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PROPER Care of Parrots, Finches & Canaries!
I believe that educating
the new bird owner is the most
important thing I can do for
the bird once it has left my
care. Hence the reason for
this information for you, the
birds care giver! I want you
to feel more at ease with your
new bird!
The first few days for a
new bird are extremely import-
ant. I suggest not handling
the new bird for the first day
or two. Talk to it frequently
and get into a routine on the
feeding and cleaning of your
new bird. I also suggest co-
vering the cage at night with
a towel or something just for
the first few nights. This
will add a sence of security
Above, an Aterrimus Palm Cockatoo for your bird during a scary
period of it's "new" life. It may also appear that the bird is not eating for
the first day or two. It's eating patterns will resume to normal when it
begins to feel more at ease with it's new home and owners. Your bird is eating
during this period. It is just being cautious and eating when you're not watching
and in smaller amounts.
First let me start by
telling you the most important
thing you can do for your new
bird is to feed it a GREAT
diet! A birds life is greatly
affected by what it eats and
feeding a bird incorrectly
will shorten its life span
drastically! It will also af-
fect its overall behavior.
Birds also need fresh water
every day. The water and food
dishes should be washed daily
with hot, soapy water. Care
should be taken to rinse the
bowls thoroughly as any soap
residue can cause potentially
fatal results. Birds eating
pelleted diets or a vitamin
enriched seed blend also need
fresh, soft food every day.
There is a difference in the
quality of bird seed that you
purchase from a reputable bird
Above, a pair of Blue-Streaked Lory's store compared to grocery and
department stores. The seed offered by grocery and department stores is old &
stale and has been sitting in a wharehouse or on their shelves for months, even
years and can be fatal to your bird. Also, during long periods of time, seed be-
gins to loose its vitamins and minerals which will slowly starve your bird to
death. There would be no difference if you only ate bread and water! You would
still be alive but you would be sick, weak and unhealthy which would eventually
kill you! This would obviously be a long, MISERABLE and painful death!!!
Soft & Fresh Foods
The fresh food NO-NO's are AVOCADO
and RHUBARB! These two foods are both EX-
TREMELY deadly to birds. One bite can kill
your bird within minutes or seconds! DO
NOT FORGET THIS! Things you shouldn't feed
your bird, regardless of "how cute it is"
or "how much it likes it" include anything
with processed sugar such as cookies and
candy; salty items like potato chips and
other items like soda pop, alcoholic bev-
erages (i.e. beer or hard liquor), chocol-
ate, parsley, iceburg lettuce and coffee.
All of these will affect your birds over
all health. CIGARETTE SMOKE IS VERY HARM-
FUL TO BIRDS ALSO!!! I can't stress that
enough. I personally choose not to feed my
birds ANY sunflower seeds either. There
are mixed feelings about this amoung bird
breeders. I have read several articles
both pro and con about this topic and
after talking to my avian veterinarians I
choose not to give them to any of my
birds! Some suggestions for the soft foods
include alfalfa sprouts, bean sprouts,
whole wheat bread, thawed out fresh frozen
vegetables (not canned), shredded broccoli
and / or cauliflower, plain grapes (cut
Above, a Citron Crested Cockatoo in half for smaller birds). NOTE: Any type
of "tuber" vegetable such as yams (sweet potato) must be cooked before given to
your bird! All tuber vegetables are poisonous to birds if given raw. Tuber veg-
etables are those that are grown in the ground and are tubular in shape! Large
birds do not need shredded vegetables, just chopped up. Just remember to change
your birds food and water DAILY!
Birds do like treats.
Spray Millet is one of their
favorites. Some canned bird
treats are also acceptable.
Birds also need cuttlebone and
mineral blocks available to
them in the cage to consume.
