COMMON CAPTIVITY QUESTIONS

Concerning the keeping and breeding of birds, a number of questions are asked often enough that some basic knowledge is provided here to help customers keep their birds safe and healthy. The following is an overview of some common questions about keeping birds in captivity.

Can birds be fed people food? Bird's do much better on a varied diet and will not be as healthy if fed seeds exclusively. Feeding a variety of fruits and vegetables, both raw and cooked, is excellent for all birds. Avoid avocado, however, because it is poisonous to birds. Foods that are salty, sugary, greasy or spicy can be just as bad for birds as they are for humans, and should not be given.

Green Food. Dark greens are, in most cases, superior in food value to light greens or yellow greens. Carrot tops, Kale, Chard, Romaine Lettuce, Dandelion, Spinach and Watercress are all good choices. Ice Breg lettuce and Celery tops are not nourishing. Greens must be fresh and washed thoroughly to remove insecticides and fertilizers.

Vegetables. Almost all fresh vegetables can be fed to birds. Best Choices are: Corn on the cob, Green Peas, Carrots, Celery, Broccoli, Beans, Rice, Squash, Cucumber and Sweet Potatoes.

Fruit. Fruit is a necessity for soft-billed birds and helpful to some other species. Feed: Apples, Apricots, Grapes, Peaches, Melons, Pears, Bananas, Strawberries, Papaya and Oranges. (Oranges should be limited because of high acid content, offering a wedge of orange once per week may decrease the incident of fungal infection).

Live Food. Live food, very high in protein, should be limited unless specified in feed requirements of species. Live food include Mealworms, Maggots, Flying insects and Earthworms. Since these are high in phosphorus and low in calcium, dust with calcium powder prior to feeding.

Treats. Treats provide variety as well as supplement to nutritional requirements. Generally, treats should not exceed one-fourth the total food supplied. In addition to treat mixes, spray millet, peanut butter* ( good for plumage), whole wheat bread, hard boiled eggs, occasional bits of cooked lean beef, chicken or fish and nectar may be used.

*(Note: Peanut Butter can become moldy. The molds are toxic to birds. Spoon out the peanut butter with a clean utensil and discard the peanut butter if any mold growth or discoloration is observed. If you are suspicious of eating the peanut butter, don't feed it to the birds!).

Should a bird's cage be covered at night? Covering the cage is not a necessity. However, birds are like humans and need sleep. If the bird sleeps in a room that gets a lot of light at night, such as from headlights, the cage needs to be covered. It may also be a good idea to cover the cage if the house is kept considerably cooler at night. Birds become quite noisy at sunrise. Covering the cage until the owner gets up may be a way of keeping the bird quiet. Make sure bird gets at least ten (10 hours of darkness and quiet each night).

What should be done if a bird is acting sick? If a bird appears to be ill, take the bird to the veterinarian immediately. Some signs that a bird is sick include not eating or not eating well, sleeping excessively, sneezing, coughing, not preening, or abnormal fecal matter. A bird will not show that it is sick until it cannot hide it anymore. This is why birds have such bad reputations for getting sick and dying easily. By the time an owner realizes their bird is sick, the illness may have reached such an advanced stage that the bird, particularly small birds, may not make it. Owners must be able to recognize the signs of illness and understand the need for immediate treatment.

Why is a bird that used to be sweet suddenly biting the owner? A number of reasons may cause a normally nice bird to bite the owner. Find out when the bird began biting and if something new has happened recently in the home. Birds can get jealous if their owner's attention is turned to another human. A bite will get the owner's attention. Birds that have reached an adolescent stage may test their owner to see what they can get away with, including biting. Birds may also bite when they reach sexual maturity when hormones are driving them a bit crazy. A Parakeet reaches sexual maturity at seven to nine months, a Conure at one to two years, and Amazons, Cockatoos and Macaws at four to five years. After the onset of sexual maturity has passed, a bird will usually calm down again. Find out if the bird may have been suddenly scared or almost fell off the owner, causing it to bite down in order to hold on. To stop the bird from biting, it is best to put the bird back in the cage, say "Time out" and then ignore the bird for a short length of time, such as ten minutes. The owner praise the bird and give it lots of attention when the bird doesn't bite. A bird will learn quickly that biting is wrong. Stress to the owner the importance of never hitting a bird. Birds never forget and will probably act even more aggressively toward an owner who hits.

How can a bird be stopped from making obnoxious noises? Birds are loudest during the early morning and late afternoon hours. In the wild, this is when they wake up and when they go to roost. Communication is important during these times. Birds may also yell for attention. If the owner comes running to yell at the bird, then the bird gets the attention and the communication it wants. To prevent excessive yelling, cover the cage and say "Time out" and ignore the bird. Birds crave attention, bad or good, and if they are ignored when yelling and praised when quiet, they will get the idea. However, birds do like to yell once in a while and they should only be deprived of attention when the yelling is a continual problem.

It is better to say "I don't know" and then look up the correct answer than to give a wrong answer. Then add the phrase; "Let me find out." The more you know the better the pet owner you will be.

Reprinted by Pretty Birds from Pet Business magazine

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