Avian
Health
AND LOVING CARE
INFORMATION FOR THE COMPANION BIRD OWNER
THE MOST
IMPORTANT STEP: A HEALTHY BIRD!
GENERAL BIRD CARE GUIDELINES
GENERAL
BIRD SAFETY TIPS - DANGERS / POISONING RISKS
THE
BONDING FACTOR, BIRD TRAINING & YOUR BIRD'S EMOTIONAL HEALTH
GOING TO THE VET / MEDICAL
INFO
WHAT
KIND OF BIRD IS IT? / PARROT INDEX / PICTURES
SPECIFIC BIRD INFORMATION
ON-LINE BIRD MAGAZINES
LOST
& FOUND / PET GRIEVANCE
THE
MOST IMPORTANT STEP: A HEALTHY BIRD!
What Kind of Bird is Right For
Me? (Please click on the underlined
headings below to learn more about the bird you are considering adding to your family)
The Petbird
Page - Info on Different Species, Pictures, Pet Qualities, Housing and
General Care
Parrot Pictures, Descriptions, Care
The Lexicon of Parrots (Pictures,
Description, Care)
Purchasing / adopting a HEALTHY
bird is the most important aspect of ensuring a good pet ownership experience. The
safest route of obtaining a healthy bird is via another private person or a caring and
reputable breeder who maintains a closed aviary and practices testing of new birds, and
above all adheres to strict quarantine procedures before introducing new birds to his or
her established stock. Bird / pet stores CAN be a good choice PROVIDED they
purchase birds ONLY from a few reputable breeders who they KNOW maintain strict control of
their birds' health care, and produce healthy stock. I am hoping that
increased education and a more sophisticated / knowledgeable buyer population will
eventually force those breeders / stores that do NOT comply with basic (preferably
advanced) disease prevention and control to reevaluate and change their business
practices.
Purchasing / Adopting via
Private Party:
Advantages: Usually cheaper, often come with cage and accessories, less
incidence of disease since these birds USUALLY are not in contact with many other birds.
Disadvantage: Bird may
come with emotional problems, may be older and less adaptable to a new environment.
Bad habits may have been established. Little may be known of the bird's background
especially if it was passed around a lot.
Purchasing from Breeder:
Advantages: Usually cheaper than from bird / pet stores.
PROVIDED you choose a breeder who maintains a closed aviary, tests and quarantines new
birds, and adheres to good breeding practices, the incidence of disease is
low. An excellent route for obtaining healthy babies.
Disadvantage: Less
convenient than going to a store. Often entails driving a distance (since many
breeders are sporadic and often live outside the urban areas. Then there is
the aspect of accurately differentiating 'good' from 'bad' breeders. That is
the focus of the "Recommended Breeders" section. I am anticipating
that more and more breeders will eventually be added to facilitate finding someone as
close to your home as possible.
Here is a list of RECOMMENDED
BREEDERS. If you would like to recommend a breeder, please contact me. Also, MAP-certified breeders, please e-mail me so that I can include you under "Recommended
Breeders." Thank you.
Purchasing from Bird / Pet Stores:
Advantages: Easier accessible than breeders or bird owners.
Disadvantage: Generally
more expensive. The incidence of bird diseases is much higher.
Naming Your New Bird I
GENERAL BIRD CARE GUIDELINES
Below are a variety of excellent links /
informational sources to provide you with a wide range of ideas. I would recommend
checking out the links that you are interested in. You may find differing opinions /
different ways of 'doing things' ... The trick is to learn as much as you can, and once
educated on the different options, then find what works for you and your bird ...
New
Bird Testing
Caring For
Your New Bird Cage Size, Design & Layout
Stress Relief Through Dietary Support: Part
I & Part II
Average Bird Weights
Natural Cleansers
& Insecticides
Keeping Your Pet Bird Happy and
Healthy Understanding Pet Bird
Nutrition
Heike's
Parrot Information Pages (Nutrition, Training, Grooming, etc.)
