Caring For Your New African Grey Parrot
By Amanda Isbitt
The Congo and the Timneh are the two main sub-species of the African Grey parrot.
The Congo is a bigger bird with a lighter colour with a dark beak and a red tail. On average they weigh around 400 to 650 grams and are about 12 to 14 inches long from tail to beak.
The Timneh are smaller birds and darker in coloring with a horn coloured upper beak and a maroon tail. They weigh between 275 and 400 grams and measure about 9 to 11 inches from tail to beak.
Since either species have a potential lifetime of over 50 years, this is a lifelong commitment and should never be taken lightly. In general either may live anywhere between 25 to 50 years. It is rumored that the Timneh is not as nervous as the Congo, however, they both share some of the same characteristics.
African Greys are extremely intelligent and are very demanding pets. You must prepare yourself for giving them a good bit of mental and social stimulation. At times this may be challenging since a Grey generally has the emotional needs of a two year old and the intelligence of a five year old.
By their very nature, Greys are terribly nervous birds which can be presented when exposed to something new or strangers. Continual socialization is what they need. Greys are generally a one person bird. However, this can be overcome when all the members of your family take the time to develop a successful family bird.
In order to get the bird accustom to strangers and change begin while it is young. This will also help to eliminate the reputation to biting which is a by product of the lack of socialization. There is no need to push yourself on the bird, take the time to learn its body language and when you should back away. Speak to the bird gently and in a relaxed and calm tone. Soon it will respond to you. Keep in mind that these birds have extremely powerful beaks and when agitated can cause a painful bite.
Diet:
The African Grey requires a healthy nutritious diet. This is vital to the happiness and overall well being of your pet. Problems such as biting, hyperactivity, continuous molting and feather plucking are signs of a poor diet.
One of the most common problems is a deficiency of calcium. This is preventable quite easily by offering the bird calcium and vitamin rich foods such as:
- Dark leafy greens such as, cabbage, kale and spinach. - Beneficial fats such as almonds and palm nuts. - Fresh fruits and vegetables are essential daily. - Quality seed or pellets daily are necessary and you can make a mixture of both of these.
It is very important that your Grey has a diet that is of good quality and varied. Generally, you Grey will require 40 percent seed and 60 percent fruit and vegetables. You can find a more detailed diet list by visiting our website.
Housing:
The matter of choosing any type of cage is personal, although there are restrictions of money and space. As long as the bar spacing is no larger than about an inch, the bigger the cage the better.
Some things to consider before making a bird cage purchase:
Round cages do not result positively. It can lead to the bird suffering from problems of psychological orientation. You want a cage that is mostly made of horizontal bars. Your Grey will enjoy climbing around in its cage. However, vertical bars do restrict the birds ability to do this. We recommend that you Grey have a 36x24x60 or 92x61x153 in size.
When space is a negative issue you can purchase a cage with a play top for those times the bird is out of its cage. Place the cage in a room in the house that is lively so it can enjoy spending time with the family and interacting with them. Do not place your cage in overly bright windows or in draughts.
You can keep the bird interested and stimulated by adding various types of toys to its cage and then move them around from time to time. They love to chew and when they are finished chewing they chew a little more!
You can keep your bird healthy and happy by providing various types of perches of different materials and dimensions such as natural wood and rope. A sandy or cement perch will help keep its nails trimmed. When you provide various thicknesses of perches you can help keep the birds feet exercised.
African Greys are extremely affectionate and loyal after you gain its trust. This bird will love you for the rest of its life. They are great at mimicking and are great talkers. Some owners say they are the best talkers in the world. They generally develop over a 2000 word vocabulary and can mimic such things as dogs barking, doorbells and telephones ringing. African greys have the emotional needs of a 2 year old and the intelligence of a 4 year old, this shows they can be demanding pets.
They do exceptionally well at stringing words together. However, African Greys are not for just anyone. When you purchase a baby from a breeder you should make sure it was raised in a household situation similar to your own.
Greys are wonderful as long as you fulfill their needs and show them respect. With the proper treatment and care, you will find that you have a beautiful feathery member of your family for all the years to come.
For more information please see African Grey Babies
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Pet Birds - Cockatiels
By Joseph Devine
Cockatiels are a type of Cockatoo that are native to almost all of Australia. They are typically considered good pets that have a sweet demeanor. This is not always true but, when the bird is raised, handled, and kept well, it is known to have a good temperament. Like all animals, each bird has its own personality. Some are gregarious and social creatures while others have a tendency to be shy.
