I don’t think anyone will dispute the fact that birds are unpredictable.
I listen to the clipped wings camp and one of the things I hear repeatedly is “I keep my birds wings clipped so it doesn’t fly into a wall” Something pet bird keepers who clip their bird’s wings predict with absolute certainty.
I recently saw an ad on the Internet for bird training treats. What was interesting to me was in recommending bird treats similar to NutriBerries. Don’t get me wrong we love NutriBerries and think it’s a great treat, just not for training.
Before I get ahead of myself when I speak of training when it comes to birds (horses and dogs do well with this) I talk about clicker training.
Okay all you cage bird keepers whose birds have clipped wings, I can see all of you rolling your eyes from here. “What’s he up to now Virginia? How in the world can wing clipping and screaming be related?”
Today I have science on my side – and who can argue with science? From the blog “the Scorpion in the Frog… It’s in our nature” by Miss Behavior who’s real name is Sarah Jane Alger and she is a biologist
Mitch,
Are you saying you don’t keep your birds in a cage? Ever? Like they just roam around the house all day?
How do you keep from stepping on them, what about electrical cords that might look like a toy to them while you’re not observing?
What about things like china plates on a hutch they could fly into and hurt themselves?
I would love to let them lose but how would I keep an eye on them say if they’re upstairs and I’m down? They get into EVERYTHING!
How many times have you watched in awe as a flighted bird hops off the top of it’s cage – flap flap flap then lands on an inch wide piece of ceiling crown molding or a computer monitor and in bird speak says “What’s up?”
Never giving a thought to that gravity thing that keeps the rest of us tethered to Mother Earth. These are special creatures indeed.
It’s been my observation that most caged bird keepers fail (sell, re-home or give to a rescue) because the birds are unable to adapt to the keepers expectations.
Normal Values for a Small Bird
Normal Values for a Large Bird
We have a 10-year-old Yellow Nape Amazon. He is a constant source of entertainment and wonder. He eats several fresh foods regularly and also enjoys Roudybush medium pellets.
One of his/her favorite activities is to tear into a fresh pepper hanging from a spike in the cage. Anything from Hatch to Jalapeño, to Poblano, and even an occasional Habenero, is fair game. (more…)
First, a little semantic housekeeping in these modern times of ornithology. The term beak & bill can be used interchangeably – or so I’m told.
Our new economical bird nail trimmer has become very popular once pet bird keepers realized how easy it was to trim their own birds nails while saving money at the same time.
From time to time we do have people asking about trimming their bird beaks because they appear to be a little too long or may exhibit a “bump”.
Let’s circle back to first aid. Now that you’ve taken the time to build your own bird first aid kit, (you did right?) it’s important to remember the basics.
Once you’ve assembled all the tools for your bird first aid kit you should wash them with antibacterial soap or clean them with a steam cleaner and then wrap them in washcloths prior to storage.