Food as
Natural Medicines Let Food Be Your
Medicine
Pet
Care Guide Care of
Birds
Homemade Nutritional
Psittacine Diet Food/Nutrition
Avian
Nutrition Converting to Pellets
To Clip or Not To Clip? Grooming (facts, bird
wing illustration, and information on molting)
Grooming Your Pet Bird Grooming Your Pet Bird II (Monica Sudds) Clipping Cockatiel
Wings, Nails and Beaks
What Is A Safe Toy? by Sam Vaughn, DVM
Put-It-Together-Yourself First Aid Kits
Ordering First Aid Kits
Do-It-Yourself Seed Cleaner Water
Bottles
AVIARIES:
Aviary
Photo Aviary Building Tips Custom Long Flight / Aviary
Tips Small Aviary for your Deck
Sheltered Aviary Creating and
Enjoying an Indoor Aviary
Special Needs Parrots
GENERAL BIRD SAFETY TIPS - DANGERS / POISONING RISKS
Household Toxins &
Dangers Teflon Poisoning Teflon Poisoning Alert
Toxic
Fumes
A
Practical Guide To Disinfectants
Please be aware that many birds have
died from toxicity due to lead-based paint, lead in the water, chewing / ingesting
lead-containing items. Zinc is equally toxic. These substances can
be found in many cages!!!
Stay away from (airborne) spray cleaners, deodorizers, fragrant candles, etc. Also
Febreze Fabric Deodorizer has recently been identified as a real danger to our birds (and
if it kills them, then I really don't want to have that stuff in my lungs -- do you???)
Toxic Plants Safe
Plants Toxic Plants & Foods
Non-Toxic Branches &
Plants
Toxic
and Non-Toxic Plants
Toxic Plants & Common
Household Poisons
Antibiotics
First Aid (Excellent web site with info on: Air Sac Rupture, Anorexia, Bleeding, Broken Blood
Feather, Broken Bones, Burns, Cat Bites, Convulsions, , Diarrhea, Egg Binding, Eye
Problems, Heat Stroke, Oil Contamination of Feathers, Poison, Shock, Vomiting, Bird,
Hydration for Baby Bird/Sick Bird, Food for Sick Bird, Signs of Illness)
THE BONDING FACTOR & HOW TO MAINTAIN YOUR
BIRD'S EMOTIONAL HEALTH
Parrot Behavior - Understanding Your Birds
and Handling Behavioral Problems
To Bite or Not To Bite - How to Deal With a
Biting Bird
Sexual Behavior in Companion Birds
Feather Picking in the Companion
Bird Parrot Intelligence/Alex
SamFoster
- Behavioral Consultant
BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS?
Communication with your bird is the key to building a good
relationship.
BirdCLICK is a
mailing list that you should join if you are facing problems with your bird that you feel
unable to resolve yourself. Or else, if you are eager to teach your bird some
tricks! Anyway, BirdCLICK discusses the use of a clicker and
positive reinforcement to guide your bird into desirable behavior.
Humane and fun training method for
everything from tricks and talking to behavioral problems.
Parrot Behavior List (Behavior
Modification, etc.)
Potty Training Your Bird
(Excellent training advice, but do keep in mind that it is
important to remember to let your bird 'go potty' at regular intervals. A
well-trained bird may actually not defecate until given the 'go potty' command which can
lead to serious health problems or even death. )
GOING TO THE VET / MEDICAL INFO
New/Well-Bird
Testing:
If you have more than one bird in
your household it is especially important for you to have new additions of the feathered
kind tested and quarantined before introducing them to your other birds. I
suggest testing for Psittacosis, Polyoma, Beak and Feather, and as soon as it is available
a PDD test (coming soon!). I also have a CBC done (blood chemistry), which can
show internal problems (such as liver disease, etc.). It may also be wise to have
the vet check for bacteria and parasites. Your vet may suggest other /
additional tests, but these are the tests that I have run - and just as well, I have
discovered several problems in newly purchased birds that if I had NOT tested, I could
have suffered substantial losses. If money is an issue, disease testing involving
Polyoma, Psittacosis and Beak & Feather can be done without a vet. Check under
the heading "Disease Testing" below. For inexperienced bird
owners/handlers, however, I recommend using the services of an experienced avian vet.
