Mites and Chickens

Most people do not realize chickens can contract mites. However, this is actually a pretty common problem with our outdoor bird friends. It is generally noticed with feathers falling out, itching, and even bald patches, accompanied by nervousness and staring off into space. Later comes nerve damage; a white, scaly crest; and death.

Pet Bird Beak Health and Trimming

The practice of beak trimming is somewhat controversial, and in making up your mind as to whether or not to trim your bird’s beak, it may be helpful to look at why a bird’s beak may need to be trimmed. The beak of a bird is made up of the jaw bone, which is covered by a sheath of keratin known as rhamphotheca. Keratin is the substance that our fingernails are made up of, and just as our fingernails continue to grow, a bird’s beak continues to grow throughout its lifetime. In the wild, this growth is worn down through the bird foraging for food, eating a hard diet, using its beak to climb, grooming activities and rubbing its beak on abrasive surfaces.

Injured Birds

What can be done for an injured bird – whether domestic or wild? Should your pet bird be injured it is vital to get it to a Veterinarian as soon as possible. In the interim it may be necessary to practice first-aid on your bird. The following are suggestions for dealing with various injuries, but [...]

Internal Parasites – Prevention is Better than Cure

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.

Emergency Bird Care: Burns and Scalds

It’s not every day that one hears about birds getting burn injuries and we may be at a loss to imagine how it might happen. The fact is that when things such as this happen, they usually happen pretty fast and immediate action is necessary to prevent serious injuries or death. With that in mind, it is definitely worthwhile learning a bit about the treatment of burns on birds.

Bird Owner’s Guide to Avian Tumors

Most bird lovers do not know much about avian tumors so the presence of a lump or bump beneath your bird’s skin might get you into a panic. However, just because there is an abnormality, the problem is not necessary a tumor. There are a range of things which can cause bumps beneath your bird’s skin.

The Benefits of Sunlight for your Bird

Sufficient exposure to natural sunlight and sufficient sleep in a dark environment, are both vital to the physical and emotional health of your pet bird. If other more obvious causes have been ruled out by an avian veterinarian, an ill-tempered or sickly bird may very well be suffering from a lack of sunlight and/or a lack of sleep.

CPR Saves Bird Lives

Understanding the principles of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), and being able to put these effectively into practice, could result in saving a life. CPR is used extensively for humans, and has a good success rate on domestic animals such as cats and dogs, but few bird owners are aware that CPR can be performed on their pet birds with very positive results.

Avian Haven Saves Lives

Avian Haven, situated in Freedom, Maine, is a wild bird rehabilitation center has cared for more than twenty thousand birds during the twenty years since it was founded by Diane Winn and Marc Payne. These compassionate bird-lovers care for injured or orphaned birds of all species, which are generally brought to them by members of the public, veterinarians, Maine wildlife biologists, game wardens and animal control officers, as well as other rehabilitation centers.

The Art of Hand Rearing Baby Birds

For many bird owners, hand rearing a baby bird is a rewarding and very time consuming undertaking. It takes patience, dedication and discipline, but owners will reap the rewards of hand rearing as the baby birds form a close bond and loving relationship with their owners. In breeding programs, birds are often taken from their parents to encourage increased production, or in some instances the chicks are orphaned by their parents and need human assistance to ensure their survival.

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