panramas asked:


My two pet birds are really closely bonded and can’t even be separated briefly. But fairly regularly the younger bird violently attacks the older bird. Quite often there is a lot of blood. The older bird has had part of its foot pecked off. But they get very distressed when separated from one another. Why would one attack the other?
They are both male cockatiels.

Joy

Ruth Bird asked:


I read a report on the effects pets have on heart attack patients. In Australia after a year,6% of heart attack victims who owned a dog died, but, the difference is: a 25% mortality rate for those who didn’t own a dog. Now some people may be surprised. I am not, I have done dog therapy visiting for many years and see first hand the effect a dog can have on a health challenged person.

For many years, we have become aware of the therapeutic effects pets can have in healing. Some of these effects can be for: reduction in depression and stress.

What do you think will benefit you more when you are going through certain challenging difficulties, people or pets?

Think about it. When you are stressed or depressed, do you want a person around, or would you feel better stroking a pet, and looking in your pet’s eyes? Believe it or not, most people prefer the pet because there is no pressure coming from the pet. The pet is strictly a “receiver” for you!

Pets are also great for lowering blood pressure. This is a known fact. There is power in pets.

Having a dog present during stressful times, with people around, could even cancel out the people stress. Again, the dog’s receptive and loving nature seems to **** up the stress.

More power of the pet!

Again, it has been documented in many places that pet owners are happier and healthier people.

What is it that makes a pet so powerful?

A persons mental state of mind can change when you bring a pet into the equation. This has even been proven with scientific studies. The brain chemicals actually go through changes. So, we have fact here, and not fiction.

A pet is in a constant state of acceptance to you. More perhaps a dog than a cat. A pet will bring meaning into someone’s life. A pet can actually serve as a positive relationship; this will give confidence to the pet owner. Many pet owners will work harder, and more efficiently at keeping well, and getting well for the benefit of their pets. They want to make sure that they are there for their pets. An added incentive to wellness.

Animals, especially dogs, have a sense of what their owners need, and they are able to give it. There is no hidden agenda with a dog or a pet. A pet’s purpose in life is to serve his/her master. And the master’s responsibility is to look after the pet. Hence, a purpose for wellness to many people!

Please note, this is not medical advice, simply an idea that has been documented and studied more and more.



Florence

Johnathan Trammil asked:


Start Early Seeking a Reliable Pet Bird Supply Outlet

So, you finally have your pet bird safely in its cage hanging or standing in your home or apartment. Its healthy and happy. Your healthy and happy, so all is good for now. Of course you are going to need the proper food for your new found feathered friend, but thats no problem, because the place that sold you your pet bird also hooked you up with a huge sack of their special blend.

Do You Have All that You Need ?

Have you stopped to consider for a moment that there may be something missing from your picture? Is there anything that your bird can use to more effectively maintain its health and happiness? The fact is that being that you are completely responsible for your pet birds complete environment, there is most likely something that you have missed. Also, it is inevitable that at some point your happy feathered friend is going to need some type of medical attention.

A Few Good Reasons

These are just a few of the reasons why now is the time to get yourself connected with a good, reliable online pet bird supply outlet. For one thing, that problem with so many local pet stores is that they aren’t specialized. That is, that they tend to carry a wide array of birds and animals, so this means that they tend to specialize in none of them. Because they are pet stores, you will also find that most of them only feature bird supplies as a sideline.

Stay Ahead of the Game – Start Early

Online bird supply sources are where you are going to find not only your best variety of bird supplies, but also your best prices as well. Another thing that you will find, is that they are more likely going to be able to cater to your specific bird species unique needs. These online sources are also a great source of great tips on how to best care for your specific species of bird as well as how to recognize any health problems in their early and most treatable stages.



Melanie

Lee Dobbins asked:


Many people think that a bird is a fun low maintenance pet that can provide you with good company. While birds are fun, intelligent companions they do require quite a bit of maintenance and care. Some birds require more maintenance than others so here’s some guidelines on bird care that might help you pick a bird that’s perfect for your lifestyle.

First of all you should be aware that all birds will need to have fresh food and water in a cage change daily. Also, birds are messy with their seeds and you’ll soon find seeds all over the floor around the cage that will need to be cleaned each day to. You can buy things to go on the cage so minimize this mess but be prepared to spend at least a half-hour cleaning up and around your birds cage each day. In addition, you want to set aside time each week to wash down the cage as it can get quite messy.

The reason most people get a bird is to obtain friend I can sit in the shoulder and entertain them. But if you want your bird to remain tame and friendly you’ll need to spend some time with it particularly at feeding time when you can choose to hand feed him and also you want to set aside time to take them out of the cage just to play.