Avian Vet
Search
I feel strongly that
any pet bird should be considered a family member and as such be provided with health
care. Saying this, I am also aware of the RISK of going to the vet.
Like a breeder friend of mine said: "What better way to pick up a
disease!" I totally agree with that. I feel a breeder would be
better served to have a vet come to my promises rather than going out and potentially
allowing my birds to get in contact with and bring home a deadly disease. Now,
what to do if you are a pet owner? You would have a real hard time to convince a vet
to come to your home to provide health care to your bird.
Now, there ARE ways of minimizing risks of
'catching a disease' at the vet's:
1. Express your
concern of your pet getting in contact with an airborne (or otherwise) disease pathogen,
and ask to make an appointment very early in the morning before many sick birds have been
in the office, or -- if this is not possible -- at any other time when traffic in
the office is slow. 2. Keep your bird in a COVERED carrier.
3. Stay
away from any other patients -- consider them as potentially contagious.
4. Do not allow anyone to touch your bird. 5. Once in the treatment room, place a CLEAN towel on top of the
treatment table BEFORE placing your bird on it. Please note that the
"Spray & Wipe" method of disinfecting does NOT work since disinfectants need
up to 20 minutes of actual contact to kill disease causing pathogens. 6. Observe the vet / vet's assistant to see if they wash
their hands in between patients.
DO-IT-YOURSELF DISEASE / SEX TESTING
DNA
Sexing/Disease Testing Cal.
Avian Lab (Lab. Reference Ranges, Disease Testing)
Net Vet Medical
Resources / MARE
DNA
vs. Surgical Sexing
Personally, for pet birds I prefer
DNA sexing since the risk of Surgical Sexing due cross-infection at the vet's office --
especially at sexing clinics where the vet performs invasive procedures on MANY birds
from a VARIETY of sources -- greatly enhances the risk of spreading disease, as well as
the very real risk of a bird getting over-stressed, or other things/mishaps happening at
the vet's office.
I feel -- for pet birds -- this is simply not worth the risk. Dr. Ritchie --
in his book: Avian Medicine: Principles & Applications addresses the risk of
"Sexing Clinics" in as far as spreading disease is concerned. Besides the
risk of 'catching a disease', the risk of anesthesia and invasive procedures themselves
should strongly be considered.
I understand that for a breeder, Surgical Sexing provides the advantage that the the vet
can visually inspect the internal organs, to verify breedability of a bird. If the
Surgical Sexing method is chosen, please apply caution to minimize the risks to your bird.
WHAT KIND OF BIRD IS IT? / PARROT INDEX / PICTURES
Index of Parrot Pictures
Exotic
Birds Image Gallery
Parrot Pictures / Info
SPECIFIC BIRD
INFORMATION
(NOTE: If you can't find the specific
species you are looking for, look under the main species, i.e.,
looking for info on Greencheek conures? Check under Conure)
PARROTS
A:
AFRICAN PARROTS: The African Parrot Society (Info on Greys,
Poicephalus, Vasa Species)
AFRICAN GREYS: African Greys Grey
Parrot Intelligence The African Grey Parrot African Parrot Society Home Page The Talking Parrot
AMAZONS: The
Amazing Amazons
AMBOINA KING PARROTS: Amboina
King Parrots Amboina King Parrots 2
AUSTRALIAN BIRDS: Australian Bird Articles by
Mike Owen
B:
BUDGIES:
All About Budgies Links
Budgies and Parakeets Blue Chip
Exhibition Budgerigar Society Index of the World
Budgerigar Organization Budgerigars Galore Budgie Mania!
Midland
Budgerigar Association
C:
CAIQUES: Those Colorful,
Clownish Caiques! Caique Central
COCKATIELS:
National Cockatiel
Society Tiel Time The Cockatiel Page
Sexing
Cockatiels Cockatiel Songs &
Sounds The
Cockatiel Resource Cockatiels
Cockatiel Cabin
Parakeets &
Cockatiels
The American Cockatiel
Society Should I Get A Second Cockatiel?
