Caring For Your Bird 

General Care

Most birds are social creatures that enjoy companionship.  Placing the cage in an area that is safe and encourages social contact is ideal.  The cage size should be a minimum of 2-3 outstretched wing lengths in all directions to provide enough room for exercise and comfort.  The cage should be placed away from heaters, air conditioners and draughty windows that cause extremes in temperature.

Cage papers should be changed daily while the cage should be cleaned thoroughly at least once a week.  A variety of materials can be used to line the cage bottom.  Some suggestions are:  fake grass carpeting, newspaper, and white paper.  Wood shavings or corncob litter should not be used because the birds may eat them causing impaction or crop irritation

Clean the food and water dishes daily.  Use non-toxic disinfectants such as Quatsyl D plus (available at WinRose) to clean everything and rinse well after.  Fresh water should always be available.  Perishable foods should be removed or replaced after 8 hours in the cage, or more frequently in hot weather.

Clean the perches daily.  Provide perches of several different sizes.  This will help exercise their feet.  Do not use sandpaper perches because they can cause irritation to the bottom of the feet.  Natural wood perches that have not been exposed to chemicals or insecticides are ideal for perching and chewing.  They should be allowed to dry thoroughly for 1-2 months to allow insects to escape and fungus to dry up.  Then, scrub the dry branches with a wire scrub brush to remove fungus and loose bark.  Finally, wet and disinfect with Quatsyl D plus.  Some suggested woods are apple, ash, peach, pear, citrus, dogwood, oak, poplar, weeping and pussy willow.

Feeding

With a lifespan potential of 8 – 12 years for smaller bird species and 60+ years in the larger parrots, diet plays an essential role in your bird’s longevity.  Malnutrition is the most common problem of all exotic animals especially birds.  A seed diet does not meet the daily nutritional requirements of any bird.  Food is not only eaten for maintenance but provides playtime activity thus preventing boredom.  Introducing a variety of foods in different shapes, sizes, colours and textures combined with an imaginative presentation will induce a bird to try different foods that it may not readily recognize as food.  Among favorite foods are those that squish, crunch, snap or that can be peeled, pulled apart and generally create a mess.  The basic rule for feeding is that almost everything that is good for you but not high in sugar, fat or salt is good for your bird.  Canada’s new food guide provides examples. Do not allow your bird to eat a seed diet.  Seeds are high in fat and low in just about everything else, including protein, vitamins and minerals.  It is the same as you eating only potato chips for your entire life.  Sunflower seeds can be fed in small numbers as treats for training.

A formulated pelleted diet (crumbles for smaller birds)  contain balanced amounts of protein, vitamins,   minerals, and trace elements.  Fruits, vegetables and human foods should still be offered with    this diet in order to address the need for variety to prevent boredom and keep feeding time exciting.  Pellets or crumbles should account for 90 % of the daily food intake.  Recommended brands of pellets include Harrison’s Bird Diet® (HBD) and Roudybush®. 

When you are attempting to switch a bird from seed to pellets it should be done gradually over a period of time if not readily accepted immediately.  If the bird stops eating do not starve it while attempting the changeover.  Instead, extend your changeover time to allow the bird to adjust.  Not all birds will switch from seed to pellets readily as they often don’t recognize them as food.  A sick bird should never be forced to consume a different diet since the stress may precipitate a medical crisis.

1.      Feed only the pelleted food for an eight (8) hour period and if it still hasn’t eaten any, give the regular seed diet with human foods, fruits and vegetables in reduced amounts that evening and repeat the same procedure the following day.  If still not accepting the diet, try this method a couple of days later while feeding the regular diet in between.

2.      Give a 50/50 mixture of pellets and seeds.  Gradually over a 30-day period reduce the amount of seed while increasing the amount of pellets until entirely switched over.  You may even need to extend this gradual changeover to a 6-month period.  Ask WinRose staff for further suggestions.  *Never allow your bird to go more than 8 hours without eating.  A significantly reduced amount of droppings or black droppings indicate starvation.   

Just as birds may not recognize pellets as food, the same applies to fruits, vegetables and human foods so that they must be presented regularly and consistently until they become curious enough to try the new foods and come to enjoy them. 

Gravel is not necessary for most cage birds, except doves and pigeons.  The food that is eaten in captivity is highly digestible and easily ground up by the muscle of the gizzard.  However a few grains of grit may be given 4 times per year for the physiology of the gizzard, not digestive necessity. 