They supply the necessary cal-
cium and minerals for the bird
along with helping to groom
their beak. Some physical ail-
ments will cause beaks to over
grow quite remarkably. This
needs the attantion of an
avian veterinarian, not just
Above, a pair of Eclectus a regular vet! I also recom-
mend giving birds on a seed and soft food diet a vitamin made for birds! The
best type is the dry form that is sprinkled on the fresh food. Vitamins that are
added to the birds water instigate bacterial growth which can become poisonous to
your bird in about 20 minutes! Grit or sand in your birds diet is a very contro-
versial thing also. The old way of thinking was that all birds ate the same and
had the same nutritional requirements. We now know this is NOT the case! Birds
used to be given grit to aid in the digestion of the whole seed that they con-
sumed. This line of reasoning started with the keeping of pigeons, doves and
game fowl like pheasants and quail. They ate whole seed and then would eat grit
to help break the hull (shell) away from the meat of the seed while in the crop.
Psittacines (parrots) do not eat whole seed! They break the shell open and eat
the seed that is inside the shell and disguard the shell. The shell is obviously
not eaten, therefore they do not require grit! In fact most avian vets (bird
doctors) will not only tell you that it's not necessary, but that it can actually
kill your bird! Since they don't metabolize (digest) grit like pigeons or pheas-
ants, it will concentrate in the birds gizzard and over time become toxic. I'm
a strong opponent of grit and I do NOT recommend it!
Now let's talk about the
birds cage. The proper cage is
the second most important
thing you can do for your pet
bird. Birds should have a
roomy cage whether or not you
keep them caged all of the
time or not. A bird that is
too confined may become in-
jured while trying to stretch
in the morning or when exerci-
sing its wings. This may re-
sult in a serious injury which
could kill your bird. Many of
the cages on the market these
days say "cockatiel cage" or
"parakeet cage" and so on when
they truly are meant for much
smaller birds like finches and
Above, a Green-Wing Macaw canaries, thus resulting in
serious problems. If you are looking for the "cheapest" cage you can find, I sug-
gest you do not purchase one of my birds! If you cannot afford to give your bird
a roomy cage because of cost, it will suffer as a result and therefore should not
be purchased. A typical cage for an umbrella cockatoo, mini macaw or amazon
parrot will cost about $500 or more.
There should be several perches of the ap-
propriate size for the bird in the cage
placed away from over the food or water
containers. The perches should be kept as
clean as possible. The cage bottom should
also be cleaned daily or at least every
other day. The cage should have plenty of
toys appropriate for the type and size of
bird you have. Toys too small or too large
can injure or kill your bird. Toys are NOT
a luxury for your bird, they are a NECES-
SITY! Birds need to keep themselves enter-
tained while in their cage. Play time
teaches them not to be over dependant on
their humans for mental stimulation. Just
as human children need something to do
instead of staring at four walls and a
ceiling, birds need and require entertain-
Left, a Hyacinthine Macaw
ment as well. Birds that don't know how to play may turn on themselves and over
time, may self mutilate. Non-aggressive self mutilation simply consists of chew-
ing off their own feathers or actually pulling them out of their own body. An
aggressive self mutilation can consist of the bird eating a hole into its own
chest cavity spilling out its own guts and vital organs which can obviously be
deadly! Toys need to be replaced every 2 to 3 months to keep the bird interested.
If the toys you are removing are in good shape, clean them up (not using bleach
or dangerous chemicals) and put them away for the next change. I always keep
spare toys just for this purpose. It saddens me when someone tells me or if I see
that their bird only has a single toy or none at all and has been in that cage
for years. I also get told "my bird does not play with toys". Well of course it
doesn't. I wouldn't either if I had seen the same toy in my cage for years-on-end
and only had one to choose from. I'd get bored with it!!! Give your bird between
two and four toys and they will play. Yes, a swinging perch is considered a toy!
A birds cage should be
at or below eye level. This is
a must for birds that are
"holding" birds! This does not
apply to canaries or finches
nor does clipping the wings.
In the bird world height is
dominance, so if your bird is
physically higher than you
(including on your head, shou-
lders or the cage is higher
than your head) it is more
dominant and you are less
dominant and it will not view
you as the "dominant bird".
You never want this to happen
as sometimes dominance is dif-
ficult to regain and you could
get hurt in the process. Along
with this you must keep one
thing in mind. Exotic birds
are NOT domesticated and don't
look or act like domesticated
animals. You cannot treat them
like you would a cat or a dog.
