh fruits (apples, grapes, cantaloupe, pineapple, figs, and kiwi) and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are a good source of vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates, but shouldn’t be left in the cage at room temperature for long periods of time as they can spoil causing bacteria that is harmful to the bird. It’s important to research what types of foods are best for your species of bird. Offering the bird a food item at dinner time is ok as long as you make sure that the foods you share aren’t toxic to birds. The best time for feeding is in the morning and have fruits and vegetables available during the day. Health and Care: Health should be a primary consideration when choosing a pet bird. For routine health examinations you should schedule a yearly checkup with a avian veterinarian in order to detect potential problems early.
A healthy bird can tolerate temperatures that are comfortable to its owner. A pet bird should never be let out of its cage unattended. Some common dangers for birds are ceiling fans, heaters, open windows and doors, other pets, water filled tubs, sinks, etc. Some do’s: Do close the blinds or pull the drapes over the windows if you let the bird out of it’s cage to keep it from injuring himself flying into the glass. Do make sure a fireplace screen is covering the fireplace. Do cover aquariums. Do keep toilet lids down to keep the bird from falling in.
Do keep other pets (cats, dogs) away from the pet bird. Do keep clean water in it’s cage. Do clean food bowl. Do keep the cage clean. Some don’t's: Don’t feed the bird certain foods (i.e chocolate, avocado) because they are toxic. Don’t leave any doors and windows open in case the bird gets out of his cage. Don’t hold a bird tight because their bones are fragile and can easily be fractured. Don’t let a pet bird loose in the kitchen around boiling water or stove burners. Don’t turn on ceiling fans if the bird is out of its cage. Don’t smoke around the bird. Don’t over heat non-stick-coated (Teflon) pots or pans for the fumes are toxic to birds. Don’t let the bird eat toxic plants (daffodils, juniper, azaleas, oleanders,etc). Don’t feed the bird pits from fruit as in cherries, plums or peaches because these contain cyanide which is toxic to birds. Pet birds can be purchased from a variety of sources,such as pet shops, breeders, private dealers, or individuals.
Lamar Deane offers free tips and information How to Choose The Right Pet For You [http://pets4usite.info/popular-pets.html]
Author: Lamar Dean
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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The Rose Breasted Grosbeak Bird
What a surprise to have two male Rose-Breasted Grosbeak birds on our bird feeder in the month of May. Then to our amazement we had three females appear! These birds are neo-tropical migrants. They spend the winter months in an area from central Mexico to northern South America. In May, they return to the North American continent and take up residence in the northeastern United States and southern Canada. Their habitat is shrubbery, woodlands, and brushy stream areas adjacent to open fields. The male birds arrive before the females, select a nesting territory, and begin singing to attract a prospective mate.
As well as, the sunflower seeds from our bird feeders, a typical diet for these beautiful birds might include seeds of elms, blossoms of hickory or beech trees, buds of white ash, flowers and fruit. Insects of the forest such as gypsy moths and tent caterpillars are also table fare for Grosbeaks. The Grosbeaks savor crop damaging beetles, locusts, cut worms, chinch bugs and other creepy crawlers. Because of this they are sometimes called the “potato bug bird”.
The Rose Breasted Grosbeak is of the finch species. The male has a black head, back, bright red breast and white rump, sides and belly. The bird’s wings are black with white patches above and red, white and black below. The bird in flight reveals startling pink-red linings on the wings. These birds have a large, stout, pale pink-almost white, conical bill. They have a long slightly notched black tail with white patches.
The female Grosbeak has a buff color breast with heavy brown streaks on the sides, making it seem almost drab compared to the male bird. The only “showy” part of the female is her yellow wing linings, only visible in flight. The male and female birds bear little resemblance to each other. Except for the bill, they can be easily mistaken for two different species. Both male and female birds are about the size of a starling.