If you don’t have a lot of time to spend with a bird but still like the look of these bright little creatures you may want to think about purchasing a canary or some finches. These birds are pretty self-sufficient and won’t pine away if you don’t pay a lot of attention to them. Also, if you don’t want a loud bird that will wake up all your neighbors these have light pleasant sounding voices. Beware, however, that they’re just as messy as other birds so you will need to spend time cleaning up their cage’s.

let’s say you who do have plenty of time to spend training and playing with your pet bird but you just don’t have the room for big giant parrot. For you, the cockatiel parakeet might make the perfect pet. These birds can become very tame and can even be taught to do tricks and in some cases to talk. They are not overly loud so can be good pets for apartment dwellers.

If you want something a little bit bigger, consider midsize parrots like Conures or Senegal parrots. these birds are a bit bigger in size can be fun and entertaining pets but I must warn you they can be very loud. Conyers in particular have an ear piercing shriek that they like to emit first thing in the morning. they’re not the talkers that the larger parrots are but some breeds like Quaker parrot and Nanday conure can talk pretty good.

If you do a lot of time and you want a bird that will talk extensively than you want to choose one of the larger parrots like an African gray or maybe even a macaw. The larger parrots theirs is just as smart as a toddler and will probably require almost as much attention. You need to make sure that you keep your bird from getting bored or providing him with interesting toys that you change out every once in awhile and by interacting with them yourself. If you buy a large burden and spend time with it you’re just asking for trouble as they can be quite destructive and loud.

No matter what type of bird you choose, you want to make sure you get one that has been hand fed since it was a baby. This bird will already be quite tame and used humans and be ready to adapt to his new home and willing to learn to talk and do tricks from you. It’s a bird that is not tame or friendly may have problems and may never learn to trust you, therefore not making a good pet.

It can be exciting to adopt a pet bird but you need to make sure that you make this decision carefully. Buying a bird that you do not have the time for will be a disappointment for both you and the bird and will not work out in the long run. Before you make your purchase, be sure that you will commit to caring for your new feathered friend and you will find that you have a wonderful companion.



Jesse

Low Jeremy asked:


Bird trainers have developed skills or techniques, and become experts in understanding the behavioral nature of the parrot. Several books, manuscript, and guidelines in promoting the positive angles to be on the win side in behavioral conquest of the bird have helped a lot of amateurs and pet owners.

Parrots are the most misunderstood birds in existence. It’s up for you to get thru better relationships with your bird, for it is, what you make it so. Before knowing it, at a slightest trait overlook, this bird in your cage could create havocs of anxiety and frustrations in your life. Basically, parrots need real training, otherwise, you will one day find out, it becomes an undesirable annoying character stealing away every bit of your peaceful, chaos-free moments.

Basics in training start with the bird’s character traits and instincts. Your first approach is to notice its biting habits and screaming. These are inherent to parrots especially if it seemed likely to be ignored. Like humans they develop into emotional outburst, and their tendency is to find an object to threw out their fits.

Instinctive biting and screaming loudly distract. Try to find out what causes such behavior. Every bit of undesirable action could be a reaction that actually comes from its surrounding environment, either from your very self, or from anyone among your companions inside the house.

Behavioral Aspects in Training

1. Let us deal into terms similar to psychology in humans.

* Operant conditioning, situation in training, on other domestics or your bird pet; reacting well in order to gain something positive, or to evade from something negative. Example: Directing your bird to whistle, if it mimics the action, you hand in its food. Next time, instinct to eat allows impulsive choice to obey, whatever you want it to do, a whip of your finger, or cue from your mouth.

* Bridging stimulus set an example, when a hand is raised to command the bird to perch in one corner of the cage, the demonstrative actions serve a bridge for the parrot to choose in abeyance following the hand cuing, because a toy is ready at reach.

2. Do not punish pets for any negative attitude or actions done previously.

Example: When it unties cage’s knots (birds do kept biting and untying); long time before you discovered it, don’t whip or deprive it of meals. Birds or animals do not know of past and future. Bird’s instinct is to live or act “here” and “now,” and never aware of anything done ostentatiously. Turn to let a parrot obey you on what it does at the moment.

A large scale of parrot species need to be captivated to insure you with one of the best pet favored by many households. Research where your pet originated in order to pursue utmost care in mutual relationships between humans and birds.



Andre

Andri Irawan asked:


Deciding to acquire pet birds require many factors that you have to accommodate when you choose to become a pet owner. You must be able to commit to the responsibilities and allot the right time and money to make sure that your pets will always be at the top of their game. You can choose from the following popular species of birds.

1. Cockatiels. Aside from having a medium built that makes it easier for you to care and entertain them, you will have fun when you have this kind. They are known to be delightful. These are part of the family of parrots and hailed in Australia. They are known for their singing and whistling abilities. They can also learn how to talk, but they often prefer to whistle. They also tend to mimic the usual sounds that they hear making them appear quirky and fun. They can easily get sounds like the barking of dogs or the telephone ringing. You can get these types in various color combinations. The life expectancy of cockatiels can be up to 20 years.

