Story Time: How I got into Birds

This is a special blog, because it is the last one. So many people have a story or a reason as to how they came to like birds, others don’t, but I happen to have a story behind it and I thought I would share. I don’t think I would have ever gotten in to birds or have the amazing birds I have to day if it wasn’t for what I am about to tell you. I am also going to go into how I got my curent birds.

It was a hot summer day and I was 10 years old. My little brother had a baseball tournament, and I was at the baseball field to help support him. Then I say a beautiful bird fly across the sky and land on the top of the many fences. I immediately went to look at it. It had a little mohawk (plume), gray body, yellow head, and red checks.

I was so happy to see such a pretty bird and I immediately loved it. I asked my mom what typeof bird it was and she said it was a cockatiel. I asked her if it was a pet bird, and she said “yes, but it is most likely a bird that escaped or was born into the wild. ” I really like the bird, so I asked her if I could possibly get one, and she said, “maybe.” I was ecstatic with just a maybe. With my sister I followed the bird all day long. I even gave the bird a name.I had named him Henry.

The next day of the tournament the bird was still there and I followed it around again. I even tried to catch a few times to try and take it home,but it never worked. I remember watching the bird and thinking that it was very brave to continue to fly in and out of the baseball games. I loved watching him and it was very fun following him around and seeing what he was doing. That bird is what essentially got me into birds.

After having interactions with that bird, I knew I wanted one. I started doing research on how to properly care for a bird,, how to teach tricks, food, toys, and other things I would need to know in order to get one. I asked my mom after I knew a lot of information if I could finally have one, and she said “Yes, only if you can whistle.” At the time I was not able to whistle, and I find out later that my mom had said that because she thought I would never be able to whistle. I proved her wrong and was able to whistle in less then a day because I practiced a lot so that I could get one. I specifically wanted a cockatiel just like the bird I had seen at the field.

I didn’t actually get a bird until 2 years later. I was 12 years old and I had still been looking around at birds. An at this time I had gotten to hold a bird as well which got me interested in other species, but I still wanted a cockatiel. I saw a lost cockatiel that had been found on the OC pet adoption site and after bout a month of being there, they are auctioned off to a family that will take care of them. The day the auction was happening I was very excited because I had been told My mom might go.When I came home from school that day a beautiful gray cockatiel was there sitting in a cage.I was so happy. I had named it Pixel. Sadly Pixel died not even a week later because he had not been drinking enough water, although I gave him fresh water everyday or he died from sickness. I was heartbroken. The next day my parents worked with my grandparents to get me a new bird. And he was the standard cockatiel look and I named him Snickers. Once again I was very happy to have a bird, and I loved him from the start.

I taught him tricks, like how to whistle and say “pretty bird.” He was very good. After a year f having him I got a second bird, which was a green checked conure who I named Hershey. I keep the in seperate cages of course. I have always been very happy with them and lobed how sweet they are and how they get a long pretty well. However if it wasn’t for the bird o the baseball field, I would have ever gotten into birds the way I am now.

June 4, 2019 0

How to Tell If a Bird is Sick

This is a very important thing to know when having a bird. You always want to know if your bird is in good health or not. If you notice that your bird is sick then you want to take them to the vet right away, so they can get better and so that you don’t have to worry about their health. They generally should be pretty healthy most of the time, but it is those sudden times that give you a scare, and you might want to know what to look for.

There are many symptoms a sick bird may have, and once again if they show any symptoms then you want to take them to the avian vet right away. Some birds when they are sick might act differently and puff up their feathers. Puffing up is a normal behavior when they are sleeping, but it is not normal for it to be constantly, so when they do this they are showing they might be sick. A bird might also bob their tail when breathing which means their breathing may be irregular which also shows sickness.

Some other signs may be if your bird is resting more and not as active. Their body will be wanting to get more sleep to try and fight off their sickness and it be apparent if they are trying to rest or are sleeping more then they usually do. They might also have bad posture at rest and be having their eyes half closed for a while. This is another sign that they are trying to get more rest and tat they are possibly sick.

