THE BIRD SHOPPE HAS MADE A STRONG COMMITMENT TO OUR CUSTOMERS TO PROVIDE AS MUCH HELPFUL  INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE AT THE TIME OF SALE AND IN YEARS TO COME…..PET OWNERSHIP IS VERY REWARDING IF YOU HAVE THE NECESSARY TOOLS TO PROPERLY CARE FOR YOUR PET TO KEEP HIM HAPPY AND HEALTHY…..

 

• FOR THE FIRST WEEK OR TWO AFTER TAKING YOUR BABY HOME, KEEP YOUR BIRD IN HIS CAGE….DO NOT ALLOW HIM TO RUN ON THE FLOOR, WALK ON BACKS OF CHAIRS ,COUCHES OR SIT ON TOP OF HIS CAGE…..IF HE IS OUT OF HIS CAGE, IT IS BECAUSE YOU ARE HOLDING HIM, CUDDLING HIM ETC. THIS IS RECCOMMENDED FOR SEVERAL REASONS….FIRST HE WILL RECOGNIZE HIS CAGE  AS HIS HOME WHERE HE IS SAFE AND SECURE….SECONDLY, YOU WILL  REPRESENT  WARMTH, AFFECTION, FUN AND LOVE.  ANOTHER PERK IS THAT YOU WILL BE SPENDING YOUR BONDING TIME LOVING ON HIM NOT DISCIPLINING HIM.

• REMEMBER YOUNG BIRDS TIRE VERY EASILY JUST LIKE HUMAN BABIES….A “RULE OF THUMB” IS IF YOU HAVE YOUR BABY OUT OF THE CAGE FOR AN HOUR, PUT HIM BACK IN FOR TWO HOURS TO ALLOW HIM TO EAT, DRINK AND REST…..

• OUR BABIES ARE USED TO EATING AND DRINKING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CAGE….THEY ARE NATURALLY GOING TO WANT TO PERCH AND EAT FROM BOWLS HIGHER UP IN THE CAGE, BUT UNTIL THEY MATURE TO THIS POINT, PROVIDE FOOD AND WATER IN BOTH PLACES UNTIL YOU ARE COMFORTABLE  THEY CAN PERCH AND EAT…..

• REMOVE GRATES IN THE SMALLER BIRD CAGES…..THEY ARE POOP COLLECTORS AND ONE MORE THING FOR YOU TO CLEAN…..

• ALSO FOR SMALLER BIRDS, KEETS, TIELS ETC. MAKE SURE PLENTY OF MILLET IS PROVIDED…..BABIES READILY EAT MILLET AND DUE TO THE HIGH FAT CONTENT HELPS KEEP BODY WEIGHT UP UNTIL THEY ARE “PROS” AT CRACKING SEED…..

• KEEP PERCHES AT THE LEVEL OF FOOD AND WATER DISHES…..YOUNG BIRDS HAVE A TENDENCY TO WANT TO PERCH AT THE HIGHEST POINT….UNFORTUNATELY, THEY SOMETIMES GET STRANDED DUE TO INABILITY TO COME DOWN OR FEAR OF FALLING ETC…..REGARDLESS OF THE REASON, THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO EAT OR DRINK….

• KEEP THE CAGE BOTTOM AND PERCHES CLEAN….CORNCOB MAKES A WONDERFUL BEDDING AND IS VERY EASY TO USE…..BACTERIA EASILY GROWS IN WATER BOWLS AND FOOD BOWLS….WASH WITH HOT SOAPY WATER EVERY DAY….THIS PRACTICE WILL HELP KEEP YOUR BIRD HEALTHY….

• ALLOWING YOUR BIRD TO PERCH ON YOUR SHOULDER IS NOT A GOOD IDEA….KEETS, TIELS ETC. SEEM TO BE OKAY BUT ANYTHING LARGER COULD POSE A REAL SAFETY HAZARD ….YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE BIRD AND RUN THE RISK OF GETTING BIT IF THE BIRD IS STARTLED OR FEELS THREATENED. THINK OF A PARROT, A PIRATE AND A PATCH!

