Healthy Pet Corner's
Information and Links for Birds

Basic Care of Birds:
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

Proper diet is the single most important thing you can do to keep a bird healthy. Birds are difficult to care for sick, so keeping them healthy is important since well cared for birds rarely get sick. Neglected birds do.

Diet, cage requirements, and social preferences of birds differ greatly among varying pet bird species. Learn before you buy! It will make a big difference in the life of the bird. Here's the basics:

Diet: Many illnesses are the direct result of imbalanced diet. Illnesses not specifically caused by a poor diet are worsened by it. Find out its favorite foods and allow them to find them while exploring the home. This will provide some mental challenge for them too.

Cage: A clean cage is a healthy cage. Change bedding daily to prevent the growth of mold and fungus. Scrub perches and toys weekly. Any food or feces that remains in the cage for more than a day can become heavily contaminated with harmful organisms.

Preferences: Do everything you can to duplicate the natural environment they were taken from. If they bath when it rains, provide a spray bath; if they prefer ground puddles, provide a shallow dish of water. Tropical birds shouldn't be chosen for cold temperature locations. Birds that like seclusion shouldn't be kept in high traffic areas of the home. Birds that like a lot of social interaction shouldn't be isolated.

Safety: Avoid risks! Place the cage in a safe area of the home where it won't be knocked over. If there are threats to the bird, don't put the cage in danger. Such as hanging it outside where wild animals or neighorhood cats roam. Consider anything you put into the air of your home such as chemical cleaning spray, deodorizers, or pesticides. Use pet-friendly cleaning product. Look around before letting the bird out of the cage. Consider ceiling fans, sharp objects, electric wires, other household pets, etc.

Veterinary Care: Birds often mask signs of illness. Regular exams may alert you to a latent or impending illness. Normal results will establish baselines for future problems.

Basic Care Links:

Caring For a Pet Bird - What needs to be considered

Bird Care - Covers all areas of concern

www.vetcentric.com/magazine/magazineArticle.cfm?ARTICLEID=1769 - The Basis of Many Bad Behaviors - Birds are designed for flight and constant interaction - not to live in tiny cages

Bird-Safe Cleaning Product - Chemical cleaning products take their toll on birds

Getting a Bird Links:

http://www.petfinder.com - Choose to Rescue a Homeless Bird - You can find one that fits perfectly with your household and lifestyles

www.vetcentric.com/magazine/magazineArticle.cfm?ARTICLEID=997 - Precious Cargo - Smuggling is endangering the survival of species of parrots

www.avianweb.com/companionbird.htm - The Most Important Step: Choosing the Right Bird

Choosing a Breed - Find one that fits your lifestyle

www.avianweb.com/parrotspecies.htm - Parrot Species - Information on specific types of parrots

Safety Links:

Is Your Home Poisoning You and Your Pets? - - How toxic is your home?

Keeping Your Bird Healthy in Winter - Winter can be hard on birds

Birds and Teflon Poisoning - Teflon is killing birds

How to Ensure Your Bird's Care After Your Death - Practical steps to planning

Health Links:

The Best Foods to Feed Your Parrot - What do they need?

Heavy Metal Poisoning in Birds - What to look for to avoid metals

Finding a Holistic Veterinarian - Check the directory for your city and state.

Should You Supplement Your Bird's Diet? - Controversial topic

Vitamin A Deficiency in Birds - Can be disastrous, but it's preventable

www.vetcentric.com/magazine/magazineArticle.cfm?ARTICLEID=1603 - The Purpose of Preening - Important daily affair for birds

Behavior Links:

www.vetcentric.com/magazine/magazineArticle.cfm?ARTICLEID=1769 - The Basis of Many Bad Behaviors - Designed for flight and constant interaction - not to live in tiny cages

www.vetcentric.com/magazine/magazineArticle.cfm?ARTICLEID=1767 - Keep Your Bird's Beak Busy - Boredom leads to behavior problems

Why Does Your Bird Scream? - It could be a cause for concern

www.vetcentric.com/magazine/magazineArticle.cfm?ARTICLEID=1400 - Has Your Bird Fallen in Love With the Mirror? - You'll be surprised why

home.ivillage.com/pets/birdssmallpets/0,,hrb6,00.html - Birdies Need Toys Too! - They need mental stimulation

Feather Picking - When is it a problem?

www.vetcentric.com/magazine/magazineArticle.cfm?ARTICLEID=1352 - Birds That Bite - It could be from pain or illness

Death Is Part of Life:

Do Animals Have Eternal Life? - A book based on Bible Scripture. Recommended by Dr. Jack Van Impe.

Rainbow Bridge - Comforting pet loss site

Miscellaneous Links:

http://www.petfinder.com - Lost or Found? - Many pets have been reunited with their owners

My Pets Pages - Your pet's home on the Internet. Create your own free pet web site or tribute site using My Pets Pages unique web design system.

Kaytee Avian Foundation - a non-profit corporation established to enhance people's knowledge and enjoyment of birds through education, conservation and research. The foundation supports projects locally and globally focusing on these three areas.