Daniel Roshard asked:


Pets have a great effect on humans, this has been studied and researched for many years, with no real scientific presumptions it can be relatively safe to say that many people feel that having a pet improves their quality of life. For bird lovers the choice in pets is clear, having a bird in the house is something that many people love, and naturally, birds can add a lot of style to house as well.

Giving your bird its own living space is one of the essentials of bird ownership. However, with the different models, sizes, and colors of bird cages available in pet shops nowadays, you might have a hard time choosing the best home for your bird.

Nevertheless, do not fear for here are some guidelines that would help make your search for that perfect cage much easier. Follow them and chances are you will never go wrong!

Large birds, on the other hand, should be kept in cages with bars that are positioned horizontally rather than vertically to provide a venue for climbing and exercise.

Be particular with shape and style of cages.

This is a very important consideration since there are studies which state that round bird cages are detrimental to the psychological health of most birds. Angled ones, therefore, are much preferable.

More often than not, these cages may be hung or placed on a stand. They also come in all shapes and sizes to house your pet bird comfortably and with style.

The craftsmanship and quality of the bird cage should also be carefully assessed.

Examine the quality of the bird cage before making a purchase. Here are some questions to answer:

Does the cage look solid and well-built?

Does it have any sharp edge or loose part?

Is it made of stainless steel that will never chip, is easy to clean, and is non-toxic?

Make sure that the cage will perform its main function and that is to protect your pet bird. Ensure that the bird cage will not be dangerous to its well-being and health.

There you go. With careful planning and right decision, you will be able to purchase the best bird cage for your bird. A safe, fun, sturdy, comfortable, and secured home.

Decide on the placement and location of your bird cage.

You must determine where you will place your bird cage and shop for it based on what will be appropriate for the spot that you have chosen. The spot should be away from drafts and windows, but must be placed in a lively part of the house to encourage interaction between pet and human beings.



Jeremy

Low Jeremy asked:


Seldom could anyone think of acquiring a bird pet except that of having a parrot as one, because parrots have been favored and popular among other bird pets. You see and observe the beautiful multi-colored talking parrot of your neighbor.

Few never realized that it is near absurd to get happy effects of a parrot pet, if one is careless to select its kind. Your great interest to have one leads you to a “pet store.” Lets talk about selecting the best parrot pet that’ll make you happy and serve you better benefits than disadvantages; and companion, as well.

Whenever you go to a bird shop to canvass for the purpose of getting a pet parrot, don’t be carried easily to persistent manipulative sales talk, all pro-relative descriptions about the bird. Shop owners or storekeepers target on maximum sales output, and will do best to convert stocks into cash.

Avoid “parrot pet” Impulsive Buying

1. Window Shopping – First day shop visit is a mixture of study process and analyzing of what, which, where, and how as regards the advantages, kind of parrot, and future living conditions as pet. Don’t jump into positive conclusions that; because the bird takes to a lot of responding while on display, makes a good pet.

Attractive features, like color of feathers, size, and energetic fitness are poor criteria to base in selection. Deeper know-how on the origin, specie, and breeding should be of vital reasons to consider. Take into account what kind of space in your household could you afford for its cage (larger size cage need bigger space, or vice versa). Will you have enough time to train and tend the bird well for the benefit of yourself and its own.

2. Adapting the Parrot Persona Potentials – Certain pet birds are adept to creating a character that fits in to the lifestyles of pet owners. Various birds to select are; the hyacinth and scarlet Macaw, Amazons, Conures, Moluccan Cockatoos.

Each of these parrots display respective qualities in beauty or intelligence, and capable to love their masters. However, some need special care and attention. The degree of mental stimulation taken upon them will total to any output they’ll give in return, to satisfy the pet’s master. Without the proper approach and training you’ll concern upon it, parrots resort to undesirable tantrum fits of depression leading to screaming, biting, and self-destruction.

Generally, all birds regardless of kind have common special traits that need to adjust in to special situations in environment, especially if they still come direct from the wilds, much lesser of breed ones. It takes a lot of research and inquiries from veterinarians, experts in bird handling, experienced parrot pet owners, special parrot shops, to pull together all positive angles to consummate a decision to act upon a purchase of a parrot pet.



Stacy

Archaeopteryx asked:


I can see how birds in the wild would be magnets for microorganisms, but what about pet birds living in your home that are well taken care of?

Lillian

purplescience15 asked:


If I got a pet bird from the pet store, it wouldn’t have bird flu would it?

William

Jason Roberts asked:


If you want your bird to live a long life it is important to feed it in a nutritionally sound way. Birds often die too young because they are malnourished or they pick up a disease because they were not being fed correctly.

2. Birds who are part of the parrot family should be fed a variety of foods. Seeds are used by most as the only part of the bird’s diet and this is a mistake. Seeds have too much fat, not enough protein and almost no vitamins. Seeds should not make up more than 50 percent of your bird’s diet.