The male bird is a proud and devout family man. He helps build the nest of twigs and grasses usually in a small tree or bush five to fifty feet high. The nest appears as a flimsy constructed saucer. He also takes his turn incubating the eggs. The female Grosbeak lays three to five light green eggs with brown spots. Incubation time for the eggs is thirteen to fourteen days. He sits on the nest from morning to afternoon, while the female gets the night shift. After hatching,the baby birds leave the nest in nine to twelve days. The male bird is so happy to be included in the family chores that he even sings while on the bird nest. Both the male and female birds sing; their songs very similar to a robin. Rose Breasted Grosbeaks often sing from the treetops in their loud, clear song. It is richer and a more melodious version of the lengthly sing-song of the robin. The notes are sweeter and they have more slurred whistles.
The Rose Breasted Grosbeak is a favorite bird in Mexico, Central and South America. Here the locals are fond of them and often capture them for pets.
We had not seen a Rose Breasted Grosbeak before and were so happy to have them come to our bird feeders. They have already moved on for their flight to the northeastern states. We hope when the late summer days start to become crisp, these beautiful birds will again visit our bird feeders on their way south for the winter.
The author became interested in birds because of her desire to overcome her bird phobia. Over time many interesting and beautiful birds have come to her yard, bird houses and bird feeders. Visit http://www.birdbedandbreakfast.com for bird houses, bird feeders and more.
Visit http://www.birdbedandbreakfast.com for bird houses, bird feeders and more.
Author: Margaret Mauldin
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Tips For Clipping Your Bird’s Wings
Do you have a pet bird? If so, you might be considering the possibility of clipping your pet’s wings. Within the world of pet bird owners, the subject of wing clipping is a bit controversial. While many specialists recommend clipping the wings of captive birds, some believe it is the wrong thing to do. Therefore, before you learn how to clip your bird’s wings, it is a good idea to explore the pros and cons of wing clipping.
Benefits of Wing Clipping
One of the obvious benefits to wing clipping is the fact that clipping your bird’s wings makes it difficult for it to fly away. As such, clipping is a good way to keep your pet bird safe from accidentally flying away and being lost forever. Clipping your bird’s wings also helps to keep your pet bird safe, as flying around indoors can be dangerous. It is important to note, however, that a bird with clipped wings is still capable of flying. Basically, clipping slows the bird down and causes it to fly in a clumsier manner. Therefore, clipping should not be considered a foolproof method of preventing flight.
Some bird owners support wing clipping because they feel it helps them bond with their pet. After all, when your bird’s wings are clipped, it becomes more dependent upon its owner to take care of it. There is no true evidence, however, to support this theory.
Drawbacks of Wing Clipping
Although clipping your bird’s wings can prevent it from flying away, some bird lovers are afraid that clipping a bird’s wings causes psychological as well as physical damage to the bird. In addition, after clipping a bird’s wings, the bird is no longer able to get a good workout. Therefore, those that are against wing clipping feel that the lack of exercise is more detrimental to the bird than the potential dangers associated with being able to fly freely. Of course, clipping the wings of a bird can also detract from the pet’s physical beauty because of the feathers it is missing.
Clipping Your Bird’s Wings
When clipping your pet bird’s wings, it is best to wrap the bird in a towel and to have one person hold the bird while another person clips the wings. The scissors used to clip the wings should be nice and sharp in order to create a smooth cut.
The only feathers that need to be cut are the outer six or seven on the bird’s wings, as these are referred to as the “flight feathers.” It is, however, ok to clip back more than just these few feathers.
You should check your bird’s feathers about once per month to see if they need to be trimmed again, as they do grow back rather quickly. Once the bird is able to fly more than a few feet, it is a good sign that the feathers should be clipped again.
Before you clip your bird’s wings for the first time, it is a good idea to have your vet perform the clipping while you watch. This way, you will have a clear idea about how far you should clip the feathers and which feathers need to be clipped and your pet bird can be safe and healthy.