Fruits and vegetables should be washed to remove any trace amounts of insecticides.  This group of food should not exceed 10% of the daily intake.  They can be fresh, frozen, cooked or canned (but be aware of the sugar or salt content).  Caution:  apple seeds, most fruit pits in abundance and avocados are toxic to birds and should not be offered.  Fruits to feed include:  apples, citrus fruits, kiwi, mangoes, pomegranates, cherries, pears, melons, papayas, etc.  Vegetables to be feed include:  all dark green and leafy vegetables, broccoli, corn, peas, carrots, zucchini, onion, sweet and hot peppers, bean sprouts, radish, etc.  

All lean meats are fine in small amounts, as long as they are well cooked.                           

Other suitable foods include cheese, cottage cheese, hard boiled or scrambled eggs, raw or cooked pasta, cooked rice, whole grain toast, crackers and cereals, porridge, cream of wheat, peanut butter, cooked legumes, etc.  Use your imagination but remember the restrictions on fat, sugar and salt.Other suitable foods include cheese, cottage cheese, hard boiled or scrambled eggs, raw or cooked pasta, cooked rice, whole grain toast, crackers and cereals, porridge, cream of wheat, peanut butter, cooked legumes, etc.  Use your imagination but remember the restrictions on fat, sugar and salt. 

Toys

Chewing is a natural habit that prevents overgrowth of the beak and relieves boredom.  It is important to provide toys that help to wear down the beak tip and that are “parrot proof” and safe.  Often the best toys are those created with a little imagination.  Be aware of the size and structure of the toy in relation to the size and structure of the toy in relation to the size and strength of your bird.  Caution:  objects should not be hung using wool or string – the feet and neck can become entangled too easily.  Mirrors are not recommended.  Birds often look to their reflection as a mate sometimes triggering sexual frustration and neurotic behaviour. 

Bathing 

Most parrots love to bathe.  Smaller birds will frequently play in a dish of warm water or bird bath, while larger tamed birds usually prefer being “misted” from a pump sprayer or even showering with the owner.  Parrots should bathe at least twice a week; more often is better especially in the winter when it is so dry in the house.

Wings andNails                                                      (Top of Page)

Trimming the wings, so that flight is restricted, increases the dependency of the bird on the owner.  This allows manageable taming and training while decreasing the danger of injury to your bird when it is out of its cage.  Never leave your bird unattended outside of its cage.  There are too many dangers that it can fall victim too. 

Trimming the nails is necessary so that your bird can grip the perch properly and when your bird grips your arm that it does so comfortably.  Nails should be trimmed at least every 3 – 4 months.

Veterinary Care 

Annual visits to the veterinarian are recommended to ensure your bird’s ongoing health.  It is important to seek professional assistance IMMEDIATELY if your bird shows ANY sign of illness.  Some problems that require a visit to the vet are:

  Decrease in activity or sudden behavioral changes such as reduced talking or singing.

    Increase or decrease in water consumption.

   Decrease in appetite.

  Fluffing feathers or sitting on the bottom of the cage.

  Change in colour or consistency of the droppings or diarrhea or excessive urination.

  Sneezing, nasal discharge, clicking sounds, red or swollen eyes or nose, excessively rubbing beak on perch or cage/scratching at beak excessively.

  Appearance of lumps or growths.

  Weight loss.

  Feather loss or feather picking. 

Your bird should be taken to the veterinary hospital in a box or small cage.  A blanket or towel wrapped around the cage or box will protect the bird from wind and cold.  On cold days, the car should be well warmed before the bird is moved from the house. 

In order to prevent the spread of disease, any new bird should be examined before introducing it into a home where there are other birds. 

Toxic Substances                                                                   

Fumes from aerosol sprays, paints, frying and overheated non-stick utensils (Teflon coated), tobacco smoke and insecticides may not be detectable to human senses, but can prove deadly to your bird.  Chocolate is also toxic to your bird. 

Lead objects, when ingested, are also deadly poison.  Examples include stained glass lamps, and hangings (lead solder), ground up car wheel weights, mirror gilding, some older style birdcages and toys.  Zinc plating, when eaten is also deadly poison.  

Poorly stored seeds, nuts and pellets can contain fungi and moulds.  Store in airtight containers in the fridge or freezer. 

Many household plants are also toxic:

**Ask for a listing of safe household plants.   

Recommended Reading 

Local Bird Club Chapters (The Manitoba Parrot Club) often provide a library of good literature on most cage birds; members share experiences and suggestions.  

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