Throw that thinking out! All
wild instincts are still
intact in birds. The pet
"kitty cat" has been selectiv-
Above, a pair of Military Macaws
ely bred and domesticated from wild tigers and your pet "doggy" has been bred the
same from the wild wolf. Birds are unchanged. They are today as they were a
million years ago!
Grooming Your Bird and it's Importance
Next we need to address and STRESS the importance of clipping your birds wings.
This should ONLY be done by an experienced person. I'll do this for you at my
home or you can have a vet do it or another breeder. The claws also need to be
periodically clipped as they can get very sharp. I can also trim the birds
claws. I cannot begin to tell you of the numerous stories that I have heard from
bird owners that did not have their birds wings clipped that no longer have
the bird! The story always includes "we took the bird out many times before and
it never flew away then". Remember, all parrots can fly whenever they feel the
need and it only takes one time and then it is too late! Clipping the birds
wings also keeps tame birdstame and helps in taming wild birds. Birds that go
unclipped and unhandled revert to their wild instincts and become wild again.
The home is not the place for birds to be flying around! There are too many
hazards for them. Many people loose their bird because it broke its neck try-
ing to fly through a closed window, or some of them get their heads cut off
by ceiling fans and some of them drown in the kitchen sinks and toilets. Please
make sure your birds wings get clipped by me or another professional to prevent
these tragedies.
Please take the time to purchase a good book and
learn more about the bird you have or want to
purchase and aren't quite sure yet. A book will
help you learn and make the right decisions. All
companion birds have a lot in common regardless
of the species and yet behaviors and personalit-
ies vary greatly, not only from species to species
but also from bird to bird just like in humans.
Birds need love, patience and acceptance. Too many
times a person will have expectations of an
animal and almost always the animal pays the price
for this. Love your bird for what it is, not for
what you want it to be. Learn about all the
dangers that could harm your bird, the different
plants, and other animals like cats and dogs and
dangers in their environment such as a dirty cage
bottom which needs to be cleaned every day along
with paint fumes, ciragette smoke, slamming doors,
open windows, fireplace smoke and fumes, fumes
from cleaners, air conditioners, heater vents,
electrical wires, fumes from non stick cookware,
candles, incense, shag carpets and human feet and
"butts". Children can also pose a threat to your
birds safety. Children tend to be loud and move
very quickly. Your bird may interpret this be-
havior as a preditor! In defense, your child may
get bit! This is natural for the bird to defend
Above, a Rainbow Lorikeet itself! Children and adults teasing and poking at
the bird will also definately get bit and in my opinion deserve to be!
Keep in mind that large parrots have up to 2000 pounds per square inch of
pressure in their beaks! This means they can easily bite off an entire finger!
If you think this is far-fetched, it isn't! Many people every year end up in the
emergency room at their local hospital missing a finger from a bit of a large
parrot. You will also end up
with an aggressive bird as a
result of it being teased by
kids and adults. Remember your
bird's NOT a commodity; it's a
living animal that deserves
the utmost respect & best care
possible. If you cannot do
this, then you should not own
a pet unless it is a pet rock!
I hope this borchure has
answered some of your quest-
ions. There is still much for
Left, A Red Lory
you to learn, trust me! You and your bird will both befefit from the knowledge.
If I can help with any more of your questions please feel free to call me or stop
by for a face-to-face visit and remember to have pen and paper. Write down all of
your questions and your concerns and have that paper available to write down the
answers. I am passionate about my birds and hope to place them in the best poss-
ible home with the best possible person or family and hope that you understand
that. With proper care and training on the part of you and the bird, it will be a
win-win situation for both of you. The following information is provided to help
you get started even further in your life with a wonderful companion!
Absolutely DEADLY Things In Your Home
These items absolutely cannot be given to your
bird or used around them. Some of them are known to
kill a bird with one single bite, use or spray, even
if it is not in the same room the bird is kept in!