Birds may also have strange discharge as a sign of sickness. They might have discharge or wetness around the nose. This will normally be seen at the top of the widest part of the beak or at feathers near beak. The bird might also not fully digest or throw up food. This can be a courtship regurgitation, so just be careful wit this sign because the bird might not actually be sick. The bird however can definitely be sick if their poop has any undigested parts or is runny. There should always be a constant color and consistency of their poop, so it is important to check their pop to make sure they are not sick ever. Their should never be fully undigested seeds in their poop.

Other signs can be feather plucking which can be from boredom or skin irritation. Other signs can be if the feathers are poorly preened. This is bad because fathers are very important to their survival and they always take a good job of taking care of their feathers. They take pride in them and it shows they really aren’t feeling well if they aren’t taking care of their feathers. They might also show weight loss which means they aren’t eating much. This is important because it can be dangerous if the bird doesn’t have much reserve in them and is a direct sign of them being sick.

In general always monitor your birds and if their is anything unusual you can always google it, but I would suggest taking your bird to the vet, who will know what is going on. They will be the best person to talk to if you are worried about your feathered friend and the key to keeping them healthy.

Sources used:

Some Sick Bird Symptoms

May 21, 2019 0

How to Take Care of Bugs in Bird Seed!

I have had many instances where I have come to feed my birds and I open their food bags to find bugs growing in their bird seed. It is the last thing any bird owner would want, and you certainly don’t want to expose your precious birds to the bugs. Luckily there are many ways to prevent this from happening or to get rid of the bugs. There are also several types of bugs that could appear in their food.

The types of bugs that are most commonly found in bird food is Weevils, Indian Meal Moths, Cigarette Beetle, Ants, and others. Most of the bugs will either be in the bag before, during, or after seed processing. The bugs tend to be safe, but it still isn’t good to have them in your bird’s food.

The first step to getting rid of the bugs is to throw out the old food because you don’t want anything else to get infested with them. Another step is to freeze any unopened food. That means if there is any food that is not open at all then to freeze it when you bring it home because the bugs won’t like the cold temperature. With this buy new bird food and get an airtight container to put it in s that no bugs can get to the food since it is sealed off. You want to pour all of this new food into the container to prevent the bugs from getting in immediately and to kill off any bugs that were already in it.

Another thing that you would want to do is clean everything in the bird’s cage because it needs to be clean to kill off any bugs that may be in the cage. Also it will help eliminate the chances of their being an infestation in the future. You will have to clean your birds entire cage with a bird safe cleaner. Wipe down every toy, perch, and surface of the cage. This is to keep the birds safe, and to help keep the bugs from coming back.

Some other helpful tips are that the moths can die with heat, so heating up the food should help kill off the moths. Also buying vacuum packaged food means it is less likely to have bugs already in the food, thus helping with the problem. ALso generally don’t buy any open food or bags with holes or rips because it is more likely to have an infestation. The food sold in stores hat is loose should also be avoid because it is already more likely to be infected with bugs.

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April 30, 2019 0

How to Tell if Your Bird is Male or Female

There are several ways to tell if a bird is male or female. It is best to take your bird to the avian vet for a true gauge on if they are male or female, but their are some ways that you can tell from home with certain species. There is a variety of ways with just bird species alone. You also tell by the way they might act towards another bird.

Cockatiels

Female cockatiels tend to be reserved, but very sweet. The male cockatiels are typically the ones who are loud and chirping. Another way to distinguish them is by color. The males tend to be brighter than the females. For example grey Males tend to have a brighter orange cheek then the females.

Canaries

Theses birds are known for their singing However it is typically the male bird that would burst out into song. The female tends to be more reserved and will sing some, but not all the time.

Parakeets and Budgies

An easy way to tell if this bird is male or female is by the cere which is a bump on top of their nose. An adult male will have a blue cere. An adult female will have a pinkish-brown cere. This is only true about adult parakeets, because young parakeets will have a blue cere regardless of gender.

