Getting a New Bird!

My family recently got a new bird, so I thought I would go over getting a new bird and some important steps that come with it. It is very important that the bird works well with your family and is in the right level for you. There are three levels of birds, beginner, intermediate, and advanced. They all require different amounts of care and needs, so it is best to get a bird that you can suit the needs for it. And as you go up levels, the more the bird needs. If you have never had a bird before then get a beginner bird, not a advanced or intermediate because they require much more care.img_0531.jpg

It is also very important to choose a bird that is assertive and pays attention. When in the pet store and choosing the bird, you want to make sure the bird is paying attention to you and seems attentive. If they are hiding and ruffled or sleeping, they may not be  good fit for you. When they are active, and being alert in the store, the more likely that they aren’t sick and will also be friendlier and more active when at home too.

91inqk3w8ul._sy550_Another thing to keep in mind when getting a new bird is having a home for them. They need to have a proper sized cage for their species. They will need to have perch space, and plenty of space to move around. They also need to have space for plenty of toys because they also need toys. Toys are needed to stimulate their minds and to keep from their beaks growing long.

Another part of having a new bird is making sure they get a proper diet. They should eat seeds that vegetables-fruit-mixed-heartare designated for their species. They will also need to have fruits and vegetables that they can eat. This will all need to be in proper feeders or containers that are kept in cages at all times. Water is also essential to have in the cage at all times. The water needs to be in either a container or feeder as well.

Once all of this is set up, you can bring your bird home and put it in it’s new home. They will need to get used to their surroundings before you try and take them out. It is best to wait 24 to 48 hours before even putting your hand in their cage, because it will stress toysyour bird out. Once this time has passed, it would be time to start training your bird. First try introducing your hand to them, then start trying to teach them how to step up by pressing your finger under their belly. Treats can be very helpful in this process. The birds may bite you, but it something that will stop once they are used to you, you just have to give time and patience. These are steps that are very important when getting new birds, but enjoy your new feathered friend.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Training to do Tricks!

Have you ever wanted your bird to do a trick or say something? Here I will be providing some tips to help teach your birds how to talk and do tricks. It will take a lot of time and hard work, but it will pay off  by watching your bird do amazing things!

To get a bird to do a trick, it will take a lot of preparation and repetition. First, start by

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Hershey doing trick

introducing the trick to the bird. Show the bird videos or have the bird do the trick with you. Another way to introduce the bird is to guide it through the trick with your hands. This process can take a very long time, because your bird will have to take quite a bit of time to get used to the trick. For example my conure, Hershey has been working on a trick for about half a year, but she is just now really getting the concept. The trick I have been teaching her is hanging upside down. I flip her over and she will climb back up to the top of the hand.

Teaching your bird to talk takes a very long time. It takes a lot of repetition of the words, noises, or phrases for the bird to finally learn the words. For example if you are teaching a bird to say hello, you wold need to repeat hello to them every day. The first thing I taught my birds to do is make kissing sounds. They can both make the sound, and now they make it whenever they want lots of attention.  My cockatiel, Snickers, also knows how to say Pretty Bird from me repeating that phrase to him so many times.

You can either teach the birds by word of mouth or play a recordings or phases from a device to teach the bird. The birds will imitate what you sing or say, so be careful. A bird can pick up bad words even if they only heard it once. Your birds will then continually

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Snickers mid whistle

repeat phrases, once they know them. A helpful tip for teaching songs is knowing how to whistle. This gives the birds a good way to really hear the song and mimic it. My cockatiel, Snickers knows how to do a whistle that goes “Wooo-Woo”

Have fun training! Birds are great and will always be fun to be around. They will learn tricks and sing songs for your enjoyment. Just work with them for awhile, and they will know their tricks and songs to entertain you with.

Welcome!

Hello! In all of my blogs I will be talking about my own bird experiences, bird facts, give

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Snickers and Hershey

tips, and more. I have two feathered friends. One is a male Cockatiel named Snickers, and the other is a female Green Cheeked Conure. They are both very different and I will have lots of experiences and tips to give from what I know works with my birds. I hope you enjoy.

In this blog today, I will be giving tips on how to train a new bird. So, if you just got a new bird, Congratulations! Birds are very interesting fun, and exciting creatures. However,you must know how to train them to work with them and to bond with these magnificent creatures. If the bird is very new and you brought it home today, do not try to do anything with it until twenty four hours after the bird moved into its new home. They will be trying to get used to their new home and you do not want to stress them out. After the twenty four hours are up, then you can finally start training the bird.

The first steps to training your bird is making sure they are used to your hand. Start by holding your hand inside their cage until they seem comfortable with your hand. Once the bird seems comfortable with your hand, you can move onto trying to get the bird to step up. To get the bird to step up, press your finger gently against the birds chest. If the bird is being stubborn, it is okay to apply some more pressure to the chest for the bird to step up. Once the bird has done this repeat this several times with your bird. Make sure to always compliment your bird or give them treats as a reward.

Your bird will get more and more used to stepping up, but always make sure to give compliments and treats every now again to your bird. This is the basics to train your bird.

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Hershey in the process of stepping up.

 

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