Alice Wender

Egg binding is the inability of an egg to pass out of the reproductive tract. Numerous causes contribute to egg binding and include a high fat diet resulting in obesity, a diet too low in calcium resulting in soft shelled eggs and impaired nerve impulse conduction, and excessive egg laying resulting in fatigue of the … Read more

It is quite common to walk into a pet store and see many smaller bird cages made from plastic or thin metal. Such cages are quite inexpensive and give a potential new bird owner the idea that purchasing a cage is not a major investment. That may be true for smaller birds. But such cages … Read more

A frequent concern heard from bird owners is the inability to get birds interested in eating vegetables. Because vegetables contain vitamins and nutrients considered essential to a bird’s health, refusal to eat such foods can be very frustrating for bird owners. I had never had to deal with such a situation until this last spring, … Read more

Paramyxoviruses are enveloped RNA viruses that hemoglutinate red blood cells. Nine serotypes (PMV-1 – PMV-2) exist based upon the species or type of birds from which the virus was isolated and the location of isolation. PMV-1, 2, 3 and 5 can cause illness in psittacines. Numerous strains of PMV-1 exist, some of which are very … Read more

1. Sources of virus. Exotic Newcastle disease virus (NDV) can infect a wide variety of bird species. Parrots and other psittacine birds are especially dangerous because they can carry exotic Newcastle disease virus and show no signs of disease. Most infected chickens and turkeys will die from this disease but can also spread the virus. NDV … Read more

One of the most disheartening things a bird owner can experience is having a bird who plucks his feathers or mutilates himself. The first step is to see a veterinarian to determine if the cause is medical. Having ruled this out, the cause is then most likely behavioral. It may be lonliness, boredom, or lack … Read more

The avian ear, as the mammalian ear, is an organ of hearing and balance. The ear is composed of three parts – an external, a middle and an inner part. The external ear lacks a flap or pinna (earlobe) and is hidden by specialized feathers known as auricular feathers. The auricular feathers protect the opening, … Read more

Many bird clubs are folding because of politics or infighting or strong-arming by eqotistical members. The quieter members are made to feel inferior, or are recruited by the stronger to support their ideas. Some clubs don’t last a year. Others after many years and under many principal leaders finally wear out. But now there is … Read more

There are many risks when people take their pet birds outside in the open on perches, or with them riding on their shoulders, as well as risks to aviary birds that are not well protected. Pet owners don’t stop to think about the many dangers in the immediate area. For instance, here in the Southwest, … Read more

My husband and I are parents and teachers (H.S. and Elem.), and as I’ve often said to new teachers who don’t have children of their own, “I’m a better parent because I was a teacher first, and I’d have been a better teacher if I’d been a parent first.” This article has two purposes: 1) … Read more