COCKATOOS: Cockatoos
Cockatoo Heaven
Pet Bird Report - Cockatoos
How The Cockatoo Gave Color to the World
Cockatoos The Goffin's
Cockatoo Page Goffins
Fanclub The Greater Sulfur
Crested Cockatoo Page The Moluccan Cockatoo
Page Cockatoo Talk Visually Sexing Cockatoos
CONURES: Introduction
to Greencheek Conures The Greencheek Conure Homepage
Greencheeck Conure Info The Fallow Greencheek
Conure Conures - Genus Aratinga
Conures! Sun Conure Info. Sheet The Red-Fronted Conure Page Salty's Mitred Conure Page Gold Capped Conure
Conures -
You Just Gotta Luv 'Em
E:
ECLECTUS: Eclectus
Care/Info The Eclectus Page
The Eclectus Society The Eclectus Society2 Eclectus Care (The
Land of Vos) The Eclectus Gallery Solomon Island Eclectus
The Rainbow Eclectus The Eclectus
Parrot Page2 The Eclectus Parrot - An Overview
F:
FINCHES: Zebra
Finches European Goldfinch
Finch Diaries
Finchworld
Java Rice
Finch Strawberry Finch Finchbreeder Finch World Gouldian Finch
Bengalese
G: Grey-Cheeked Parrot
Page Grey-Cheeked
Parakeet2
H:
HANGING PARROT: Blue-Crowned
Hanging Parrot
HAWK-HEADED PARROT: Hawk-Headed Parrot Hawk-Headed
Parrot FAQ
I: Indian
Ringneck Mutations Albert's Home Page on Indian
Ringnecks
J: Jardine Parrots
K:
Kakapo
Kakarikis In
Captivity
L:
LORIES / LORIKEETS: Lories and Lorikeets
Lory FAQ The Lory Lover's Library
LOVEBIRDS: The Various
Species of Lovebirds The
Lovebird Species / Pet Qualities / Care
The
Lovebird Ring HomePage The Lovebird FAQ Page Lovebird Articles African Lovebird Page African Lovebird Society The Peach Faced Lovebird Page The African LOVEBIRD Society
M:
MACAWS: Those Majestic Macaws Macaw Pictures
Macaws1 Macaws2 Macaws as
Companions Scarlet Macaw Page
Mini-Macaw FAQ Severe Macaw Page Hahn's Macaw Page Yellow-Collared Macaw The Real Macaw Parrot Club The Blue-Throated Macaw
MYNAH: Mynah Bird Home Page
N:
Neophemas &
Bourkes Parrots
P:
PARROTLETS:
International
Parrotlet Society The Parrotlet Ranch Home Page
Passion4Parrotlets
The Celestial
(Pacific) Parrotlet Page Pat's
Parrotlet Page
PIONUS: The Pionus Breeders'
Association The Bronze-Winged
Pionus Page Dusky Pionus Page
Blue-Headed Pionus Page Maximilian's Pionus Page White-Capped Pionus Page
POICEPHALUS: The Poicephalus Main Page Poicephalus FAQ Jardine's
Parrot Home Page The Red Bellied
Parrot Page The Meyers Parrot
Page
Q:
Quaker
Parrots Heike's Quaker Parrots Quaker Parrot Information Center
Stanley's Quakerville
V:
VASA Parrot
ON-LINE
BIRD MAGAZINES
BirdTalk Online
BPP Bulletin
Magazine Online Book of Parrots
Today's
Avian Friend BirdBreeder Online
BirdTalk
Winged Wisdom
Horward Voren's Articles FDA Veterinarian Magazine
Pet Bird Report
LOST & FOUND / PET GRIEVANCE
Birds Lost & Found
Lost or Found a
Bird? Contact the Bird
Patrol
Help for
Stolen/Missing Birds Florida Bird Thefts
The Worldwide Lost & Found Bird Hotline
For those grieving over
the loss of a beloved pet, please visit the following website
Rainbow
Bridge or visit here for Pet Loss Advice / Grief Counseling.
Should you wish to
memorialize your bird, please e-mail me the
information, and maybe a picture, and I will be happy to put up a 'special place' on
the Memorial page for you ...
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