Candling the eggs

You can tell if your bird´s eggs are fertile by holding them up to a strong light source. This is called ‘candling´. After a few days in the nest, candle the eggs. If the eggs are clear, they are infertile. If you can see a dark mass inside, the egg contains a developing chick!

Avocado and Chocolate

Avocado and chocolate are toxic to birds. NEVER allow your bird these foods.

stress droppings

Stress or anxiety may cause your bird to have loose, watery droppings. Observe your bird´s droppings on a daily basis so that you can tell the difference between healthy droppings and those that may signal a problem.

Non-stick cookware

Be careful when using non-stick cookware. The fumes from these pots and pans are toxic to birds. If you must use these items, be sure to open a window to vent the fumes. Avoid overheating the cookware.

Cutting down on bird dust

Regular bathing cuts down on the amount of bird dust. Parrots, like Cockatoos, and orange-winged Amazons and birds like Cockatiels make a lot of dust. Their feathers will look much prettier and shinier with regular bathing.

Biting

If your bird is a biter, try to see what is causing this behavior. Is the bird afraid, unhappy, or bored? Provide plenty of distracting toys and give the bird lots of attention. Never hit a bird for biting!

Identifying a sick parrot

How can you tell the difference between a sick parrotand a sleepy parrot? Their appearance is similar--both will sit fluffed up, eyes closed, usually perching on one foot. The sleepy bird will awake immediately if startled and will respond with bright eyes and curiosity. The sick parrot will be unsteady on its perch, will shiver and appear lethargic.

Talking birds

Never buy a bird just because you want one that talks. Some birds develop wonderful vocabularies while others may only learn to say their names. And a bird from a species with the reputation for being great talkers may never say anything! Be prepared to love your bird for who he is, whether he speaks or not.

Finches and canaries love fruit!

Finches and canaries should be offered apple slices, split grapes, citrus fruits and melon along with their regular seed diet. Watch them dig in!

Lead poisoning

Keep all lead items out of reach of birds! Birds love to chew and all it takes is a tiny bit of lead to fatally poison their small systems.

Electrical cords and outlets

Restrict access to electrical cords and outlets. Bird-proof your home in the same manner you would child-proof it.

Swollen eyes

Should you notice that one of your bird´s eyes seems swollen, he might have a sinus infection. See a vet. The bird may require antibiotics.

Playing in the Water!

Birds love to play in the water! If your bird enjoys bathing, provide a shallow container of water several times a week for your bird to splash around in. Or let him play in the sink! Always supervise a bird when it´s near water--a waterlogged bird could drown.

Dog chew toys

Doggy chew toys can be wonderful fun for parrots. Choose cowhide chew sticks, shoes, strips or any of the toys made from dried cowhide. Just don´t let the bird soak the toy in her water cup! If this happens, discard the toy and offer another one.

Container bathing

Provide a small, gently sloped container of water for finches and canaries to bathe in. These little guys love to play in the water!

Vitamin K and conures

Conures need lots of vitamin K. Broccoli is high in vitamin K and should be offered several times a week.

Non-stick cooking spray

Spray the grates in the bottom of bird cages with a light coating of non-stick cooking spray. Messes will slide right off! The spray is safe for birds; just be certain to remove the bird before applying the spray. Never spray when the bird is inside the cage!

Perches that keep toenails trimmed

Parrots do not like to have their toenails trimmed and most parrot owners do not like to trim. It is easy to trim too high and cause bleeding which creates problems of its own. We have found that the Sandy Perches are by far the best perches to have to maintain trimmed toenails. The more time your parrot spends on a sandy perch the better. These perches are actually manzanita branches covered with a sand mixture. We do not recommend the concrete variety as they will absorb the moisture from the birds feet. Sandy Perches come in several different applications ( cage perches, shower perches, chain swings, feeding perches, etc. ) to offer your parrot an opportunity to spend more time during different activities. This is deffinately a win - win for parrots and parrot owners. For more information on Sandy Perches, go to www.parrotsupercenter.com

Cheerios!

Dry cereal, such as Cheerios, make a fun ‘finger´ snack for your birds! Never give birds milk--their systems aren´t equipped to process it.