Body condition refers to the weight of your pet bird. If a bird is too thin, it could show signs of illness. If a bird is overweight, owners will be able to monitor their feeding habits to assist them in losing weight. It is vital for the bird owner to monitor the bird’s weight, as obesity can also lead to a number of health problems. The most effective and convenient way to monitor a bird’s weight is to buy a bird scale or any scale that is able to measure weight in grams. It is usually recommended that birds be weighed once a week when they are adults, and daily in younger birds, enabling owners to monitor their weight closely. When weighing a bird, owners should take into account whether the bird has been given a treat and depending if weighing times vary, the weight could vary too.

Another method of ensuring that a pet bird is in top body condition is to feel its keel bone. The keel bone is stands out from the chest bone and runs down the front of the bird, from the chest wall, at right angles. By gently moving one’s fingers across the keel bone, moving from top to bottom, the body condition can also be assessed. There are muscles attached to the keel bone, so in healthy birds, the edge of the keel bone should be able to be felt, while in obese birds, the keel bone will be harder to feel. In sickly birds, suffering from weight loss, the feel bone will be sharp and extremely prominent. Monitoring the body condition of a bird is vital to the overall health and welfare of domestic birds, and by assessing their weight and keeping notes on their weight variances, owners will be able to ensure that their birds are always healthy and happy.

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To ensure a healthy beak, provide your pet bird with a range of toys to chew, preferably something with different textures, such as a rope with pieces of wood, mineral blocks, pieces of leather and tough fabric attached to it. Most pet stores have these types of toys for sale, or you could make your own. Providing a cuttlefish is always a good idea. While some may advocate the use of sandpaper perch covers, others are against them as they may be too rough for the bird’s feet and cause problems. Rather see if you can find a cement perch, which is made specifically to ensure beak and nail health. Be sure to house your bird in a sturdy cage appropriate to its size, as biting through flimsy bars of a cage can cause damage to your bird’s beak. However, despite taking all these measures, at times a bird may develop problems with its beak overgrowing, and when this happens, it is imperative to go to an avian vet for an assessment and treatment, as there are some medical problems which can cause beak overgrowth.

Bearing in mind that the beak is used for climbing and playing, as well as for eating and obtaining nutrients for overall health, if a bird is developing beak problems, the quicker it is dealt with, the better. It is a good idea to check your bird’s beak on a daily basis, taking note of any cracks, discoloration, flaking or overgrowth. If your bird’s beak appears to be growing unevenly it could be an indication of an imbalance of nutrients in its diet, or even an underlying problem such as a liver disease. Even if the overgrowth has no medical cause, trimming a bird’s beak is best left to an expert to ensure a minimum of discomfort to your bird.

Should you be concerned about any aspect of your pet bird’s health, including beak overgrowth and abnormalities, nothing can substitute for the care and advice provided by a qualified avian veterinarian.

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This fascinating bird has coined its name from the mustache-like markings that is found on its face and once the birds have reached maturity, the males’ beaks are orange in color, while the females are recognized by their black beaks. Growing to approximately thirty three centimeters and weighing on average a hundred and thirty grams, the Mustached Parakeet is a small parrot. They have predominantly green plumage, lighter coloring on their heads with a blue tinge and indentifying salmon to pink colored plumage on their chests.

Being extremely intelligent means that the Mustached Parakeet can get bored very easily, and therefore needs an assortment of chew toys and toys that can stimulate their thought process. Spacious cages are also recommended. When compared to the Ringneck Parakeet, the Mustached Parakeet is much calmer and can speak clearer than its counterpart. They are playful and social birds, but can test their boundaries if they have not been disciplined correctly. In the wild, these birds travel in flocks and can get very lonely if they are without a companion and do not get sufficient attention from their owners. In their natural habitat, these birds will feed on a variety of foods which include seeds, fruit and berries, and it is therefore recommended that owners seek advice from their veterinarian to ensure that the correct diet is followed.

Mustached Parakeets are very popular pets but many owners do not research their choice of pet or species and can be surprised by their natural call, which is quite vocal. Before any pet owner decides to purchase a parrot or any captive bird is it essential that they know what their care involves and how to ensure the health and welfare of these magnificent birds.