Avocado, Rhubarb, Febreeze Fabric Spray, Carpet
Fresh, Non-stick cookware, the Self cleaning feature in
the oven, Incense, Air freshners, Scented candles, Gas
(from your butt, this is not a joke), Glade Plug-Ins,
Cigarette/Cigar smoke (including pot and other smoked
drugs) ANY spray cleaner such as Windex, Lysol, furnat-
ure polish, finger-nail polish/remover/acrylic glue,
etc.
All other items that emit a smell or fume can be
toxic and possibly leathal to your pet bird. Any item
that is sprayed from a can like cleaners or paint,
Slender-Bill Corella buckets of paint for painting homes, gases (natural
from your butt which is methane gas, gasoline & kerosine), hairspray......and the
list goes on. Keep in mind "if it sprays, it kills"! If you are not sure if some-
thing could be dangerous, PLEASE err on the side of safety!
The Most Common Poisonous Plants
COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME
Amaryllis Amaryllidaceae
Avocado (all parts) Persea americana - ABSOLUTELY DEADLY!!!
Azalea Rhododendron canadensis
Black locust Robinia pseudoacacia
Buckthorn Rhamnus spp.
Buttercup Ranunculus spp.
Caladium Caladium spp.
Calla lily Zantedeschia aethiopica
Castor bean Ricinus communis
Cherry Prunus spp.
Clematis Clematis spp.
Daffodil Narcissus spp.
Daphne Daphne spp.
Datura stramonium (Angel's Trumpet) Datura spp.
Delphinium Delphinium spp.
Dieffenbachia (Dumbcane) Dieffenbachia spp.
Elephant's ear Colocasia spp.
English ivy Hedera helix
COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME
Euphorbia cactus Euphorbia spp.
Fig also called Ficus (Weeping fig) Ficus benjamina
Foxglove Digitalis purpurea
Holly Ilex spp.
Horse chestnut Aesculus spp.
Hyacinth Hyacinthus orientalis
Hydrangea Hydrangea spp.
Iris Iris spp.
Jack-in-the pulpit Arisaema triphyllum
Jerusalem cherry Solanum pseudocapsicaum
Juniper Juniper virginiana
Larkspur Delphinium spp.
Lily-of-the-valley Convallaria majalis
Lobelia Lobelia spp.
Marijuana (as in the ILLEGAL stuff) Cannabis stavia
Mistletoe Phoradendron villosum
Monkshood Aconitum spp.
Narcissus Narcissus spp.
Nightshade Solanum spp.
Oleander Nerium oleander
Philodendron Philodendron spp.
Poinsettia (Christmas plant) Euphorbia spp.
Pokeweed Phytolacca americana
Potato (sprouts & green skin) Solanum tubersum
Pothos Eprimemnum aureum
Privet Ligustrum volgare
Rhodendron Rhododendron spp.
Rhubarb (all parts) Rheum rhaponticum - VERY POISONOUS
Skunk cabbage Symplocarpus foetidus
Snowdrop Ornithogalum umbellatum
Tobacco (cigarette) Nicotina spp.
Virginia creeper Panthenocissus quinquefolia
Weeping fig Ficus benjamina
Wisteria Wisteria spp.
Yew Taxus breviflora
Feather Loss, Causes & Treatment
There are numerous causes of feather loss in birds.
The first step toward treatment is to determine the
cause. Obvious physical clues give us a direction to
pursue, not a diagnosis. Birds have a limited number of
symptoms to tell us they are sick. These few symptoms
represent a myriad of illnesses. Feather picking or
feather loss is only one symptom. It is up to an avian
veterinarian with diagnostic tools, and the bird owner
with information on environment and history, to put to-
gether these clues to find a cause and/or remedy.
Right, a Patagonian Conure
Viral Disease
Polyoma virus and psittacine beak and feather disease, also known as PBFD are
serious diseases that may result in feather loss. Your vet can take the appro-
priate tests to determine if the causative agent is viral. Research is ongoing in
this field. Check with your avian vet about vaccinations to prevent certain viral
diseases affecting feather growth or loss loss in birds. Prevention is important,
as once a bird contracts one of these viruses and feather damage becomes evident
the disease is almost always fatal!