CS Swarens is the president of Find a Pet Online. 800 998-7065
For additional information on dogs, cats, birds, horses, and exotic pets visit the internet’s pet resource including pet classifieds at http://www.findapetonline.com
Research bird breeds at http://www.findapetonline.com/bird_breeds_a_z.html
Author: CS Swarens
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Martin Bird Houses – The Avian Condominium
All over the country, particularly in the West Coast, interest in bird houses has been steadily increasing. People are putting up bird houses in their own backyards. In stores, a myriad of new kinds of bird houses have emerged. You now have an endless array of bird houses to choose from, depending on your preference of design, size, or color. One of the most popular specialized bird houses right now are the martin bird houses.
Just as there are several different types of human homes, there are also several kinds of homes for birds. There are bird houses designed for single occupancy, called cottages or shanties, and there are also larger bird houses called churches, cathedrals, or condominiums, which are built to provide shelter for as many as a hundred birds.
Martin bird houses are of the condominium type. The most common martin bird house can accommodate about 15 birds. Each bird in the avian condominium has its own room. There are usually several levels of this bird condominium. Some of the larger martin bird houses have as much as 12 levels, with at least 10 compartments in each level.
An extensive martin bird house does not only offer shelter to a larger population of birds. It also provides them with greater protection and security from weather, temperature and other natural elements, such as other animals. Many small birds like the purple martins commonly fall victim to larger animals, particularly birds of prey like owls and hawks. Big martin bird houses can provide them with relatively more protection against these predators than smaller homes ever could.
Martin bird houses contain several birds at a time, so droppings and other dirt can accumulate faster and constant maintenance is required. Moreover, because of the large number of residents, parasites can transfer from bird to bird quickly if you do not keep the condominium clean at all times.
With the large number of rooms in the martin bird house, regular cleaning could prove to be a wearisome task. If you are looking to buy a new martin bird house, try to choose one whose back wall can easily be dismantled. This will make it easier for you to clean the compartments thoroughly. If you want a martin bird house that is placed on a pole, you need to have a way to raise and lower it easily to make cleaning less difficult. If you keep your martin bird house sanitary, your bird tenants will be very grateful and they will keep coming back to your place.
You can also find more info on Bird Houses and Bird House Crafts. Thisbirdhouse.com is a comprehensive resource to know about Bird House Crafts, Kits and Plans.
Author: David Faulkner
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Birds Cages – How To Choose The Right One
So you’re faced with the hard decision of choosing a bird cage for your bird? Well, there are multiple things to think about, but this article will discuss the 3 most important issues involved in that decision. If you abide by the guidelines discussed below, you’ll find a great cage at a great price that you’re truly happy with. There’s a lot to think about – not just the dimensions of the cage and the spacing between the bars. However, that is a great place to start, so let us cover that first in this article.
Choosing the right size cage & also making sure the bar spacing is safe
This is the very first issue you need to consider when shopping for bird cages. You can’t even look at the other details or features of a cage until you’ve determined it’s the right size of cage and has the right bar spacing. As a general rule of thumb; the bigger the the cage is the better, as long as the bar spacing’s not too wide. At our web store, we separate birds into 3 categories; small birds, medium birds, & large birds. These categories slightly overlap because some birds fit into the high end & the low end of 2 different categories. For example, Lovebirds fit into the small birds category, but they also fit into the medium birds category.
For your education, let us quickly give you the minimum dimensions & maximum bar spacing measurements for most species of birds:
Small birds (i.e. Finches, Canaries, and Parakeets) should be in a cage that is no smaller than 18″(W) x 18″(D) x 22″(H) and they should not have bar spacing that’s wider than 1/2″.
Slightly larger small birds (i.e. Cockatiels, Lovebirds, and smaller types of Conures) shouldn’t be in a cage smaller than 20″(W) x 18″(D) x 24″(H) and they’re bar spacing shouldn’t be wider than 3/4″.
Medium birds (i.e. most Conures, Timnehs, and smaller Amazons) should have a cage that’s at least these dimensions; 22″(W) x 20″(D) x 28″(H) and should have bar spacing no wider than 1″.
Large birds (i.e. Congo African Greys, most Amazons, smaller Cockatoos) should have a parrot cage that is at least 32″ x 24″(D) x 30″(H) & the bar spacing should be no wider than 1″.