Many cockatiel owners will allow their birds to roam the house freely. This is ok as long as the owner takes certain safety precautions. Any bird allowed to roam freely should have its wings clipped if there are any rooms that have ceiling fans or other items that could be seen as a danger to the bird. Birds kept in cages should be placed in an area by a window during the day. They should be placed in a secluded area or at least have the cage covered at night. A cockatiel needs twelve hours of sleep in order not to be a grumpy bird the next door. These birds have been known to take a nap or a quick snooze on their owner's chest or shoulders if the owner is stationary for a long period of time. Well-socialized birds are likely to be gentle and friendly. Some enjoy physical contact which lends them well to taming. A number of owners develop regular bonding rituals with their animals, frequently engaging in preening, scratching, and even petting. Some birds have been known to emit a hiss when they are irritated. This is frequently accompanied by retreating rapidly to the back of the cage or defending with pecking bites. The hiss is a type of mimicry. It is used in nature to confuse the cockatiel's main predatory: the snake. In addition to a hiss, an irritated bird may tap its beak on a hard surface to generate additional attention. The head is frequently lowered and wings spread to show aggression. Cockatiels have a reputation for being demanding of attention. They can be quite noisy but they lack the screeching voice of other parrots. This is not to say that they cannot emit any loud noises, theirs are more piercing cries. Some birds are known to enjoy watching sporting events on TV. This is not to say that they love football or basketball so much as the whistles and squeaky shoes on the floor. For more information on bird and pet ownership, please visit http://www.austinveterinarianclinics.com.
Joseph Devine
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Umbrella Cockatoos
By Wendy Pan
Umbrella Cockatoos are stunningly attractive white cockatoos native to islands in Indonesia. They have very dark brown or black eyes and gain their name from the plume on the top of their head which they will raise, not unlike an umbrella, if startled. Their plumage is nearly totally white, with just a slight hint of yellow on the underside of their wings. This can be seen only when they are in flight. At around 19 to 24 inches in length, they are quite a good sized bird and those with a slightly wider head and larger beak will probably be males.
As the keeping of parrots and cockatoos increased in popularity, so did the capture and sale of the Umbrella Cockatoo. They do make quite good pets as they are very intelligent and entertaining birds. Also their white plumage makes them extremely attractive and exotic looking. Unfortunately the demand for the birds outgrew the reasonable supply possibilities and not only did they become increasingly expensive, their survival in their indigenous habitat was becoming compromised.
Such was the extent of their capture that they made an appearance on the endangered species list and all capture and trading of the birds became illegal. The problem was at its most severe in the early 1990s and it was in 1994 that they were the most heavily protected. Since then the numbers of Umbrella Cockatoos breeding and living in their native habitat has increased and it is no longer deemed necessary to include them on the CITES 1 endangered species list. They are, however, still listed as a vulnerable species and appear on the Appendix 11 listing. This means that although their numbers are increasing, it is still illegal to trade in, or import and export, birds that have been captured from the wild. The only trade possible is that of birds which have been bred in captivity.
As I have mentioned, Umbrella Cockatoos make good pets for someone who is willing to spend a lot of time entertaining, as well as being entertained by, their bird. Although they are not the best parrot or cockatoo when it comes to mimicking human language, they are certainly able to cover a small vocabulary and are quite happy to show this off to you. Although they are often loving and affectionate pets, they have been known to be noisy and aggressive, particularly the males. They do need a lot of handling and care to keep them happy and are probably a species best left to an experienced carer and handler rather than a first-time keeper.
As with all pets, a good deal of research needs to be done regarding their care. Their diet is all important. Umbrella Cockatoos should be fed food that is specifically produced by specialists for cockatoos along with some fruit and vegetables (but not avocado). Once they are established on a basic diet such as this, you can consider adding to it to supplement their nutritional intake and to offer them a variety.
It is impossible to give all the advice necessary regarding the keeping of an Umbrella Cockatoo in any one article. Much research will need to be done if you decide that you wish to share your home and time with one of the wonderful birds. Do not make the decision lightly. They are beautiful creatures but tend to look best in their natural habitat.
Wendy Pan is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about umbrella cockatoos, please visit Cockatoo Rescue for current articles and discussions.