Parasites
Knemidokoptes, also known as scaly-face or scaly-leg is a skin parasite often
seen in pet birds. Budgerigars also known as budgies or more commonly, parakeets, &
canaries are most often affected by this parasite. It is first noticed as a thick-
ening of the tissues of the cere (nose skin) and/or legs. Even though the sypmtoms
are visually apparent, the organism should be confirmed by microscopic examination
before treatment is initiated. Some remedies found in pet stores can, in some cases
create additional feather problems and often take long periods of time to effect a
cure. Prescription drugs prescribed by your avian vet work quickly & effectively.
Left, a Red-Fronted Macaw
Red mites, feather mites,
or lice are also external parasi-
tes that infest birds which cause
irritations. Feather parasites
are RARELY the result of parasit-
es, but if parasites are suspect-
ed, an avian vet should confirm
the diagnosis and can recommend
the proper treatment which usual-
ly consists of IM (intermuscular)
injections of Ivermectin.
Giardia, a protozoan paras-
ite, has been implicated in some
cases of self mutilation problems
such as feather plucking or the
eating of the skin and/or flesh,
usually on the feet and legs or
the center of the birds chest.
This intestinal parasite can be
identified by microscopic examin-
ation of the birds fresh dropp-
ings requiring that the sample be collected at the vet's office.
Bacterial & Fungal Diseases
Staphlyloccus, or Pseudomonas are bacteria that may cause skin irratation res-
ulting in feather loss due to self mutilation. Your avian vet can do a skin culture
to identify these organisms. This bacteria is often seen in dirty cages and water
bowls, so it is important to clean your cage daily & clean the water dish daily and
give fresh water. This is the slimy feeling inside the water dish!
Aspergillus or Candidasis are fungal diseases that may also cause skin irrat-
ation and also require a dermatological work-up including skin scraping or culture
for proper identification.
Nutritional Causes
Dietary deficiencies can contribute to skin and/or
feather disorders. Vitamin A deficency has been implicated
in nutritionally related feather disorders, and an extreme
lack of nutritional protein may affect the normal moult.
This is especially true in the cockatoo and eclectus
species. Your avian vet can advise you on modification or
supplementation of your birds dietary needs to prevent or
correct these potential problems. This is why your bird
needs to be on a high quality pelleted and/or seed diet
with the fresh veggies, fruits & wheat bread every single
day!
Left, an English Budgie
Behavioral
Self mutilation can have primary or secondary behavioral causes. Birds in
the wild would have a mate or flock with which to interact, but in captivity
human counterparts rarely fill the vacancy. Dominance factors, breeding frustrat-
ion, boredom, terriroriality, mate-bonding, and nesting drives are all triggered
by hormonal development and are rarely satisfied in a pet environment. The per-
ception of threat from other household pets may initiate stress if the bird is
continually harassed. All of these factors can result in "frustration grooming"
which often becomes obsessive, turning into a vice, causing self mutilation and
feather damage or removal. Your avian vet will make recommendations or environ-
mental changes or hormonal therapy.
Attack by Cage Mates
If a cage mate is suspected to be the cause of feather loss, the victim
bird should be seperated for a minimum of six weeks to allow the feathers to re-
grow to make this determination. If only a part of the feather has been removed,
it may not regrow until the next natural moult. If cage mate trauma is the cause,
permanent seperation may be the only cure.
Other Possible Causes
External causes of skin irritation could be cage trauma, insect bites or
stings, topical application of inappropriate ointments, or improper wing trims
where the cut ends touch the skin. Outside factors such as chronic exposure to
inhaled irritants such as cleaning products, tobacco smoke or toxic substrates
can also result in feather picking. Pet (cat, dog or rodent) attacks may also
result in feather loss.
Chronic diseases such as liver, kidney, GI (gastro-intestional), respira-
tory and atherosclerosis can manifest themselves as both stress related feather
disorders or as self mutilation. Feather cysts, tumors and blunt injury are also
possible stress related causes of feather loss.