3. Try healthy table foods like items that contain whole grains and pretzels, pasta and whole wheat bread. Many birds can be persuaded, given time and encouragement, to eat dairy and poultry products. Try serving your bird low-fat cheese, yogurt and chicken. Avoid any food that is high in fat and stay away from avocados, they are toxic to

birds!

4. Beans and legumes as well as fruits and vegetables are good sources of nutrition for the pet bird. It may take quite awhile to get your fine-feathered friend to except these changes, (up to a year) but it will be the best thing for your bird.

5. When you get ready to make these changes do it slowly. Offer the fresh foods twice a day for about an hour at each feeding. Don’t leave the fresh food in the cage longer than that. It becomes unappealing and can develop bacteria.

6. Feeding your bird twice a day is a good idea. Your bird will become hungry between feedings and this practice produces a more active bird. With a healthy appetite the bird is more likely to try new foods. You will also be able to keep a closer watch on how much your bird is eating. (If your bird is sick,laying eggs, caring for young, or nesting they should always have food available.) When food consumption drops, a bird is usually not feeling well.

7. If your bird is having a hard time getting used to the new diet, try warming the food or cooking the vegetables. It will take a little time to discover what works for your bird. Offer seeds only at meal time and along with other foods until you see that your bird is eating enough to stay healthy. Birds often do better with new diets when they are fed outside the cage.

8. Water is the final key to your bird’s nutritional success. The water must be fresh and all bowls should be thoroughly cleaned each day with hot water and soap. Disinfect these bowls with bleach every week. Be sure all the bleach is totally rinsed away from the bowls. Adding a multivitamin to the bird’s water daily is a good idea until you know the bird is getting enough vitamins from the fruit and vegetables. Birds are delightful pets and feeding them properly allows them to enjoy a healthy lifestyle and this practice can extend their life expectancy.

Adam

angibabe31 asked:


I am very familiar with birds but not very experienced with dogs. As a child, I had 3 dogs (mixed species) who were really good around our birds. However, as an adult, I have never had a dog around my birds. I’d like to get a dog someday and prefer bigger dogs than little dogs. If anyone can help answer this question, I would truly appreciate it. Thanks!

Wayne

julz asked:


She’s a Lory…Thanks!

Anthony

Linda Barton asked:


Birds are awesome pets and just like any pet they have a need for appropriate housings. Bird cages are merely enclosures for housing pet birds however there are undeniable aspects that need to be taken in to account ahead of shopping for a cage.

The size of the bird cage is an extremely significant component. It must have enough room for your bird to be able to move around and be capable of to flapping their wings comfortably. Keep in mind that there will be objects such as perches, playthings and bowls that must to be included and every one of these need space.

The type of bird you own will determine the size enclosure required large birds such as parrots will understandably require a substantially larger cage than a budgie. If the cage you select is overly small it can cause significant stress in your pet bird leading to numerous very unpleasant difficulties. This may include your pet bird pulling out its own feathers or becoming very loud and unhappy.

The bird cage you select should be of considerable quality, it should not have any sharp edges or bits that can come loose. It is a lot better to buy a birdcage that won’t rust, is easy to clean and is not harmful. Quality cages made from stainless steel are a good pick and will not chip. Because the cage will need to be cleaned on a regular basis, make sure it has a grid that may be taken out on the bottom to accumulate bird droppings.

The shape of a specific bird enclosure may have more of a mental affect on your bird than you’re aware of. There is debate about this topic some vets consider circular cages are not a good choice. This maybe owed to the fact that certain shapes may limit the quantity of usable space the bird has.

An additional vital component to consider when purchasing a bird cage is the spacing of the bars. Smaller birds such as lovebirds need to possess a cage where the bars are no longer than half an inch apart so that they can’t squash between them or become caught between them. Upright rather than crosswise bars are an acceptable alternative for bigger birds that love climbing.

You should have a bird cage that has abundant area for a collection of additional items to keep your pet bird cheerful and amused. It is of value to have a diversity of playthings this may include a swing for your bird to amuse itself with, and it’s necessary to include some perches, birdseed and water dishes.

It’s a good idea to go to see a vet since they ought to be able to tell you any requirements that are necessary for the specific type of bird you require a cage for. There are veterinarians who specialize in bird keeping and they’re an outstanding source of knowledge.



Bertha

Azmi Adnan asked:


Keeping a bird as a pet can be interesting and rewarding, especially if your bird is from the parrot family that can live for many years. These birds can be easily tamed and trained to perform tricks or to talk and sing with amazing clarity. A tamed pet parrot can be your life-long companion and keep you company. Many pet parrot owners find joy training their birds to talk, and unlike your dog or cat, it can be very satisfying when your bird wishes you ‘good morning’.