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Birds are very active creatures and therefore it is important to take the safety of their environment into careful consideration. You should keep first-aid supplies as well as your Veterinarian’s telephone number on hand in case your bird injures itself. A well cared for bird will be a happy bird.

• Grooming
• Injured Birds
• Nutrition
• Showing and Displaying

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Of importance is the fact that seed alone will not provide sufficient nutrition for seed-eating birds, even if a variety of seed is offered. To supply your bird with all the necessary vitamins and minerals, include pellets, fruit and vegetables as part of its diet. Formulated diets consist of seeds, grains, vegetables, fruits and proteins. Fresh fruit and vegetables must be washed and remnants left in the cage must be thrown away before it begins to rot.

Non-seed eating birds are fed on a formula which is served either dry or moistened. Formulas which are made into nectar must be changed several times a day. Offer the bird fruit such as: apple, pineapple, figs, pomegranates, grapes and kiwi. Fresh corn on the cob and flowers such as pansies, roses, marigolds and dandelions may also interest them.

Vitamin and mineral supplements are available should such be necessary for the good health of your bird. Buy the product that will specifically meet the nutritional needs of your bird. Vitamin A deficiencies commonly affect birds. You should feed the bird orange vegetables, green leafy vegetables and egg yolk to overcome this nutrient deficiency. Mineral supplements are important for nutrition, especially for breeding birds. Minerals are found in: mineral blocks, cuttlebone, bones/ bone meal, milk and cheese. To provide the necessary protein consider feeding your bird, in moderation: meat, milk, fish and egg.

Certain foods will be detrimental to the health of your bird. Avoid such foods as: those that contain large amounts of fat and sugar, avocado, chocolate, alcohol, caffeine and fruit pits.

Also important to remember in caring for your bird’s nutritional needs is water. Fresh water must be given daily or more frequently if your bird fouls up the water.

Nutrition is important if you wish to keep your bird in good health, bright and full of life. Thus you can take pleasure in owning and caring for your bird.

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There are a surprising number of bird beak problems which occur fairly commonly across the globe. One of the most common is probably that of trauma. Pet birds can easily break or injure their beaks by engaging in activities such as fighting with other birds, chewing on electric cords, flying into windows or fans or trapping their beak between cage bars. They can even hurt them by falling accidentally onto a hard floor. As a result, the beak can be punctured, fractured or partially or completely torn off the face. If anything like this happens to your bird, it would be best to rush it to the vet immediately.

Another thing to look out for is infectious disease. There are a number of viral, parasitic, bacterial and fungal pathogens that can affect the bird’s beak directly or indirectly. Examples of this are psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD), avian pox and scaly leg and face mites. None of them are pretty, but many of them are easily treatable with antibiotics and antifungal treatments.

Then there are those bird beak problems that occur at a much slower rate and may not be noticed until they are already quite well-developed. Some baby birds develop beak abnormalities early on, where their upper or lower beaks grow longer than they should. This is not great for the bird but can be fixed with dental appliances which are similar in application to human braces. Nutritional deficiencies can also cause beak problems, with scaly beaks or overgrown beaks being caused by inappropriate nutrition. Sometimes a bird’s beak can become soft or rubbery. It may take a while to notice these things, but once it has been spotted the bird should be put on a more appropriate diet so that it can recover.

One of the more serious bird beak problems to watch out for is that of cancer. Birds can develop squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma on their beaks which can manifest as an erosion or a discolored mass on the beak. If it is caught early enough it can usually be surgically removed. If you notice anything abnormal about your bird’s beak, the best thing to do is usually to contact the vet as soon as possible. Don’t waste time as you may miss a critical window period that could make all the difference.

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Anyone with an interest in birds may have spent at least a little time wondering why it is that some bird species lay only one egg while others lay up to ten eggs. The question certainly seems to have been plaguing biologists who have gone out of their way to come up with an answer.