Dirty-Face Syndrome
If a bird suddenly seems to have a dirty face or broken or missing feathers
around the beak and eyes, check to see if it can easily reach food or water and
that the dishes are full. Birds trying to reach food remains dropped out of the
birds reach through bottom grates develop "dirty faces" or broken face feathers
from trying to push their heads through dirty wire. If empty food containers do
not appear to be a problem, the dirty face may be caused by regurgitation and
your avian vet should be consulted.
It is important that you change the seed in your birds cage daily as they
do not eat the entire seed. Parrots, including budgies (parakeets) and cocka-
tiels, break open the shell of the seed, eat the "meat" inside and drop the empty
shell back into the seed cup, making it look full of seed and the bird starves to
death!!!
Prevention
Protection from airborne toxins or irritants, aggressive cage mates, or
other house hold pets is essential to the life and health of your pet bird. An
annual check up may be the most effective way to protect your birds health! Birds
tend to hide their discomfort or illness, making it difficult to determine their
general well being. A thorough health check may reveal internal disease, external
parsites, or systemic diseases that can be identified and treated by your avian
vet before feather signs manifest themselves.
Screaming & Loudness
Left, a Red Brow Amazon
Do you live in an apartment, condo, dorm or are your
neighbors really close to you? This is a question that YOU
need to address very closely. All parrots, but especially
the larger hookbills like cockatoos and macaws are extremely
loud and noisy! Will all or any of your neighbors be under-
standing about this noise several times a day? Let me put
this into a better perspective for you. We have all heard
the loud, screaming horn of a train as it flies down the
tracks. Well, imagine that screaming horn in your house for
at least 15 to 40 minutes at a time between three and twelve
times a day!!!!! This is the birds nature to scream as loud
as possible. They scream in the mornings to wake everyone
up, they scream in the afternoon to let everyone know it is
time to eat, they scream in the evening to let everyone know it is time to go to
sleep. The rest of the day they scream just for fun or may scream for territory, to
alert you that something is wrong or that something scared them or maybe you have
company & the bird simply doesn't like that person or group of people!
Here is a little bit more information for you to help put their screaming into
perspective for you. A 747 Air Liner's noise level is 140 decibals. A Moluccan
Cockatoo's scream is 135 decibals with Umbrella Cockatoo's just under that at about
125 to 128! The average level for a screaming cockatoo is 120 decibals. 105 decibals
is considered to be deafening & damaging to the human ear!
Do you have speakers hooked up to your computer? If so, I want you to turn
them up as high as they go and I want you to click the link below so that you can
hear a cockatoo screaming. I will warn you though, this is loud and I can nearly
tell you before you even here it that it will probably make you change your mind
about owning a cockatoo.
You have to remember that these birds originally come from the rain forest
where the trees are very thick with leaves and there are other smaller plants at
ground level which also absorb sound. In order for these birds to be heard through-
out the forest to call their flock, they have to be LOUD! Now I want you to click on
the slide bar on the control panel for the volume and push it all the way to the
right so you get the full effect. Now, go ahead and click on the play button and
listen to this beautiful song. After it is done, I want you to play it again, and
again and again and again and I want you to play it like this for at least 15 full
minutes with your speakers turned up full blast. You really need to get an idea of
what you are asking for with a large parrot. Remember, your computer has a knob for
the volume level but your porspective parrot doesn't. When they scream, they scream
and there really is no way to make them stop. If you scream at them, they think
you are either playing with them or even wrose, competing against them which makes
them scream more and louder. Covering the cage may help for a short time but soon
they will scream even when covered.