The biggest of the big birds (i.e. large Macaws, large Cockatoos, Toucans, and Hyacinth) should be in a cage no littler than 38″(W) x 30″(D) x 48″(H) & they can get away with spacing that’s up to 1-1/2″ wide. Most large parrot cages feature 1″ bar spacing & that is just fine.
If your species of bird isn’t named above, just find a species above that’s similar in size to your bird & follow the dimension & bar spacing guidelines shown.
Choosing a good quality cage & not spending more than you have to
This is another hard aspect to face. If you have owned a generic bird cage before, you know you do not want to go through that again. The majority of first time cage buyers get a very cheap, generic cage, but they usually don’t make that mistake twice. Some of the top brand names around are Kings, Avian Adventures, Invision Cages, Animal Environments, California Cages, Cages By Design, Liberty Cages, Visionary Acrylic Cages, & HQ Cages. At our web store we offer what we consider to be the very best 3 brand names available, but we have heard good and bad about all of them. The reason we offer the cages we offer is for the following 3 solid reasons;
1. The manufacturer’s stand behind their cages & warranties,
2. The materials used are truly tested safe for birds (most manufacturers do not do this), and
3. We’ve offered or seen every brand name listed & have decided what ones we think are the most solid. Most cages offered by the brand names listed above are within approximately the same price range, so you just have to look around & see what fits you budget & your bird’s specific needs. A great place to do research is within online bird forums & bird discussion boards. You can talk with other bird owners who’ve tried the brand name you’re considering & they will gladly offer feedback on the cage that you are looking at. We do offer a bird lover’s forum & the website address is listed in my biography at the bottom of this article. I urge you to visit our forum and others on the web as well, they provide great insight into what cages would work best for you & your bird.
How to choose the best retailer to buy from
This is the third and final part of this article, but it’s only listed last because of how important the 2 factors listed before it are. This too is a very important part f your decision making process. If you can find a reputable store front in your region that offers top brand name cages at decent prices then that may be a good place to start. However, you will probably find that most pet supply store fronts that are offline are either extremely high priced, or they do not have any true parrot cages at all – they strictly offer small economy boxed cages that aren’t large enough for the smallest of birds. This is because local store fronts have a very tough time competing with the internet retailers. Local store fronts have multiple overhead costs that need be buried into their product prices, and online stores do not have much overhead at all. So once you look locally, you’ll most likely be on the web cage shopping. Now that you are online, how do you decide who you can trust? That’s a great question, and not an easy one to answer. There are a few really good indicators that you can use to make a good judgment on who the trustworthy web stores are; One of the ways is something we previously discussed; head to the bird forums – if other people had a pleasant experience with an online store, you’re likely to as well. I also recommend checking the sites you visit for positive customer testimonials. Web sites that do not post positive customer feedback they’ve received, probably haven’t received any positive feedback. If you had one single customer contact you to tell you how great of an experience they had, wouldn’t you place that testimonial on your web store? The last way to help determine whether a business is solid or not is to make sure they take all major credit cards, and not strictly PayPal. A site that takes all major credit cards strictly through PayPal is a red flag in my opinion. You may be wondering why on earth that’s a red flag, well consider this; if a web store takes all major credit cards and the credit card companies receive too many complaints from their customers, they can actually lose their credit card processing account. That’s right, the credit card processing company will actually pull their account & not let them take credit cards anymore. This then forces that online retailer to strictly offer PayPal or Google Checkout as their payment method. All internet retailers should take all major credit cards, and if they do not, it may be because they have lost their credit card processing account because of excessive customer complaints. I’m not saying that a web store shouldn’t accept PayPal as a payment method, they should, but they should also be taking credit cards directly through the store’s shopping cart as well.
Well, we have now covered what I consider the big 3 issues to consider when choosing a cage for your new bird. Again, there are many other factors, but these are the most important in my opinion, and if you follow these guidelines you will be very pleased with the decision you make. Plus, your bird will be proud of the decision you make on his behalf!
