Jay Schindler asked:


Many times known as the Major Mitchell’s cockatoo, Leadbeater’s Cockatoo is most probably one of the world’s most beautiful of all cockatoos. This is purely because most of the Leadbeater cockatoo’s are chiefly white! Nevertheless, there is simply no factually evidence to the fact that this species do not make a great pet bird, indeed they do.

They incredibly absurd nicknames given to Leadbeater’s cockatoos they are either hated or simply adored by aviculturists. The trick to having one of them as a pet is to make sure that they are raised in the proper manner.

In the wild, the Leadbeater’s cockatoos mainly eat grass seeds and roots. Their habitat is extremely erratic throughout the arid parts of Australia and in the breeding season it varies particularly depending on the area of the continent. It is common among the Leadbeater’s cockatoos to nest in the eucalyptus trees and chew out the bark that is inside to provide soft shavings for their little ones. In captivity, you are suggested to feed your pet a good pellet or a seed mix formulated for small parrots. Tremendous amounts and a great variety of fruits and vegetables alike should be given and supplemented with some meat like chicken bones or cooked chops. You should also bear in mind that since these birds comes around to getting easily bored, you should try and keep them busy with loads of branches to chew on and pine cones to shred.   Leadbeater’s cockatoos are known to be extremely keen chewers, so be sure that their cages are quite strong! These birds may also be intensely loud, as they have a unique shriek. When they are young they are very affectionate, but as soon as they grow older they will try to claim some authority over you and must be prohibited with a determined hand. When they are raised in the appropriate manner, they then become very loving, entertainingly playful and generally a joy to own.

At maturity, the Leadbeater’s cockatoos are about 14 inches in length and approximately weigh from 300 grams to around 425 grams. The females weigh slightly more than the males. Their plumage is white and the have crests that arch forwardly. The ****** and the heads of these birds are salmon pink and there are red bands across their crests. One subspecies has a yellow band on its crest. The females have a reddish brown iris whereas the males have a very dark brown or simply black coloured iris.

In 1831, it was first sighted by the Vigour’s. Leadbeater’s cockatoos are native to the desert and mostly grassland regions of Australia, apart from the northeast part of the country. These birds are known by numerous silly names, including Desert Cockatoo, Pink Cockatoo, Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo, Wee Juggler, Cocklerina or even Chockalott! Even thought they are common in most parts of Australia, generally the Leadbeater’s cockatoos are quite rare to find!



Doris

Hannah asked:


I’m looking into buying a small bird, like a parakeet. What types are the best for indoors, particularly which ones are the most quiet?

Leon

Moses Wright asked:


One only needs to consider the past practices of how miners used canaries as a gauge for unhealthy air levels in the mines to sense how keen birds are to their surroundings. Should canaries expire while in the mines, it would alert the miners that the air was at an unhealthy level with abundant time for the miners to leave. While birds are sensitive creatures, they are also known to outlast some owners.

Just like birds found in the wild, pet birds are susceptible to unhealthy odors as well. Common household appliances and items such as Teflon pans, aerosol sprays and even innocuous furniture polish can be fatal for birds. One of the best practices when dealing with substances that may give off pungent odors is to use it in airy areas far away from your birds.

Pet birds have a natural inclination to chomp and it can be a major issue. When a bird chomps on soldered joints on welded items, lead poisoning is a common result. Also, birds do have a penchant to chew on potted plants. Despite popular sentiments, poinsettia plants are not deadly. It is important to remember that if you are unsure if a plant is toxic or not, it is best to err on the side of caution and move the plant away from the bird. A small pot of innocuous parsley can be helpful to the bird to overcome the desire of nibbling on houseplants as it is a safe substitute.

Fresh food that is fed to your birds will do them a whole lot of good; however, food like coffee, chocolate and avocado are fatal for birds and they should never be given such foods.

As the holiday season approaches, most people will bring a tree into their house. Many might think that a bird’s natural habitat is a tree and have the belief that their birds will have an affinity for perching on it. It is true that birds might enjoy this exercise, many pine trees could have had preservatives or chemicals administered and prove fatal to your pet. Furthermore, electrical lights and decorations can be pose a certain kind of danger for your birds.

There are a number of precautionary issues to see to if your bird does not have had its wings clipped. Firstly, all glass doors and windows should be shielded one way or another. The best way to do this is with curtains or shades. An alternative to curtains or shades is placing safety decals on the glass so your birds can tell the glass is there and avoid serious injury or even death. You should treat other large reflective surfaces and mirrors in a similar manner when your pet bird is released from its cage.