More Important Tips
AVOID sandpaper perch covers, air pollutants like cigarette smoke (smoke out-
side or in a back room with a window open) insecticides and toxic fumes from non
stick cook ware, cleaning solutions, candles and incense. Make sure your bird is at
least 25 feet away from your stove/oven. Also do not use the damn mite boxes or lice
and mite sprays! It is a popular misconception that the Mite Disks that are sold in
grocery and department stores are good for your bird but they are EXTREMELY danger-
ous!!! This box/disk is a pesticide which is poison!!! That is why it has a skull
and cross-bones on it!!! You must also avoid easily dismantled toys such as balsa
wood, small link chain, toys with easily detached metal clips or skewers and toys
with lead weights. Chain should be stainless steel and each link absolutely needs to
be welded, otherwise birds can catch their beaks in the opening and hang themselves
to death; the same goes for the easily detached metal clips!!!! Make sure your birds
do not have access to toxic household plants, ceiling fans,leaded glass and paint on
walls of old houses, cats, dogs or rodents and young children.
Again, if you have any questions or concerns please feel free to call me or
come by my house and we can talk about things you are concerned about. If I am un-
available you can leave a message and I'll call back as soon as I can.
Here is my current contact information:
Name: Eddie Horvath
Address: 464 East 400 South - Price, UT 84501-3323
Home #: 435-637-0215
Email: ehorvath@sisna.com* or birdguy888@yahoo.com
* If you email a pic to me, please use this email address!
Recommended Avian Vets in Utah:
Business: Lakeview Animal Hospital (Northern Utah)
Names: Dr. Dana D. Clark (Pronounced: day-na)
Dr. Evan R. Gubler (pronounced: goo-bler)
Address: 1975 South Orchard Drive - Bountiful, UT 84010
Phone #: (801) 298-2314
Emergency#: (801) 298-2306
Fax #: (801) 298-8339
Business: Family Pet Hospital (Central Utah)
Name: Dr. Jay Ipsen
Address: 43 North 1000 East - Payson, UT 84651
Phone #: (801) 465-1800
Emergency #: (801) 465-1802
Fax #: (801) 465-1900
Facts About Parrots That ARE Carved In Stone!
What is 2+2? The obvious and ONLY an-
swer is 4. No matter how you say it, how
you spell it or what language you speak the
ONLY answer is 4. Is there any other answer
to that question? NO!
The comments, statements & questions
that I now lay before your reading eyes are
the FACTS. There are no other answers, com-
ments or exceptions to them!
Parrots, no matter the species are
EXPENSIVE! You have the initial cost
of the bird and then the cage, toys,
food and avian vet bills. A friend
Left, a pair of Alexandrine's
once said it perfect when he said "a $1000 budget does not buy a $1000 bird.
It buys a $500 bird, $250 cage, $150 in toys, bowls, perches, food and acces-
sories and a $100 vet visit!"
What is the right bird for me? Hell, I don't know! I cannot answer that
question for you and neither can anyone else. However, buying the right kind
of bird is NOT as important as buying from the right breeder or pet shop!
Birds are NOISY!!!!! Period, end of that discussion! Some are not quite as
noisy as others. Amazons, most cockatoos and large macaws are the loudest
ones. I often tell people it is like having a train going through your house
two or three times per day for 20 minutes to an hour! The Aratinga conures,
Patagonian, Nanday and mini-macaws are also in this group; they are just
smaller birds. Some of the less noisy parrots are the African birds like the
greys, Senegals, Jardine's, Meyers, Eclectus, Pionus and the Asiatics (the
true parakeets), budgies including the English and Cockatiels. If you cannot
handle noise, get a pet rock instead!
Exceptions......there are NONE except some birds in each species may be a bit
different in noise, personality, etc. except for one.......they are MESSY and
should come with a coupon for a free vacuum!
Parrots NEED attention! Direct attention is just that, you and the bird!
Every day, get your bird, sit on the couch and pet and stroke and kiss your
baby while watching TV or reading. Indirect attention is having your bird
near by while you are doing something else but every few minutes you reach
out and give it a little pet or a treat or even an eye-to-eye glance, tell it
how good it is; how pretty it is. Ambient attention means the bird is out
of its cage playing but is still in the flow of traffic in the house or in
the same room as everyone else so that it feels like it's part of the family
and "belongs"! Remember, ALL parrots are flock animals and we are their
flock!
