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 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.

Click here for the Source Used to Help Make This Article

April 30, 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

Having a Clean Environment

It is very important to have a clean environment for your bird. They need to be in a clean cage with plenty of food and water at all times. They also need to be in a room with not to much direct sunlight because they will overheat if put them in direct sunlight. The cages should also be in an area where people will come in, so they can talk to them and interact. The cage should also be kept in a spot safe from animals.

Their environment should also not be to cold. If it is to cold the birds risk getting sick. It is also similar is it is to hot. The birds could overheat and they could get sick or die. It is very risky for this. The birds should also never be kept outside for to long because of these reasons.

The birds will be fine with all of these requirements. They do need to be safe when taken out of the cage as well. They need to be in a space with no open windows and with the same conditions as prior said for where their cages are. It is best if you can take out the birds where their cages are. The room should also be pretty easy to clean up because the birds will poop a lot and you will want it to be easy to clean up. The birds should be able to also come out with nothing their to harm them when coming out. This means no sharp objects, pins or any other item that could cause harm to the birds.

The quality of the air around the birds is also very important to monitor. It is important to not introduce to many scents to the birds at once, so no really strong smells or clashing scents for it it will confuse them. The air can also not be to cool or warm. There can’t be to many drafts near the cages.

Overall the birds need to remain safe anywhere they are. They have to have a special set of living conditions to remain safe and stay healthy.

January 15, 2019 0

The Story of How my Bird Got Out!

One way I got in trouble was when one of my birds got out. I was holding him outside of his cage, and playing with him. He would fly around a bit, but I was always able to catch him, or get to him. He was having fun hanging out with me and playing. I had put him back at one point and left the room.

After that, I came back and took Snickers back out again. I had forgotten to close my door, which was not good. He was also not supposed to be able to fly because his wings are clipped, but it had been a few months since his wings last got clipped. However, he was not flying for a little while. Then he got spooked, and started to fly all around my room. He then flew out my door!

Then he continued to fly around the hallway that is outside my door. I was frantically chasing after him, trying to catch Snickers. He then flew down the stairs. I was frantically chasing after him because my dog and cat were down stairs as well. The sliding door to my backyard could also open at any second, which would cause him to fly out and be gone forever. He flew in a few circles around the dining room and kitchen before I finally caught him, just as the sliding door opened. I was so happy that he was finally safe.

I was thinking about the consequences of what could have happened to Snickers as I put him away. My dog could have ran up and attacked Snickers, causing him to get hurt or get killed. My cat could have also gotten to him and eaten him. The sliding door could have also opened, which would give him an escape to outside causing him to leave, and I would never see him again. I was very lucky to have caught him, and kept him safe.

So now think about my mistakes and how to fix them so that my birds will never get out again. I now always make sure my door is closed before taking out any of my birds. I also try to make sure their wings get clipped regularly so that they can’t fly around the house again. I also generally make sure their own cage doors are always shut securely because my other bird Hershey has gotten out once due to her door not being shut well enough. I also make sure no other animals are in my room before taking them out too keep them extra safe.

December 18, 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