Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
You need to make sure the aviary is secure, and clean it THOROUGHLY after removing the remaining birds during the cleaning…Anytime birds are kept outside all the time, you are risking their health from predators, viruses such as West Nile, bacterial infections from wild birds, contaminated water, as well as fungal infections. Also, if they are rooting around on the floor of the aviary it could be pesticide residue or other contaminants in the grass or soil. What is the bottom of the aviary…? Is it possible for you to remove all the substrate and clean it well? What kind of wire are you using? If it is raw galvanized wire they could get zinc poisoning from ingesting particles of zinc when they climb around using their beaks. I think if a snake had gotten in there you would not even find the birds because it would have eaten them whole…
Also, that Hartz bird seed is really not adequate or high quality food. You need to be giving the birds more than seed such as pellets, fresh vegetables and grains and a high quality seed mix like Kaytee Fiesta. Seed diet birds generally die long before their lifespan should be over due to fatty liver disease. Also, seed and all other foods for that matter can get moldy fast outside, so you have to make sure you change the food frequently esp. if it is a humid environment.
Just some thoughts..Ok the bird rescue lady is back…PLEASE do not breed cockatiels!!! I have had over SIXTY unwanted cockatiels come through my home in under 6 years! Do you want to add to that problem? You may be able to sell your babies, but I guarantee you the people who buy them won’t keep them their whole lives, which can be 20+ years, and they will start the circuit through different homes, maybe escape, and maybe end up at a shelter or rescue. I just got a call from an older couple who need me to take 19 cockatiels because the lady has cancer and they can’t care for the birds anymore . They started out with one pair 8 years ago and ended up with 24 birds, all offspring of that pair. They kept them all as pets, but NOW when they can’t care for them, what happens to them? They end up becoming someone else’s problem, and have nowhere to go but a rescue. It is totally unnecessary to breed and also unethical when there are thousands of unwanted birds across the country. I have 18 hookbills at my house right now! Please if you want to do more with birds, volunteer to be a foster home for a local bird rescue or animal shelter in your area. Thanks…
I agree with all the others and want to add that glass is not a good idea for birds because if the bang into it, it doesn’t give at all and can really injure them. Also, it will be a pain in the rear to clean. How many finches do you have? When you get a cage, make sure it is AT LEAST 30X18X18 for a few (less than 6 finches) (with the longest part being width not heighth) and preferably 36" wide. Unless you are going to let these finches out to fly around, it is cruel to keep them in a small cage. Most online sellers recommend cages that are totally inhumane for active, flying creatures. Just because a finch is a small bird, doesn’t mean it should live in a small cage. OK that’s my soap box!
Any update on the dove’s wing???
Here’s a quick correct list of popular cockatoo species…cute birdz, you may be referring to cockatiels which are in the same family as cockatoos, but are the small common grey birds with orange cheeks…(is that what you were talking about getting 2 of?)
1.) umbrella cockatoo (large white birds with pale yellow under the wing feathers) 2.) moluccan cockatoo (peach colored, very large birds) 3.) bare eyed cockatoo (white with fleshy eye rings circled with pale blue) 4.) citron crested cockatoo ( white bird with orange crests) 5.) lesser sulfur crested cockatoo (white bird with yellow crest) 6.) greater sulfur crested cockatoo (basically same coloring as lesser cockatoo, only a bigger bird) 7.) Goffin’s cockatoo ( white cockatoo, smaller than some of the other types)All are MAJOR commitments, active, destructive, loud and demanding. Not to be bought on an impulse, whim or if every person in the family isn’t on board with all the challenges of owning a cockatoo. Need much time out of cage, tons of toys and wood to destroy, a huge cage plus a playgym or two, and are prone to feather and flesh mutilation, incessant screaming and biting if unhappy, lonely, bored or stressed. Can be loving, funny, are smart and clever, and can make great companions in the right home. There…that’s my bit on cockatoos!
You are very welcome…don’t hesitate to come back with any questions…getting help before the behavior drives you to get rid of the bird is always a good idea!