Zebra Finches

Males will be more colorful than the females.

Behavior

Another way besides the gender is if a bird is acting a certain way towards another one. For example they might spread their feathers as if they are showing them off. They might also screech or sing songs trying to get their attention. This means they are a male bird trying t mate with a female, which is another easy way to tell their genders.

April 2, 2019 0

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.

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.

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 are 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 your 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.

March 19, 2019 0

A Bird’s Diet

It is very important that a bird gets a healthy diet. It is good for them to have plenty of food and water at all times. A normal diet should consist of seeds, fruits and vegetables. The birds will enjoy having fruits and vegetables as a treat, and are very healthy to add in to a birds regular diet. They should always have seeds or pellets to eat at all times, which should be kept in some sort of container in their cage to eat, along with water.

Fruits and vegetables are very good for birds to eat. However, they can only eat certain fruits and vegetables. Some can be harmful to the bird, but most are good. The fruits and vegetables provide vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates. Which are very important things a bird should get.

Fruits that are good for them to eat are cantaloupe, pears, bananas, mango and papaya, kiwi, pineapple that has been dethroned, pomegranate, grapes and persimmons. Citrus fruits should be given in moderation because they are acidic. These fruits such as oranges, tangerines, grapefruits and lemons. Other fruits, such as peaches, nectarines, apricots, cherries and plums are fine to give birds but never let your birds chew on the pits, which contain cyanide, as do apple seeds.

Vegetables that are good for birds to eat are broccoli, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, pumpkin, squashes, kale, turnips, green, red, yellow and hot peppers, corn and mustard greens. Other vegetables that are good for birds to eat are peas, beans, and lentils. Beans such as kidney, red, lima, navy and soy must be cooked in order for the bird to eat it. The lentils they can eat of all varieties as long as they are also cooked. Some raw beans such as green beans and peas that they can remove from the pods and are a good source of fiber, and are fun for birds to play with. Green beans are also a good source of fiber. Carrots are a good source of vitamin A which birds lack, so it is very good for them. Sweet potatoes as a good source of vitamins A, B, C and E. They are also high in carbohydrates, so they should be given to birds only as a special treat.

Berries can also be eaten by birds, such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, boysenberries and other berries are rich in nutrients and antioxidants. They are very popular among birds because birds would eat them in their natural habitats. They are also colorful which birds tend to like.

These are all very important for birds to eat. They need all of these for the proper nutrients in their diet. They need all of these nutrients to remain healthy. Birds are very picky eaters, so they might not accept the food right away, but just keep feeding them the food everyday, so that they get their nutrients, and so that they get used to the food.

December 4, 2018 0

Toys and Birds!

Birds can get very bored when left alone. It is good to get them different types of toys to play with. They need to have toys in their cage. This gives things to do while you aren’t giving them attention. They also need toys to stimulate their minds and they need them to shorten their beaks, so they don’t get too long. Some good toys can be ones with multiple colors, textures, sounds, variations in size, or toys that produce a challenge for the bird.

A bird will want colorful toys because they can see a wider spectrum of colors then us. They will like having colorful toys because they are so pretty. The colorful toys will also make the cage look really nice since it adds some pop to the cage. It will add color to the cage making it happy, like your birds.

A toy with textures can be fun for birds because it simulates the mouth and feet. The bird can chew on the toy, and enjoy the texture. The bird can also climb or sit on the toy enjoying the feeling of the texture. The texture could scratch their feet or be comfy on their feet, causing them joy and happiness for having a great toy.

The sounds in a toy or a toy that can make sounds can be important. The sounds make the birds happy hearing them. Birds like to make a lot of noise, so getting a toy that can make noise is perfect. The bird may even try to imitate the noise. This can stimulate the birds mind. The birds would be highly entertained and satisfied with these noise making toys.

