What is a healthy diet for my birds? Are pellets, seeds, and/or other foods the answer? The controversy rages. Knowledge of nutritional requirements for companion birds is still in its infancy, but there is no question that many vitamins and minerals are required to maintain both health and life. Too much of a nutrient can … Read more
Late one evening, my telephone rang and several of my birds answered “hello”, as I picked up the phone. The caller said “I have an African Grey that I want to sell for $100.00 and if you don’t come and get him, I am going to let him out the door”. I asked the caller … Read more
One advantage to breeding cockatiels is that they aren’t extremely hard to pair up and get results. But, if you are breeding for real quality (large, well shaped, well marked, good natured) birds, it’s a bit more of a challenge. Anyone can just place a nestbox on a cage, place two cockatiels of the opposite … Read more
Many current bird owners are faced with the dilemma of whether they should purchase or adopt another bird. There are several aspects that should be taken into account before you make the final decision. Even though parrots have their own unique personalities and individual preferences, they are still flock creatures. In their natural habitats they … Read more
Of all the pets available in the world today, the most colorful, intelligent and exotic are parrots. Many people consider them to be the ultimate companion pet. Shimmering in iridescent, kaleidoscopic rainbows of color, parrots are by far the most beautiful of any commonly kept pet. They are also considered to be the most amusing … Read more
Zoonotic diseases are diseases that are transmissable from animals to humans. Young children, elderly adults and immunocompromised individuals are at the greatest risk of being infected by a zoonotic disease. Immunocompromised individuals include those infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (AIDS Virus), patients taking immunosuppressive drugs, cancer patients, and the unborn fetus. Although the list … Read more
Looking for a bird that is affectionate, playful, bold, perky, garrulous, intelligent, inquisitive, fearless, mischievous, feisty, and who thinks that it is as large as a macaw all rolled up in an eight inch long frame? Then look no further, the grey-cheeked parakeet is all of those things and more. Physical Characteristics Weighing in at … Read more
Ozone generators are air cleaners, not air filters. An air filter draws air through a filter of some kind. The filter material allows the air to past through but catches the air borne pollutants in the filter material. Ozone air cleaners remove nothing from the environment. Bacteria are neutralized and all airborne pollutants are electrically … Read more
When Sam and I bought Ariel, our golden-capped conure, Sam already had a bird, I already had a bird, and we had promised ourselves (and our children) that we were not getting any more birds. Additionally, I had privately resolved that if we ever did get another bird, it was certainly not going to be … Read more
Occasionally, we find it necessary to medicate our feathered friends. Here are some pointers to help you with this task. FIRST APPLICATION: Retrieve the bird from the cage. Set the bird on a table and hold its head by carefully grasping the neck where it joins the lower jaw, or mandible. With your other hand, … Read more