I strongly suggest buying the book Guide to a Well-Behaved Parrot by Mattie Sue Athan. It is a must-have for every parrot owner. It is a Barron’s book and is available on amazon.com or at any Barnes and Noble store. Get it tomorrow and read it cover to cover! also, get a subscription to Bird Talk magazine…I’ve had it for 6 years and have learned an unbelievable amount of information from that publication…follow Sage’s advice on educating yourself. I also have a sun conure, and they are strong-willed feisty birds, but also love you like crazy. It’s very important to do the right things now when the bird is young, or you can unwittingly ingrain bad behaviors that will make your conure a terror. Also, the first few days, birds are on their best behavior because they are scared and don’t feel sure of themselves. Now he is feeling comfortable and is challenging and asserting his dominance. This is normal. Get that book and it will tell you everything you need to know about all this stuff…
The other issue here is what is going to happen to the birds when you "grow up" and go to college or move on in life. I get so many birds into my rescue that belonged to kids who only had them a year or two and then they get dumped on a shelter. They are very long lived (or should be with proper care). A cockatiel can live 25 years or more..are you going to keep this bird its whole life? The other issue is the HIGH cost of vet care. A vet visit with blood work costs me about $125..and that is a BASIC part of bird care. I had a bird get his beak cracked by another bird in a fight, and it cost me $400 for beak repair surgery. Exotic animal vets are hard to find, and are more expensive than regular vets. A routine exam is generally $40 Are your parents willing to spend the money to provide your bird with quality care in the event of an illness or injury? We have seen more than a few posts on here by people with sick or injured birds who are unable or unwilling to provide medical care, and that just isn’t right. It costs money to keep a pet and birds should not be considered lesser animals in terms of having a right to medical care. Not meaning to lecture, but I don’t think people think about the costs down the road. Please don’t get a bird unless you plan on keeping it its whole life…and I also agree with cute birdz that they all need time out of the cage and if you are at school all day, probably need a buddy like she suggested with getting 2 budgies.
Canaries should not be housed together unless it is breeding season, which is in the late spring. And then, they should only be together through the rearing and weaning of the chicks, and then separated. You are describing angry noises and they probably will fight, the male being more aggressive. Often the male tries to breed with the female out of season, and will even kill her if she resists. I suggest you separate them into two cages side by side or get a large flight cage with a divider.
Apology accepted Sage…I also get very worked up over poor bird care issue or outright abuse, so I do understand how you feel. Trying to get the point across in a way that won’t alienate people can be hard when emotions run high. But it does keep lines of communication going and that is always a plus…thanks for your apology..
Good for you! I’m the same way…I’ve picked up many different animals in distress along the road, and have 140 bird rescues under my belt in the last 6 years. I have 18 birds right now, trying to place about 1/2 of them. The rest including my splay legged quaker, are permanent residents. He was abandoned at a pet shop by his owner who said he was too loud. He is crippled and also has fatty liver disease from a seed diet, but I’ve been rehabbing him now for a year, and he is on pellets and looks 100% better. I’ve modified his cage with ladders and wire platforms so he can climb around in spite of his wide stance (splayed legs) and he is a very affectionate, sweet bird other than some cage possessiveness. Quakers are great if you can handle their territorial aggression and big mouths! he’s good buddies with my little parrotlet, which is a hoot to watch! The parrotlet tries to feed him! Good luck and hope you find another pet bird needing a home. I know there are a number of good bird rescues in FL, depending where you live. Are you near Ft. Myers at all?
So a vet did humanely euthanize her? You might choose a different word choice than "killed" even though I know death is death and the words all mean the same thing; but the manner in which a bird is put to death can be the difference between suffering and relief of suffering….I knew someone once (a former co-worker) who admitted he smashed a parakeet’s head with a rock to put it out of its misery when it was sick. I could barely contain myself in the office when he told me this! the only truly humane way to "kill" an animal is by lethal injection of a barbiturate and drug to stop the heart. Hopefully, that’s the way your budgie went..thanks for clarifying..
Do not expect your cockatoo to like some outside bird and you need to realize cockatoos will KILL or seriously injure birds they perceive as intruders. Also, why are you wanting to breed cockatoos when there are hundreds of them given up to bird rescues around the country every year? Please don’t add to the problem. Most people cannot keep a cockatoo throughout its long life, and there aren’t enough good homes for the cockatoos that are already here. The average parrot has 7 homes throughout its life…sorry to sound preachy, but I see the other side of pet ownership…abandoned birds in need of homes. I have 18 birds at my house right now that I cannot find good homes for!
What do you mean HE KILLED HER??? I am hoping you aren’t thinking that killing a bird by any means at home isn’t animal cruelty…
Are you saying he has been losing feathers SINCE last October (almost a year non-stop?) That is not normal unless it is just a couple feathers here and there. He could have something more serious like PBFD (Beak and Feather Disease). If you are concerned I would recommend investing in a vet exam. Is he the only bird in the cage? Do you see him ever plucking himself? Molting would not go on this long…only a few weeks. Don’t use mite treatment unless you actually confirm he has mites. And if he does, take him to the vet and get the injections, don’t risk harming him by spraying him or applying insecticides. Just clean the cage with hot water as suggested. If he hasn’t been outside exposed to wild birds, it’s unlikely he has mites. And I don’t think mites cause feather loss. Your red dots and irritation may be bird allergies! Or if you do have fleas in the house, that could be the source of your bites, but it wouldn’t be originating from the bird.