A bird’s toy size and challenge are also important. The size of the toy can help determine what birds can use it. If you get a toy that is too big for the size of the bird, it will scare the bird making the bird unhappy which in turn makes you unhappy because of the screeching that you are probably having to endure. It is important to match the size of the moving parts on a toy to the size of your bird’s beak. This will allow the bird to chew and manipulate the moving parts making the game more interesting. Challenging games can also be really good for birds because it will challenge their brains and thoughts. It will challenge them to think about how to play with their toy and stimulate their minds to really think.

Overall, it is really important to have toys for your birds. The birds need to play and have things to entertain them. They need to have things to keep them stimulated and happy while you are gone or not taking them out.

November 14, 2018 0

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

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

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.

October 23, 2018 0

Bird Safety Tips!

In this bog today, I will be talking about bird safety. I will cover where to put cages, how to keep away from other animals, and more!

When you get a bird, you may need to make sure you have a proper spot to put a cage. You want to put the cage some where that does not have direct sunlight hitting the bird. You also don’t want to put the cage in a spot that is to cold or warm. If a bird gets to hot, the bird could get overheated and die. It is similar if the bird gets to cold,they could get very sick. You also want to refrain from putting a birds cage outside. It is okay to have an out door and an indoor cage, but the bird should not be left outside all the time.

Another tip is if you have other animals then just a bird, try to keep them away from the bird. If the bird is in their cage, it should be fine for other animals to be around it, just

keep the cage higher up. Also whenever you take your birds out always check for other animals before the bird is taken out. I have a dog and cat along with my two birds, and I have once found a cat hiding under my bed or in a box, so make sure to always, always check before handling the bird. If you do discover another animal in the room with you and your bird quickly put your hand over the birds wings and hold them until they are back in the cage. This will prevent them from flying and you can get them back to their cage safely. They may struggle in your hands by biting you and squirming, but it will be worth it to know that your bird is safe and sound

There are also lots of things that need to happen to make sure your birds and that includes their health.Make sure to always give your bird food,

and fresh water. Replace their water everyday, and always check their food. It may seem like they still have lots of food, but the seeds, could just be shells. The shells are seeds that are empty, so they have already been eaten from. An easy way to tell if there are shells is to blow on the birds food, which will cause the shells to just blow out of the food dish. Also make sure to clean out their cages every week. This will help keep them at their optimal health.

Another tip to keep your birds safe, is to know when they look sick. Some signs of sickness are trembling, being huddled, eyes dull or sunken, drooped or elevated wings, and several more signs can show that your bird is sick. Plucking can also be a sign of sickness or of your bird being stressed out. If you notice signs like these, then take your bird to the vet to get proper treatment. Just always make sure your bird is safe, and receives proper care at all times.

Example of plucking, my bird does it from stress.

October 7, 2018 0

Working With Your Bird

A recurring challenge that can be found with birds is finding a way to play with them

while multitasking. Your bird may have an attitude, and only want you to pay attention to them. You must multitask while playing to get your job done. They will really want to be out no matter what you are doing.

How this challenge of multitasking first comes up, is that they will try to distract you from your work. They could scream, bite,

annoy you, and more. They will continue doing this until you pay attention to them, and only them. If you give them attention and go back to work they will start distracting you again, so be prepared.

But, since this happens, just give your bird lots of love when you

are not working, also try different things with your bird. You could also take breaks every now and again to play with your birds. Also talking to them while you work distracts them. Another tip is if your hair is long to let it down, for your bird to play with.

How I met this challenge with my birds, is by moving them around. I will have both my birds out at the same time, but I have to keep them separate. For example I might have one bird on my knee, while the other is on my shoulder as I

work. I will talk to them and let them play with my hair while they are out to distract

them. I will also move them around to different spots on me.I might move them to my opposite shoulder, knees, or head. One of my birds really likes the top of my head. and will be calm there.

This still challenges me because my birds find new ways to get my attention to them. My conure, Hershey, finds ways to prevent me from doing homework all the time, and I just have to find ways to get her to stop. Like one time, I was reciting the Gettysburg Address, and she would stick her head in my mouth! So, find methods that work for you, and have some fun with your birds while you work.

Holding birds together, but keeping separate

September 25, 2018 0