What to feed your bird

We were ignorant when we brought our first bird home. I asked the salesperson what I should feed her (a maroon bellied conure), He told us a mix of bird seed (half parrot mix/half cockatiel mix.) Our vet didn't mention any specific diet when we took her in for her first check up. He examined her droppings and said that it appeared that she was eating a varied diet. Since I brought her in to see him in her cage, her food dish was in full view and he didn't suggest that I change what I was feeding her.

Her yearly check ups had been fine up until last January. I had taken her in for her check up; the vet was upset that she had picked up weight. He drew blood to check for cholesterol problems. We have had our bird six and a half years and the approach to exotic birds has changed a great deal. When we bought our bird, we were told to clip her wings, now the vets are adamant that you don't. The vet blamed her extra weight on lack of flight, but on investigation I determined that eating a strictly seed diet is unhealthy.

You can purchase pellets that are nutrionally balanced for your type of bird. Your bird can eat these pellets alone and do quite well. There is a wonderful product by LaFeber, called Nutri-berries. Nutri-berries are pricey; on sale they cost about $6.99 for a 10 0z. package. My bird's new vet recommended that she eat only the berries as they contain all the nutrients she needs. A conure can be given five berries a day; a budgie can be given one.

Seed mixes tend to be fattening. Sunflower seeds and peanuts are high in fat. Since my bird lived six years on seed, I didn't remove it from her diet completely. She gets a mix of seed, pellets and nutri-berries. She appears to have lost some of her body fat. I'll know for sure when she is weighed at her next check up. Just remember to introduce a new food to your bird, gradually. Most birds are garbage cans and will eat just about anything, but you can have a finicky pet. Plus, it isn't good for their digestive systems to abruptly change their diets.

If you have any questions, ask your vet. Keep in mind, that the thought on avian care has changed a great deal and the advice you receive now may change in the near future.

Jane

To clip or not to clip?

Deciding whether or not to clip a bird's wings, causes angina in most owners. The pet store recommended that we clip our birds wings when we purchased her six years ago. Our vet didn't say anything about clipping to us at the time, but recommended a book on the care of avians.

Times have changed. Now the same vet is pushing not clipping. It is supposed to be psychologically damaging to the bird if they can't fly. According to my vet, unflighted birds suffer from serious health issues due to the lack of exercise.

As an owner, I am torn. I do the best for my birds. I make sure that they are out of their cages as often as possible. I keep a careful eye on their diet. I can't imagine what I would do though if one of our birds flew away.

When a bird is startled it flies in a straight line until it drops. It can get miles away from you very quickly. A domesticated bird has no defenses from what ever being in the wild throws at it. The idea is traumatizing.

As a bird owner, I prefer clipped wings. Unfortunately, it puts me at odds with my vet. Whether you clip or not, get as much information as possible about clipping and discuss it with your avian vet. What it boils down to is your and your bird's comfort level. If you decide to clip, have a professional do it or have one teach you how to do it properly. I saw a love bird, recently, whose owner not only over clipped her wings, but removed her tail feathers, as well! It was barbaric. A professional can clip your bird's wings so that they can still hover or flutter to the ground should they fall. They just don't achieve lift.

Of course, clipped wings are no guarantee that a bird will not take flight. Wings can grow back quickly and unexpectedly. Birds should never be taken outside without a harness. The downside of a harness is they can injure themselves if they should jerk or take off unexpectedly, but at least you won't lose them.

For The Birds-Part Deux

The reason that this site is "For The Birds" is that two birds reside in my household. Our maroon-bellied conure, Sandy, is six and a half years old. Ducky, a budgie, is our latest edition to the family. He was seven weeks old when he came home on July 4, 2006.

We didn't know anything about birds when we brought Sandy home. We learned quickly. Birds are unlike any other household pet. They are highly intelligent. Sandy, emotionally and intellectually, is close in age to a two yr. old human. Some of the bigger birds are comparable to five yr. olds.

Don't bring a bird home, unless you are willing to commit to it for its lifetime. Birds bond with one person for life. If you get tired of it, you can't dump it on some one else or sell it. The bird sees you as the alpha bird in its flock or its mate. They don't understand why you no longer want them. Being intelligent, they can become mentally ill, as a result of rejection. Some birds pluck their feathers out when stressed. Prozac was created for birds, originally. To abandon a bird is as cruel as abandoning a small child.

A bird can become a wonderful companion and friend. Sandy was great company when I was laid off. They do take an inordinate amount of time and care. Again, if you don't have the time and patience, don't buy a bird!

You can't discipline a bird to modify behavior. Biting is the prime example. All birds bite. Ever hear of the pecking order? An alpha bird is the one you will see at the very top of the tree. They get there by being the biggest and toughest bird. They do this by intimidating other birds. Pecking is one way they do it. If your bird bites you and you are aggressive in return, you are giving them what they expect. It will increase the biting behavior. It is hard to do, but you have to ignore the bite. That isn't easy, it hurts! As soon as the bird bites, put them back in the cage, and walk away from them. By shunning them, you will modify the behavior.

I hope I am not sounding too negative. If you know what you are doing, birds are so much fun! Not only do parrots talk, but they understand what they are saying. Our Sandy has a repetoire of about 20 words. She can say: Bounce (while bobbing her head), I love you, Step Up, Hello, etc. Birds share their food with each other in the wild and we keep our birds by the table at dinner time. One evening, we were eating something that we could not share with Sandy. She started shouting, "Hello" to get out attention. I told my husband to ignore her as we were eating something that we could not share with her (Birds can't eat avocados, chocolate or anything with caffeine it.) Well, the "hellos" started getting louder and more emphatic! Finally, she cocked her head at us, and said, "Love you!" The little manipulator earned a carrot!

Another time she was happily snuggled up to my neck under my hair when I had to leave. She refused to step up on to my finger so I could put her back in the cage. Sandy belongs to my son and is very tightly bonded to him. In desperation, I asked him to take her off me. He stuck his finger up to her and commanded "Step Up." Sandy looked around, whistled, and ignored him. Again, he commanded, "Step Up." Again, she ignored him. Finally, with his sternest look and deepest voice, he demanded, "Step Up!" To which, she looked at him and replied, "CUDDLE!"

A friend had an even funnier experience. She was a photographer for the Renaissance Faire in Tuxedo, NY. She invited me to the faire. She knew I loved birds and that there was a bird sanctuary there. This sanctuary is a haven for abandoned birds and a great place. I walked around enjoying seeing the different species while she photographed them. At one point, she stopped to take a photo of two macaws who were perched together. Over her shoulder, she heard, "I like pictures!" Not believing her ears, she turned to see the most beautiful Cockatoo behind her. A person standing next to her, reassured her by saying that yes, she had heard it too!

All birds are different. Our recent arrival, Ducky, the budgie, is the opposite of Sandy in personality. He is happy in his cage and prefers to stay it, while Sandy wants out as often as possible. He loves being petted, and scratched though, but prefers it in the comfort of his cage. I take him out often, but he is always happy when he goes back.

The point of this blog is to bring attention to the issues surrounding bird ownership. I am not a vet and there are plenty of internet sites with information that you can access if you are thinking of adding a bird to your family. Most avian vets are happy to discuss bird ownership and what it entails as well. All I ask is that you don't purchase a bird on impulse. Buying a bird is a committment.