Until next time, this is Dave Hermansen signing off. If you’d like to read more great articles or visit the web store I am a part of see my bio below. I’m providing the web addresses for our forum, and the bird cage store I am a partial owner of. Best of luck to you on your personal venture to find the perfect cage for your feathered friend!
NOTE: This article is free to copy and use on other web sites as long as it’s copied in it’s entirety and any links are left in place and active.
Dave is an expert on bird cages for sale in the online market today. Also visit the Everything Birds, Bird Lover’s Forum [http://www.bird-cage.com/forum] as well.
Author: David Hermansen
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Will Your Pet Bird Outlive You?
One common misconception about pet birds is that they live for hundreds of years and need to be willed to someone in order to ensure their care after you’re gone. While birds do live for quite a long time in the wild, their lifespan in captivity is actually much shorter. Below are some common pet birds and their average life span in captivity given that they receive superior care and a proper diet.
Macaw – 50 years
Cockatoo – 40 years
African Grey – 25 years
Amazon Parrot – 50 years
Conure – 15 years
Parakeet – 15 years
Parrotlet – 15 years
Lovebird – 10 years
Canary – 15 years
Finch – 5 years
Certainly with a lifespan of 50 years, a bird could outlive you however there are many hidden dangers lurking around that can cut your birds life short. Birds are very fragile and need to be cared for properly in order for them to live a long life.
Here are some things you can do to help keep your bird safe and healthy:
One major danger for birds as fumes from chemical products. Aerosol sprays, Teflon pans and even such things as furniture polish can kill your bird. Keep anything that has a strong odor away from your bird and make sure you use it in a well ventilated area. I suggest you get rid of all your Teflon pants however if you insist on keeping them make sure your bird is nowhere near the kitchen when you’re cooking with them and also be sure not to heat them up without food in them as this will cause the Teflon to emit more odor.
Pet birds love to chew on things and will in fact chew on anything they can find whether it’s good for them or not. It’s important not to let them chew on anything that is welded as they can get lead poisoning from the slaughter in the joints. They also will love your household plants and will nibble on them so you need to be sure that any plants you have are not poisonous to birds.
Birds love to eat fresh fruits and vegetables but you need to take care not to leave the fruits and vegetables out too long or they can start to rot. Just like you wouldn’t feed a piece of pineapple that was sitting on the counter for three hours to your family, you shouldn’t be this to your bird either. Something should never be offered to birds as food such as coffee chocolate and avocado as these are toxic to our feathered friends.
The holidays pose a special threat to birds as they may want to fly into your tree and chew on it. You need to be very careful with this, however as many trees are sprayed with stuff that is toxic to birds. In addition, the ornaments, tinsel and electric lights might seem attractive to your pet bird but, of course, could be very dangerous for him to chew on.
Birds that are allowed to fly around the house can be fun but you need to think of safety first if your bird does not have clipped wings and has free reign to fly wherever he wants. Obviously, you want to make sure your windows are closed so that he cannot get out. In addition, you probably want to pull down the shades or close the curtains when your birds flying around as you don’t want him to fly into the closed window and hurt himself. If you cannot do this, then put some decals on the glass so that your bird will know not to fly into it. The same goes for Mariners or any reflective surface. This is very important as your bird can actually break his neck by flying into them.
Another thing to be careful of is standing water such as water in the sink or toilet you don’t want your bird to get in over his head and drown!
Please refrain from cooking while your bird is flying around as you don’t want him to win on the stove and burn himself.
Finally, make sure that you do not answer the door while your birds perched on your shoulder. Even a bird with clipped wings could get away in an updraft and their many dangers outdoors such as cats and cars that can harm your bird.
Feeding your bird a nutritious diet and keeping him safe may not ensure that he outlives you but it will go a long way to making sure that he has a long healthy and happy life!
Lee Dobbins writes for http://pet-birds.pet-breeds.com where you can learn more about pet bird safety.
Author: Lee Dobbins
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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