The number of eggs laid by a bird is called the ‘clutch size‘. In a bid to understand why the clutch size of certain birds differ so much from other birds, biologists combined data on the clutch sizes of a whopping 5 290 species of birds from around the globe. The information covered not only the bird species and clutch size, but the biology of the bird and the environment specific to each of the species. The results of their findings were recently published in the journal PLos Biology.

The clutch sizes of both birds and reptiles has long been a subject of interest for biologists. Generally speaking, it seems that species which are short-lived or which have a low survival rate tend to lay more eggs, while those that live longer or have a higher survival rate will lay fewer eggs and spend more time nurturing their offspring. However what happens when one bird lays just one egg and another bird of a similar species lays ten? Why are there such huge discrepancies? It seems that some of the answers lie in the variations in a particular species’ environment, nutrition, health and risk of predation. The study was also able to make use of manuscripts dating back hundreds of years so as to gain insight into how environmental changes may have affected species over the years. The results show that increased environmental variation has caused birds to lay larger and larger clutches. Nest shape is another factor. Birds nesting in more open nests are more at risk from predators and so less eggs so that less eggs are at risk. In contrast, a cavity nester, such as a woodpecker, will have larger clutches since they are better protected. Season and location are another two factors that play a role. It seems that the research has helped the team to accomplish one of their main goals – that of accurately predicting the average clutch size for types of birds living and breeding in certain environments. This information could greatly aid conservation efforts and will no doubt prove to be most helpful in the future.

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Depending on how it’s done, sharing your meals with your pet bird can be a great way to bond. More than that, however, it can be the best reason you’ve ever come across to start eating more healthy meals and perhaps even lose weight too.

When it comes to meal sharing with your favorite feathered friend, there are a few things you definitely shouldn’t do. The first thing is that you don’t want your pet bird eating out of your mouth. Why? Because the food that you touch with your saliva on your plate (whether with a fork or directly with your teeth) carries a lot of bacteria which is foreign to birds and will usually make them sick. Even if they have done this for some time, it is virtually inevitable that they will get a bad infection sooner or later. So whether you prefer to keep your bird in its cage or to give it its own seat at the table during meals, make sure it has its own plate and will not be nibbling from your food at any time during the meal.

Ok, so now what do we feed the bird? Do we need to hire a special birdie caterer to take care of the job? Not at all. According to veterinarian Julie Burge, you can make your bird a plate with “two or three bird-sized bites of each of the foods on the menu”. As long as you’re eating healthy food, your bird can almost always have a little of what you’re having. For example, you can give your bird a spoonful of corn, a little bit of the vegetables you use in your salad, a portion torn off from your roll, and maybe even a bit of apple pie. As long as you stay away from the fast foods and comfort foods that most humans sometimes feel drawn to, your bird will be more than able to share a meal with you in this way – with no extra expense to you. However it is helpful to remember this while preparing the food as any extras such as salt, fats, seasonings or salad dressings will not be good for the bird. If you plan to feed your pet bird a little meat, you can cook the meat without seasoning, take a portion of it for your bird and then add the seasoning for your family. Any cooked food must be cooled down to just on room temperature before it is served to the bird to avoid it getting a burnt tongue and certain foods should obviously be avoided – such as sushi, guacamole or chocolate chip cookies. If these items form a part of your menu, you can try to find a like-looking alternative that is healthy for your bird.

Many people find that they enjoy sharing their meals with their birds in the morning and evening. However it should not be done during the day as the bird’s pellets should form the base of its diet. With that in mind, you will be feeding the bird far too much if it stops eating its pellets. The idea is to simply provide some nutritious and tasty, and often raw, alternatives which can be added to its diet, not to replace its diet altogether. If you feed your bird too much, it will lose its appetite for its pellets and may end up suffering from nutritional deficiencies. Another thing to keep in mind is that any fresh food place in the bird’s cage or made available to the bird should be removed and discarded after an hour as this is when bacteria settles in to start breaking down the food. Sharing your meals with your birds is a great way to get yourself planning and eating more healthy meals with the result that both you and your birds will start to benefit from your mealtimes.

