Do you avoid feeding nuts to your birds because they are nothing more than fat-laden treats? If so, it is time to rethink this popular myth. Because of the recent trend toward fat-free diets, nuts have gotten a bad reputation which is both undeserved and inaccurate. Recently, two major scientific conferences have extolled the virtue … Read more
We just moved our six pet birds and one human (me) from New Jersey to San Diego, CA in one move. In as much as the birds and the human survived, we thought to share what we learned about carriers.Once it was decided that we were going to move our birds (four umbrella cockatoos and … Read more
Digestion in birds involves a lot of organs, each performing a specific function. It begins with entry of food via the beak and ends with the exiting of refuse at the vent. Food is broken down and absorbed for use along the way. The Mouth The avian beak or rostrum is composed of bone and an outer … Read more
Crop Stasis Crop stasis occurs when the normal mobility of the crop is impaired, causing food to remain in the crop. The crop may appear enlarged orit may be hidden by feathers. Food, fluid and mucus or foreign bodies may be present in the crop. Crop stasis is most common in baby psittaciines (parrots) and … Read more
This is the third in a series of articles on avian reproduction. The first two articles addressed The Incredible Female Bird Reproductive System and The Male Bird Reproductive System. This article discusses some of the factors which trigger and stimulate reproduction and as well as some of the resulting hormonal and reproductive system changes. Some birds, such as … Read more
Why birds do “anting,” what experts think it means, and when this behavior is normal vs a possible warning sign.
Most parrot owners are well aware of the common hazards that endanger our parrots, such as overheated Teflon, forbidden foods, poisonous plants, toxic metals, and others. There are many lists of poisonous plants and many articles about the various hazards to be avoided.Two other means of frequent exposure to toxins that have not been covered … Read more
This is the third in a series of articles I have written on breeding Greys. The first article Breeding African Greys – Part I covered setting up, mating and breeding through the hatching of baby chicks. Part II addressed brooders, handfeeding and caring for the baby chicks. Part III covers weaning, fledging, advanced socialization and finding buyers. Further articles … Read more
Egg binding, or the obstruction of the uterus or oviduct by an egg, is a common problem seen in female birds. Since it can occur in a female bird, even if a mate is not present, unmated pet birds can also experience this problem. Egg binding can be life-threatening, especially in the smaller species such … Read more
Every once in a while, one of us may find a baby wild bird or birds who appear to have fallen out of the nest. We want to help, but don’t know what to do. Here are some guidelines on how to help an unfortunate baby bird. Birds fall into two categories; precocial and altricial. … Read more