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
Probably more words have been written and said about this topic than any other computer related subject. This a serious subject, but it does have some ironic characteristics. First of all, it is not millenium related. The next millenium starts on January 1, 2001 (our current calander started with year one, not zero), while our … Read more
As we move forward into the 21st Century, the lives of our birds are understood better than at any time before. Consider that just a scant 20 years ago, avian medicine was so poorly understood that many vets refused to treat parrots and other large birds. We have seen the advent of the pellet diet, … 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
We all feed our birds as well as possible. Unfortunately for us, ants like all of the bird foods too. Last year we were suddenly infested with carpenter ants in our den. These black, half inch long devils made a beeline for our birds’ large gym and began feasting in the bird food dishes and … Read more