Standing water can pose as a form of danger as well. The bird can meet its untimely end in a toilet bowl or full kitchen sink in a few seconds. If a bird is released from its cage, cooking with an uncovered pot is especially ill-advised.

Finally, always be mindful of the whereabouts of your bird even if its wings are clipped. On an updraft, even a bird with clipped wings can glide for quite some distance. It is easy to forget that your bird is perched on your shoulder when your doorbell suddenly rings and you rush to answer it but you must remember never to carry your bird to an open door regardless of whether or not its wings are clipped.



Nicholas

in2thfldagn asked:


We have a Goffins Cockatoo and Yellow Nape Amazon that we love taking outside with us. We have recently planted some new trees in our yard and I let them sit in them sometimes and I was wondering what plants are toxic to birdos?

Anna

Richard asked:


I would cut it down now and again so it dont grow to tall.

Edward

Limoeg Veigroeg asked:


It is well-known fact what an influence bring to the human been having a bird as a pet. These little creatures make our life more party-coloured, full of songs from the beautiful nature. It brings to you calmness and makes you smile watching them and listening to their sweet lyric songs. That could be just a simple reason for so many people to have a pet bird. Whatever is the reason it’s obviously that having a pet, no matter if it is a bird or cat or something else, improves your quality of life.

Talking about pet birds you should know that providing your bird a living place that is as close as possible to their natural environment is a basic step for its and yours comfort. Depending on your bird, your efforts must be pointed to find the best bird cage regarding to the size of your bird. Nowadays there are so many bird cages on the market you can choose among. Size, materials, design, colors, everything you want is there. And I am sure at some moment you should ask yourself “What do I really want? There is such a variety of bird cages. How can I choose the best for my bird?”

Here we go! These are some little advices you may consider about choosing a bird cage if you have a large bird. First when you are looking for a bird cage, you should keep in mind that cage bars must be positioned horizontally rather than vertically for providing a venue for climbing and exercise.

It’s very important before a purchase to examine and be sure about the quality of the bird cage. Avoid bird cages made of wrought iron and painted finishes. He may be toxic and will hurt your bird if it is prone to chewing the material. Avoid also any sharp edges or loose parts. The cage should be safe enough for the bird; this is its main function. It must be solid and well-built.

When you consider where you should place the cage in the house, you must know that birds are very intelligent and social animal. They need to be close to your daily living and involved into your family activities and relationships. Avoid any drafted and fumed places. Provide enough light and for sure avoid spots with strong, direct sunlight.



Gilbert

Lance Groom asked:


Birds make great pets and are relatively easy to take care of. There are many different types of birds. There are birds that sing and birds that have beautiful colors. Although there is some work and planning that goes into having a bird.

There are several types of birds that are bred in captivity. A few of the most popular birds are parakeets, canaries, finches, and cockatiels. These birds are comfortable in most homes and are usually pretty well behaved.

Your bird should have a safe secure cage. The cage should be large enough so that the bird can fully extend it’s wings. Finches and canaries need room to fly short distances. Parakeet and cockatiels need room to climb. The bars should be 3/8 to 1/2 of an inch apart. This way the bird cannot escape or get stuck. You should line the bottom with hard wood shaving.

Place the cage away from drafts and away from direct sunlight. Birds are very sensitive to noise, smoke and large activity, so the cage should go in a quiet room. You should also place the bird at eye level. If you have other pets, such as dogs and cats you should make sure you put the cage in a place safe from them.

You should also put all kinds of toys in your birds cage. This will keep your bird occupied and will also keep him active. Another thing that birds like are mirrors. They enjoy talking to their reflection. You need to place different levels of perches around your birds cage. This way the bird can fly from perch to perch and get some exercise.

Feeding your bird isn’t that complicated. You can get a high quality seed mixture that is made especially for your type of bird. These include all the vegetables and fruits your bird will need. You can find that at most pet stores and even some super markets.

You should probably get a cuttlebone for your bird. A cuttlebone is a type of bone that your bird can pick at. There is calcium in this bone. That way your bird will get all the calcium it needs. You will also need a bird grit to help digestion. Another thing your bird will need is a supply of fresh water. You can keep the water in a little dish in the cage at all times. Make sure that it is always available. It is a good idea to give your bird little amounts of fruits and vegetables sometimes.