2. Lovebirds. They are among the smallest kinds in the species of parrots. They have the personality as well as intelligence. That is why most owners will not trade these kinds to the larger kinds. Aside from such aspects, they are not that demanding and they are beautiful to look at. These are ideal for people who live in apartments and condominiums because they are fairly quiet. The size can be around six inches when it comes to length and their life expectancy can be about 20 years.

3. Parakeets. The most common of this kind, known as the Budgerigar, is perfect for kids. This is especially true if it is the first time for the child to own a pet, specifically a bird. You can make them choose among various pretty colors. These will only require less amount of space so you don’t have to mind much about the matter. They are small and yet intelligent. They can whistle as well as sing and they can also learn few words. They can live up to 14 years.

4. Canaries and finches. They will require less space because of size. These types can measure 5 inches or even smaller. They are known as waxbills or softbills. They thrive in small kinds of flocks. They also require little attention making them perfect companion for those who cannot afford to allot lots of time in engaging their birds in activities. These do not care much about the attention that they get from humans. Their lifespan can reach up to 10 years if you have cared and treated them well.

5. African Greys. These are ideal to be a lifetime companion because they can live up to 70 years. They are known as the most intelligent kinds. They can even learn around 2,000 words if trained well. They are smart but they also tend to be demanding. They will get bored and lonely if you will not take time to engage them in stimulating activities. Your efforts will surely be rewarded because these are affectionate in nature.

So choose from the list what you want to acquire as pet birds. Make sure that as much as you will enjoy their presence, you will also be able to give them what they require from you.



Nathan

freswood asked:


I vaguely remember reading somewhere that pet birds shouldn’t come into contact with dogs or cats because they carry a disease which can kill them. Is that right? If so, can rabbits and birds come in contact? I have a pet rainbow lorikeet and in the future I would like to have other pets.

Natalie

SkylarMar!e asked:


Well on my birthday (november 12th) im planning to get a pet bird and im going to name it MaryJane. Im wondering what types of birds they usually sell at pet stores like petco or petsmart & prices of the birds.
Thanks and 10 pts. best answer!

Alicia

Richard Stooker asked:


Several months ago, a cat in Germany caught bird flu — and pet owners throughout Europe dumped their poor dogs and cats.

I trust you have more concern for the animals under your care than that, and there are ways to reduce the risk that they catch bird flu even during a serious pandemic.

The current A/H5N1 bird flu virus is unprecedented in the way it’s proven it can infect not only birds and pigs (which can normally catch the flu from both chickens and people), but in how it’s infected other mammals.

The cat in Germany. Allegedly lions and tigers in the Bangkok Zoo, and so on.

You must also remember this — YOU can catch bird flu from your pets.

And your pets can catch bird flu from other animals and from other people.

So protecting them from bird flu is one way you must also protect yourself and your family.

I’m writing this article before bird flu has become contagious between people. There is no pandemic yet, but you should be concerned about transmission of A/H5N1 between animals. The virus has been found in Europe, though it’s not yet in North America.

You should keep all your pet birds such as parakeets and canaries inside. That should shelter them from the virus.

If you’re in Europe, Asia or Africa, I must say that it’s risky to let your dogs and cats run free, especially if you’re in a rural or wooded area frequented by wild birds. If you’re in North or South America, this is not yet a problem.

Once a contagious bird flu pandemic starts, your options are more limited.

Pets should NOT leave your house or yard. I realize that dogs and cats used to running around free will not like being confined to home. They should remain on a leash or behind a fence that holds them in.

By the way, electronic fences don’t count, because during the pandenic you cannot depend on electricity. I have a friend who delivers pizza. One night after an electrical storm, she had to stop her car in a very wealthy area to chase a bunch of peacocks off the road. I’m sure that they had been confined to the yard of one of the surrounding mansions behind an electrical fence — until the power outage turned that fence off.

If you let your pets escape you will have to make a difficult decision — because during a bird flu pandemic dogs and cats that have been running around loose should NOT be allowed back into your house or yard. I realize some of you will ignore this advice, but you’ll be taking a big risk.

Since dogs and cats can catch bird flu, it’s likely that some bird flu patients will transmit the virus to their pets. Who will then escape or be homeless because their owner died from that bird flu.

You don’t want your pets exposed to those dogs and animals that’ll be running loose through the streets.

You don’t want your dogs and cats sniffing or eating dead birds.

You don’t want your dogs and cats petted by strangers who may not even know they have bird flu.

If you let them out of your house or yard, they may well do some or all of those things before returning home to you — bringing bird flu with them.

Therefore, the best way to protect your pets during a bird flu pandemic is to keep them away from everybody outside your family. Keep them inside your house as much as possible or at least in your yard.

They must stay isolated — just as you should.

The best way to beat the bird flu is to avoid the virus.



Dennis

Bellzia asked:


I know that pigeons can. are there any other ones?

Marian