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Parakeet Bird Care
By Ian Pennington
Parakeets, or Budgies, as they are nicknamed, are wonderful pets and quite hardy to raise and easily tamed. They require some hands on however and until you're well versed in parakeet bird care, they may present you a few small problems.
Parakeet bird care isn't rocket science by any means, but they do take some extra touches, just like any other pet.
FOOD: You budgies diet should be a seed mix that has been fortified with vitamins. It should usually include canary seed, millet, and some larger seed such as oat groats. While some seeds come with a lot of extra additions such as veggies or dehydrated fruits, in reality, it's often difficult to get your parakeet to each of those. Do keep away from any type seed that seems to be colored using artificial means. Buy seeds that use natural ingredients, or if colored that use natural colorants such as beet juice for your parakeet bird care.
Seeds can become prone to a parasite called a seed moth, when it gets a bit older. If this happens discard it and purchase new materials. Freeze the seed overnight after you bring it home from the store to avoid future moth problems with your seed. Parakeet bird care is something that will take some time to grow accustomed to.
For instance, not all folks realize that in the wild, seeds are not the only thing their budgie would be eating and in captivity, or in his cage, that's not all he wants or needs either. Proper parakeet bird care in fact requires that he have a few extras. Those birds that live only on seeds will probably live a much shorter life span and may be victim of malnutrition. You should add some fruits and veggies to your parakeet's diet, and although it may take a bit to get him or her to accept them, it will most likely double their lifespan.
Parakeet's which live on seeds alone can be expected to survive about 4 years, while those which have other things added to their diet many times will survive to be about ten years old or more. Offer your parakeet some variety. Give him fresh fruits or vegetables at least one time per day. Carrot tops or leafy greens will be things he will most likely accept readily, however steer clear of those such as iceberg lettuce which are primarily watery. They may cause loose stool.
Parakeet bird care requires that you also keep fresh water in his cage at all times and don't skimp on the food. Keep the cage as clean as you can, and remove droppings daily. If you give your parakeet bird care the same attention you would give to any other pet he will be with you for many years to come.
Ian Pennington is an accomplished niche website developer and author.
To learn more about parakeet care, please visit Caring for Birds for current articles and discussions.
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Love Birds - What Does it Take to Care For These Special Pet Birds?
By Jennifer Manning
You've probably seen these gorgeous birds in your local pet store. They are the miniature green parrots with the big expressive eyes. Love Birds are a good choice for someone who wants a parrot, but doesn't want the commitment that a large parrot requires. A large parrot such as a Macaw can live for 60 or more years, while a Love Bird seldom lives more than 15 years.
Before you go out to buy a Lovebird, you should be aware of what you're getting into. Lovebirds, like all parrots, are relatively high maintenance pets and therefore require a dedicated and special type of pet owner. Here are some important factors to keep in mind.
Companionship
Love Birds, like all parrots, are extremely social creatures and crave the company of others. If you don't have a few hours to spend with him every day, then you'll need to buy another lovebird to keep him company. Without the companionship of humans or another bird, your bird is likely to exhibit problem behavior such as extreme aggression, excessive preening and constant squawking.
Choosing The Right Lovebird
An ideal lovebird will be 6 to 10 weeks old and hand--fed. A young, hand--fed bird is much easier to tame and train than an older, parent--fed lovebird. The most commonly available species are:
- Peach Face - This species is usually green, with a peach head, face and neck.
- Fischer's Lovebird - This bird has a green body with shades of yellow and orange on their head and neck.
- Masked Lovebird - This bird has a green body, with a dark brown colored brown mask around their face and neck. Just below this mask is a yellow band of feathers.
Housing
Love birds require a large cage with plenty of room to stretch out their wings and play -- obviously a pair will require a larger cage than a single bird. The majority of the cage bars should be horizontal and there needs to be a few perches located at varying levels. Place plenty of toys in their cage to keep them stimulated.
Health
Love Birds require daily exercise to keep them healthy. This means you should let them out to fly every day in a safe room. Make sure there are no open windows or predators (such as dogs or cats) in this room.
You should feed your love bird a quality parrot seed mix and plenty of fresh, clean fruits and vegetables that are bird--safe. This will give them a good variety that matches what they might find in the wild. You'll need to remove any uneaten food every day.
Learn more about Love Birds at http://www.petcarejournal.com/love-birds.html - a website designed to provide you with pet articles and resources that will help you get the most out of your pet keeping experience, no matter what type of pet you own.
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