As new food facts surface and more formulated diets become available for our birds, nutrition remains the most debated subject in birdkeeping and aviculture. Some still question the use of an all-pellet diet, and the need for a greater consumption of water for birds who are on a diet consisting of all dry foods (nuts, … Read more
Psittacosis may not be the most common disease in your flock, but it is the one you need to be most aware of. This is because Psittacosis (or more technically Chlamydiosis or Chlamydia) is the one disease your birds may give to you, and unless recognised, it can be fatal! The Chlamydia organism, which is … Read more
I receive lots of calls and visits from pet bird owners. All of them with the same question, “My sweet bird is beginning to pluck feathers. What do I do?” The first thing I ask them is, “Have you had them examined by your avian veterinarian?” Most of the time, the answer is, “NO.” whenever … Read more
The first thing that a breeder must have accomplished before attempting to breed is to have healthy, well exercised stock that has been fed a nutritionally balanced diet. Depending n the size of your breeding operation, it would be advisable to select a few breeders and have them checked by a good avian vet. Cultures, … Read more
Breeding is not a decision to be made lightly. If you haven’t read the article about deciding whether you should breed yet please do, otherwise, read on. Cockatiel breeding is not especially difficult but it will require time, commitment, and thought. First of all you need a pair of suitable birds, a male and a … Read more
Answer Yes Or No To The Following Questions Your bird eats better than you do. You end up with more “goodies” in your grocery cart for the birds than for yourself. You spend more money on bird food than human food. You’ve had to caution your family not to eat something because “it’s for the … Read more
Recently someone approached me with the question, “What is a Bird Breeder?”Responding to a question of this sort, entails some profound thoughts to answer adequately, fully and correctly, which I am sure I will be unable to accomplish totally. Avian breeders can and quite often consists of individuals or families with only one or two … Read more
The ad in the newspaper said “Double Yellow Naped Amazon for sale”. I scour the bird classifieds on a daily basis (a sure sign of a serious addiction…), and this one piqued my interest. I have long been fascinated by the talking green parrots, and was particularly captivated by the Double Yellow Heads and the … Read more
1.If a deal seems too good to be true, it generally is. Shop around. Ask someone else. 2. Ask the exhibitors (breeders) questions BEFORE BUYING….. a) Did you raise the bird? There are differences b) Do you own the parents? c) Is it closed banded with a traceable band? d) Was it incubator hatched? e) … Read more
Being able to do your own cultures and or gram stains can be essential tools to help you determine if and what problems might be brewing in your aviary. This is especially important in the avian nursery. A sick baby needs help immediately, and being able to quickly and inexpensively do cultures for the major … Read more