Location: Do NOT put your
bird above a vent! If cold
air comes out of it, it
will cause pneumonia; same
thing happens if the bird
is placed in the direct air
flow of an air conditioner
or swamp cooler! If heat
comes out of the vent it
makes the bird go into a
molt, it drops its feathers
and it can die from heat
stroke! Also, it is NOT a
good idea to put your bird
in front of a window!
Birds also do NOT like
being around a whole bunch
of movement so being next
to a door or cupboards
that are always being op-
ened is not a good idea.
They also do not like be-
ing around fast moving
pets like cats or dogs or
kids that are moving fast,
screaming and swinging
toys around!
Left, a pair of Sun Conures
Parrots are very destructive! There is NO getting around this either. The beak
they're equipped with, whether small or large is made to chew things like
branches and sticks in the wild. However, in captivity they choose to chew on
every thing else. Curtains, door molding, trimming, carpet, couch, love seat,
stereo, entertainment stand, wires, extension cords, phone cords, paper, books,
CD/DVD's...the list goes on and on and on! If a bird can reach it with its beak,
it is fair game to them to chew and destroy it!
All birds live in a hyarchy
system. DON'T PUT YOUR BIRD
ON YOUR SHOULDER OR LET IT
GET HIGHER THAN YOUR EYES!!
Now here is why: we have
all seen a pirate. They
have a parrot on their
shoulder and a patch on
their eye!!! Parrots, even
in the wild do not just
bite for any reason. They
bite their mate to warn
them of danger when it app-
roaches to let them know
they need to fly to safety.
And in the case of defend-
Above, Major Mitchell's or Leadbeater's Cockatoos
ing their nest, territory or mate, the male will bite another male to make him
go away. Because YOU are the birds "chosen mate", it will occassionally bite
you to warn you of danger. You may not know what it is but the bird does. It
can be as simple as a person approaching that the bird does not like or the
bright flash of light that comes from a passing car where the sun reflects off
of the windshield.
Birds get sick and need medical care just like we do! Don't be a cheap ass &
not take the bird to an avian vet when it needs to go! As with you & your kid,
it is not cheap to see a doctor. You have the office visit fee, testing fees
and expense for medications! The average avian vet bill (for me) is between
$125 and $300 per visit! You can plan on having the same range!
Things that KILL birds within seconds, minutes or hours: avocado, rhubarb,
Febreeze self cleaning feature of your oven, teflon coating on non-stick pans
(if the bird is within 15 feet of the stove)! There are many, many more things
that are very harmful or DEADLY to your pet bird which I have covered earlier
in this care guide!
Birds have wings and they fly! Keep its wings PROPERLY clipped. I do NOT reco-
mmend that you clip your bird as it can cause some tension an animossity bet-
ween you and the bird. Have a bird specialist or an avian vet do this every
6 to 8 weeks as the feathers grow out. I cannot tell you how often I get an
email or a phone call from someone that had their birds head cut off by a cei-
ling fan or they find the bird in the kitchen sink or on the floor dead from
a broken neck from hitting the window or at a bare minimum with a broken wing
or leg. Toilets are also a constant graveyard for birds that can fly and are
found in there........drowned because everyone leave the lid up! They are also
famous for flying out a window or a door!!! If someone does not find your bird
that flew outside, it dies either by being eaten by a preditor like a hawk
or falcon or it starves to death because there are no food and water bowls
in the wild! Remember that your bird was raised in captivity and does NOT
know how to find food in the wild if it escapes. You know how you feel when
you're hungry......now imagine that feeling and starving to death because your
STUPID human owner didn't clip your wings because he thought it was cruel or
thought it was "cute" that you were flying all over the house!!!!!
Above, A Severe (or Chestnut Fronted) Macaw
If you EVER, EVER, EVER have questions about the safety of ANYTHING at any time,
please email me or call me and I can answer your questions. Do not just buy it &
"think it will be safe". Chances are it might not be and your pet will be the one
that suffers a horrible, painful death!
Questions or comments can be directed to me here at: ehorvath@sisna.com
Main Index Web Page:
http://www.diversityinutah.com
Updated March 23, 2009