• MILLET IS HIGH  IN FAT AND READILY EATEN BY SMALL BIRDS…..GREAT FOR HELPING THROUGH THE WEANING PROCESS AND UNTIL BABY IS COMFORTABLE CRACKING SEED…..MILLET SHOULD BE LIMITED ONCE THE BABY HAS FULLY WEANED DUE TO THE HIGH FAT CONTENT AND FATTY TUMOR CONCERN. AS YOUR BABY MATURES, CUT BACK ON THE MILLET.

• SEED IS NOT A FOUR LETTER WORD….VARIETY IS THE KEY HERE….25%SEED, 25%FRUITS AND VEGGIES, 25%NUTS AND PELLETS AND 25% TABLE FOOD…..REMEMBER NOT TO ADD VITAMINS IF YOU CHOOSE TO PLACE YOUR BIRD ON A PELLET ONLY DIET…..

• ONLY CANARIES, FINCHES AND DOVES NEED GRIT…..THEY SWALLOW THEIR SEED WHOLE…..ALL OTHER BIRDS CRACK SEED AND DO NOT REQUIRE GRIT….

• VITAMINS ARE MOST IMPORTANT IF YOUR BIRD’S DIET CONSISTS OF ONLY SEED AND WATER….VITAMINS FILL IN THE NUTRITIONAL GAPS IN YOUR BIRD’S DIET…..

• WATCH “TREATS” ….JUST LIKE US, TOO MANY TREATS ARE NOT HEALTHY…

• GROOMING IS IMPORTANT FOR YOUR BIRD’S HEALTH…..REGULAR BATHING KEEPS FEATHERS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION AND HELPS WITH MOULTING…..KEEPING THE FLIGHT FEATHERS CLIPPED WILL PREVENT ESCAPE, INJURY AND HELP TO KEEP THE PET MORE MANAGEABLE….ALSO, NAIL TRIMS WILL MAKING HANDLING EASIER AND HELP PREVENT ENTANGLEMENT IN TOYS…..

• TOYS ARE WELCOMED BY YOUR BIRD…..BIRDS ARE LIKE CHILDREN….THEY LOVE TO PLAY AND HAVE FUN…TOYS HELP DEVELOP PERSONALITIES, PREVENT BOREDOM (WHICH CAN LEAD TO FEATHER PICKING)AND KEEP THEM HAPPY AND STIMULATED….CHANGE TOYS FREQUENTLY, RECYCLE OLD TOYS, CHECK FOR SAFETY, SPLINTERS AND DANGER AREAS…….DISCARD OLD AND PURCHASE NEW IF NECESSARY…..

• PLACE NO MIRRORS IN YOUR BIRD’S CAGE…..THEY TRY AND BOND WITH THE BIRD IN THE MIRROR…..HOW SAD AND FRUSTRATING ….YOU ARE HIS  BEST FRIEND, LET HIM BOND WITH YOU….

• WHEN CONSIDERING A CAGE, IT IS ALWAYS BEST TO BUY THE BIGGEST ONE YOU CAN AFFORD……A BIRD SPENDS APPROXIMATELY 20 HOURS PER DAY IN HIS CAGE….HE NEEDS ROOM TO EXERCISE, PLAY WITH HIS TOYS AND ENJOY HIS NUTRITIONAL FOOD….ROUND CAGES ARE NOT A GOOD CHOICE FOR ANY SIZED BIRD….YOUR PET HAS NO SENSE OF SECURITY IN A ROUND CAGE…REMEMBER EXTRA PERCHES OF ALL DIFFERENT SIZES AND TEXTURES PROVIDE GOOD EXERCISE FOR FEET AND LEGS….REGULARLY CHECK YOUR PET’S FEET FOR SORES, CALLOUSES AND TENDER SPOTS….WE WILL BE HAPPY TO HELP YOU SELECT THE APPROPRIATE CAGE AND ACCESSORIES FOR YOUR PET.