Birds clean themselves, so you don’t need to worry about giving them a bath. But you do need to clean your bird’s cage about once a week. You should change the saw dust and clean all the toys to get the bad germs off.

Most birds are very sociable. Parakeets, finches, and cockatiels get along with other birds. It would be okay to keep them in the same cage with another bird. But make sure that the cage is big enough for both birds.

You should take your bird out at least once a day. Try to get the bird used to being with humans. Most birds enjoy climbing on your head and nestling in your hair. But if you are going to let your bird out of it’s cage be sure that its wings are clipped. You will know when it is time of a clipping when your bird can start to get some flight.

Birds like everything else get sick. Some signs of sickness are dull and limply feathers, discharge around the eyes and noise, and wet and dirty around the ****. If you notice any of these signs you should take your bird to the vet. The vet will probably put your bird on some kind of medication.

Birds are very enjoyable. They are not that much work, but do show affection. They can be very comical too. They can do some pretty weird stuff. You can also teach them to talk and sing. Birds are very fun.

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Delores

Stacy Richford asked:


Regardless of the fact that many birds can potentially outlive their owners, We need to remember just how fragile birds are when compared to many of the other types of pets we could own. An interesting fact that demonstrates the fragility level of birds is how miners used to actually exploit this weakness in order to insure their safety while underground. They would often bring a canary down into the mines with them since they knew that the birds were extremely sensitive to potential dangers and the canary would die if the air in the tunnel was becoming toxic.

Most pet birds also have this same sensitivity to toxic fumes. Even common every day items such as aerosol sprays, Teflon pans and even household furniture polish can be potentially lethal to most birds. It’s highly advisable that when you use anything that has a strong odor or gives off fumes that you do so in a well ventilated area that is a good distance away from where your birds are kept.

Another dangerous hazard for your new pet bird is their natural attraction to chew on objects. Many birds like to bite and chew on items that are welded which may cause them to develop lead poisoning from the soldered joints on the object they were chewing. Birds also enjoy nibbling on potted plants and flowers. Make sure that if you keep any plants close to your birds cage that they are edible or at the very least non toxic. In cases were you are not really sure, it would be best to keep them safe distance away just to be on the safe side. Despite all the stories regarding poinsettia plants being poisonous, in reality they are pretty harmless. Another good idea would be to provide an alternative that is inherently safe, such as a small pot of an herb like parsley which may help your birds avoid the temptation to nibble in the first place.

If you tend to feed your birds different kinds of fresh foods, you are doing a good service for your birds health in most cases. However, it is very important to note that there are indeed some things you should never feed your birds. For example, items like avocado, coffee and chocolate are natural toxins to many birds.

When the holiday season begins to approach, chances are you will want to bring a tree into your home. A common misconception many people have when they bring a tree home is the assumption that their birds can make good use and get enjoyment out of climbing it. In reality many types of Christmas trees are pretty toxic to birds. Many times they have been treated with some form of chemical preservative to help them last longer during the holidays. In addition, many of the ornaments and the electric lights that we traditionally hang on our trees can also pose a safety hazard.

If your bird does not have it’s wings clipped, there are additional safety concerns you should prepare for. First, you need to make sure that all of the windows in your home have shades or curtains so that if you let your bird fly around abit you can cover them while your bird is out so he wont just fly through any old opening. If your home also has glass doors, you should cover them as well. If you decide not to use any curtains or shades, in the very least you should attach some form of safety decals on the glass itself so that your bird can tell the glass is there. It is not unheard of to hear stories where a bird has flown into a glass window it could not see and broken it’s neck. Any type of mirror or other reflective surfaces pose the same type of problem.

You should also be sure you don’t have any kind of standing water that is easily accessible when your bird is out of it’s cage. It’s very easy for a bird to drown in a toilet or the kitchen sink in just a few seconds. Cooking while allowing your bird to fly around the house is also not the best idea, especially if you have any pots on your stove uncovered.

Lastly, more than one bird owner has over looked the fact that his bird was perched on their shoulder just as he rushed to answer the front door. You should never carry your bird with you to an open door, regardless wither or not their wings are clipped. Even a bird with clipped wings will still be able to glide fairly far if they happen to catch an updraft.

Some of these things may seem highly unlikely to occur but when you love your pet, any potential danger is worth being prepared for.



Kathy