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According to veterinary estimates, as many as 50% or more of pet birds taken to the vet engage in some form of over-preening or other feather damaging behavior. The problem is quite commonplace, but it is distressing for bird owners and difficult to get rid of. Moreover, any bird can start to exhibit this problem. So what do we do about it?

Part of understanding how to deal with this problem, is understanding what causes the problem. There are three main factors: physical/medical problems, environmental factors and behavioral/psychological problems. Feather picking can also degenerate into skin mutilation over time – a very serious condition. So it is worth trying to get to the bottom of the problem as soon as it manifests itself.

Physical problems include viral infections, bacterial and fungal infections, external parasites, allergies, poor wing-feather trimming, nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalances and trauma. All of these can be diagnosed by a qualified avian vet and treated accordingly. Once the immediate problem is dealt with, the real cause behind the behavior can be addressed and the chances of the bird continuing this behavior become slim.

Environmental problems worth considering are a cage that is too small for the bird, using the wrong types of perches, exposure to airborne toxins, low humidity, the wrong kind of lighting, All of these things are distressing to a bird and may cause it to pluck its feathers.

According to research, certain species of parrots, cockatoos, cockatiels, parakeets and lovebirds are particularly predisposed to this sort of destructive behavior. These particular species all live in large flocks in the wild, and separation from the flock usually results in anxiety. Our tame birds may not even know what a large flock of birds is, but they usually view their human associates as an extension of their social environment. If they feel isolated from their human ‘flock’ they may become anxious and this could lead to behavioral problems such as feather picking. This would be a definite psychological factor that is easy to fix. A bird lacking simulation or one that is under too much stress from its environment is also something to consider. We also want to consider the activity of the human counter-parts as things such as an increase in fighting may stress the bird out.

Clearly there are a number of things to consider when trying to determine why your bird is feather picking. But getting to the root of the problem is definitely worthwhile since your bird’s health and longevity are at stake.

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Pet birds that were healthy when bought from a reputable breeder and are kept caged or indoors, are likely to remain healthy if provided with an appropriate diet and suitable housing that is cleaned regularly. It is a good idea though, for bird owners to be aware of various ailments that birds are susceptible to, as the earlier a problem is spotted, the more successfully it can be dealt with. As is the case with mammals and reptiles, birds can be adversely affected by parasites, both internal and external. While the adverse effects of external parasites may be visibly evident, internal parasites can do quite a bit of harm before it becomes apparent that the bird is unwell.

Nematodes, also referred to as roundworms, are most commonly found in the intestinal tract. The bird becomes infected by ingesting the eggs, which may be found in contaminated food or water, as well as on toys or soil. The eggs hatch in the bird, and the larvae develop into adults which go on to produce more eggs, which in turn are passed in the feces, thereby contaminating the environment. The bird, or its companions, may then ingest the eggs, starting the cycle all over again. Infested birds typically appear to be in ill health, have stunted growth and suffer from diarrhea. Worms may be seen in the feces, but an examination of fecal matter under a microscope is the best option for an accurate diagnosis. There are a number of medications used to treat nematodes, and an avian veterinarian must be consulted in this regard.

Caged pet birds are unlikely to become infected with trematodes (flukes) and cestodes (tapeworms) as these parasites have an indirect life cycle which requires a third party such as an earthworm or a snail to act as intermediate host. The bird becomes infested when it eats the intermediate host which has previously eaten the parasite egg.

The diverse group of protozoan parasites includes coccidian and Giardia which cause diarrhea and blood-tinged feces. To make an accurate diagnosis the avian veterinarian will need to examine a fresh fecal sample. Another protozoan parasite is Cryptosporidia, which attacks the cells of the intestinal and respiratory tracts. Symptoms include severe diarrhea, coughing and nasal discharge. As yet, an effective treatment for Cryptosporidia is not available.

Measures that should be taken to prevent any illness in your pet bird include cleaning cages daily, and washing all items that have fecal matter on them, including food and water dishes, toys and perches. In the wild, a bird can move away from its fecal matter, but when a bird is in a cage it is the owner’s responsibility to move its fecal matter away from the bird. Become familiar with your bird’s behavior and eating habits, as any change could indicate a health problem. Remember, prevention really is better than cure.

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