• OTHER HOUSEHOLD PETS CAN BE QUITE COMFORTABLE WITH YOUR NEW ADDITION…..COMMON SENSE NEEDS TO TAKE OVER HERE….NEVER LEAVE YOUR BIRD UNATTENDED OR OUT OF HIS CAGE WHEN YOU HAVE DOGS OR CATS IN THE HOUSE….YOUR BIRD SHOULD HAVE ADULT SUPERVISION ALWAYS WHEN OUT OF THE SECURITY OF A STURDY CAGE….***FERRETS, SNAKES AND LIZARDS ARE NATURAL ENEMIES OF BIRDS***

• BIRDS CANNOT BE LEFT ALONE FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME……BIRDS ARE FLOCK CREATURES AND NEED THE COMPANIONSHIP OF THEIR FAMILIES…..EVEN HAVING WELL INTENTIONED FRIENDS, FAMILY OR NEIGHBORS LOOK IN ON YOUR PET IS NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF YOUR BIRD….MOST PEOPLE ARE FAMILIAR WITH DOGS AND CATS BUT NOT WITH BIRDS….IF YOUR BIRD GETS ILL, CAUGHT IN A TOY, BREAKS A BLOOD FEATHER, STOPS EATING, STARTS PLUCKING FEATHERS ETC. WILL YOUR FRIEND OR NEIGHBOR KNOW HOW TO REACT? THIS IS NOT MEANT TO SCARE YOU BUT TO PROVIDE SOME THOUGHT BEFORE PACKING YOUR SUITCASES…..

 

POSSIBLE DANGERS TO BIRDS THAT CAN BE AVOIDED IF WE USE COMMON SENSE AND FOLLOW SOME ADVICE ARE:

 

• TEFLON…HEATED TO HIGH TEMPERATURES GIVES OFF CHEMICALS WHICH CAUSES RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS AND CAN CAUSE DEATH…..THIS ALSO APPLIES TO NON-BAKEWARE...VENTILATE IF YOU CHOOSE TO USE TEFLON COOKWARE…NOT HOUSING YOUR PET IN OR AROUND THE KITCHEN AREA IS PROBABLY THE BEST PRACTICE….

• CANDLES, SPRAYS INCENSE AND FIREPLACES ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE COME IN CONTACT WITH ON A DAILY BASIS…..SOME CANDLES, PLUG INS AND STICK UPS ARE PETROLEUM BASED, WHICH IS TOXIC TO BIRDS….THE MORE EXPENSIVE CANDLE SUCH AS YANKEE CANDLES ARE CONSIDERED SAFE…..INCENSE  NEED TO BE KEPT AWAY FROM YOUR BIRD AT ALL TIMES……FIREPLACES NEED TO BE USED SAFELY AND BE WELL VENTILATED…..SPRAYS, WHETHER ROOM FRESHNERS OR HAIR SPRAY SHOULD BE USED AWAY FROM YOUR PET….CIGARETTES SHOULD NEVER BE USED ANYWHERE NEAR YOUR BIRD….THE NICOTINE RESIDUE LEFT ON YOUR HANDS ALSO IS VERY TOXIC, SO HANDS NEED TO BE WASHED THROUGHLY BEFORE HANDLING YOUR PARROT…..FARMERS USE NICOTINE AS A PESTICIDE ON THEIR FARMS….

• CARBON MONOXIDE IS A CONSIDERATION IF YOUR HOME IS NOT ALL ELECTRIC….CONSIDER INSTALLING A CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR AND SET AT A LOWER SETTING THAN FOR NORMAL HOUSEHOLDS….

• TEMPERATURE IS NOT A HUGE CONCERN…..BIRDS ARE QUITE RESILIENT WHEN IT COMES TO TEMPERATURE….KEEPTHE BIRD OUT OF A DRAFT OR FROM BEING HOUSED OVER A HEATING/AIR CONDITION VENT…. REMEMBER IF YOUPLACE YOUR BIRD NEAR A WINDOW, HE CANNOT GET UP AND MOVE IF HE GETS TOO HOT OR TOO COLD….….CANARIES AND FINCHES ARE MORE SENSITIVE TO TEMPERATURE CHANGES THAN OTHER BIRDS.

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HOPE THIS HELPS…..WE WILL HELP YOU ANY WAY WE CAN, JUST GIVE US A CALL!