But before you try to train your bird to talk, it is necessary to win its confidence first. This would be having your bird to get used to your presence and the presence of the all the people living with you in the house. It would be easier to tame a bird if it is two to six months old. Anything older than that would require a lot of patience on your part. Full-grown parrots can bite hard and injure you if you are not careful. Try not to make sudden moves that surprises your bird or it will defend itself through natural instincts.

Pet your bird by gently scratching its head for it to get used to you. Offer food from the other hand, such as nuts, celery, corn, raisin, and grapes. You should also offer your bird milk or fruit juice from a small cup. Don’t give your bird leftovers from your lunch or dinner, or junk food like burger meat, hotdog or high calorie cakes.

Use hunger as leverage when taming your bird. This method is widely used in bird parks around the world. When your bird has not been fed for a couple of hours, place the food on a dish near you and led the bird come to you for feeding. The bird would feel nervous at first, but once it gets used to this, it would be natural for the bird to come to you with confidence

If your bird is quite wild when you first purchased it, you could place the cage next to you when you go about doing your personal things such as reading, watching tv or writing. It would just be a matter of time before your bird get used to having your presence around. If your bird is big, you might want to rough around with it such as scratching its head and back. Protect yourself with gloves or a towel at first until it eventually recognizes you as its master. Soon your bird will expect this kind of attention from people it is familiar with.

You would need to do a complete examination of your bird at least once a month and look out for abnormalities such as ingrown feather or toenails or a beak that needs trimming. Look out also for possible liver trouble in the form of swollen or dark abdomen. Wash the legs with warm water to get rid of encrusted droppings and apply vaseline to soften the scales and kill scale lice.

With patience, you will have a great companion that keeps you company for years to come.



Herman

Erik Willis asked:


The study of birds is a very popular hobby for many people throughout the world. No special equipment is needed for bird study other than a notebook to list the number and kinds of birds observed and a guidebook to aid you in bird identification. However, a good pair of binoculars is recommended. Photography of birds can also be a rewarding hobby but it demands skill, patience and requires purchase of some expensive equipment.

There is an abundance of bird information available to the enthusiast. Let’s begin with a bit of history.

Evolution of Birds

Most ornithologists believe that birds evolved from dinosaurs. The first known species of bird, the archaeopteryx, lived about 150,000,000 years ago. Although it had feathers and wings, it also had reptilian features, such as teeth, claws on all four limbs, and a long, bony tail.

Fossil birds of North America were the ichthyornis, which resembled a gull, and the hesperornis, a water-dweller about five feet long with sharp teeth. By about 75,000,000 years ago, the types of birds we know today had already begun to develop.

How Birds Are Classified

Referenced bird information shows that birds form the class Aves of the phylum Chordata. There are also two subclasses: Archaeornithes, which consists entirely of extinct birds (including the archaeopteryx); and Neornithes, which includes three superorders as follow:

· Odontognathae – Extinct birds that had teeth. Examples are the ichthyornis and hesperornis.

· Impennes – This consists of only one living order, Sphenisciformes or penguins.

· Neognathae – There are 28 orders to this superorder, including:

1. Struthioniformes

2. Rheiformes

3. Casuariiformes

4. Dinornithiformes

5. Apterygiformes

6. Tinamiformes

7. Gaviiformes

8. Colymbiformes or Podicipidiformes

9. Procellariiformes

10. Pelecaniformes

11. Ciconiiformes

12. Anseriformes

13. Falconiformes

14. Galliformes

15. Gruiformes

16. Diatrymiformes.

17. Charadriiformes

18. Columbiformes

19. Psittaciformes

20. Cuculiformes

21. Strigiformes

22. Caprimulgiformes

23. Apodiformes (formerly Micropodiformes)

24. Coliiformes

25. Trogoniformes

26. Coraciiformes

27. Piciformes

28. Passeriformes

Bird Care Tips

There are a myriad birds that make good pets. In fact, birds are among the most popular common house pets. Care must be taken though in the choosing of birds and in bird care. Here are some tips:

Choosing a Bird

While small birds, such as parakeets and canaries, require minimal care, large birds, such as parrots, cockatoos, and cockateels, can require a great deal of care and demand a lot of affection. Make sure you know about the requirements of the bird you’re considering.

Avoid buying a canary between July and October, which is the canary’s molting season. A sudden environmental change during that period may send it into shock.

Before buying a parrot, be prepared for a lifetime relationship – it may live longer than you do. Parrots become extremely attached to their owners.

Caring for Birds

When holding a pet bird, be very gentle. Bird bones are fragile – even the slightest pressure on the wrong spot can cause a fracture.

Never let a pet bird loose in the kitchen.

If a pet bird breathes through its open mouth, you know it’s sick. Buy a bird antibiotic at the pet store, pulverize it, and add it to your bird’s drinking water. If this doesn’t help, get it to the vet right away.



Angela