Tips To Discipline Your Pet Bird

Pet birds with behavioural problems ordinarily have social problems too. There would be times when behaviour issues with birds may be produced by lack of interaction with owners, conflict with other animals or just owing to affliction. It is significant to recognize the factors why birds are showing negative behaviour. By identifying the stressors you can take it out of the birds’ system.

Positive reinforcement is an impressive method that can be employed to train and tame birds. Positive reinforcement focuses on what birds want like food, a scratch, verbal praise, comfort and other similar things. Negative reinforcement, of course, is the opposite of this and is rarely successful ultimately.

Owls as Pets

Punishment never resolves the birds’ behaviour issues. To get on with negative attitude of birds, here are some simple tips you can take into consideration:

• Show your dissatisfaction with your bird’s behaviour by facial expressions. Frown. Birds can pick up facial expressions and body movements. The best way of showing dissatisfaction towards your pet bird is by your system movements. Maintain eye contact when doing this.

• There are bed owners who also suggest turning your back behind your birds or dismissing them. This would discourage them into doing bad acts.

• Some bird owners say that it is efficient to chat with birds with low but not loud voice. Tell them what they did was wrong. But be concise and short as feasible. Too much negative attention might have side-effects on your pet.

• Never hit a bird. Birds have fragile bones, physical force may injure them fatally. Also, bird abuse can likewise result to aggressiveness and viciousness.

• When disciplining your pet, never compromise their health. Examples would be insufficient food and water supply, neglecting the cage and even bathing them. This can result into deep emotional and physical injuries.

• When giving birds food as rewards for their good behaviour, choose some food which they would enjoy but seldom eat. It is in addition good to pet, scratch them as positive reinforcements. But be mindful of offering treats with too much sugar and fat.

Finches as Pets

There would be instances when severe aggression and viciousness is treated with mood-modifying drugs. When having issues with your birds you can consult your avian behaviourist or your veterinarian. But any therapy is useless causing the bad behaviour.

Actually, it is essential to determine if the bad behaviour is produced by medical condition. So if you have noticed anything with your bird it would be best to bring them first to a veterinarian to make sure that medical issues are rejected.

Attitude cannot change overnight. So do not be upset if your birds are not showing improvements immediately after employing the mentioned tips. Just like when disciplining children, consistency is the key when training your birds. Birds would understand what you wish to happen when you commence being per your method and ways.

Parakeets Pets

When disciplining your pet birds, it is important to balance things. Obviously you wanted to correct bad behaviour, but it is as essential to reinforce of indicate the good behaviour also. Birds respond to training better when focusing on the good items, not the bad things.

This method may require hard work, patience and love. It could take a long while, but when you look at your happy pet bird, I think its going to be worthwhile.

Advice On Pet Birds

Many households have pet birds and it’s so sad to see such beauties caged just to please humans. It seems such a cruelty on the side of men to make pet birds spend so much of their lives confined to a small space. Mother Nature made them capable to fly out in the open, to see the sky and enjoy the beautiful canopy of rain forests. The reasons for which we keep them enclosed are really childish, not to mention that they break the animal rights that some people are so fond of.

The fact that living with humans is not a good option makes pet birds different from other pet types. Birds cannot turn into man’s companions the way cats and dogs do. It happens so often that pet shop visitors get impressed by a parrot’s ‘hello’ and take it home with them. Yet, such decisions are not in the least based on valid information. Did you know there are parrot species that can live up to 100 years?

Moreover, the perspective of  such long captivity is terrible It’s sad, it’s appalling and inhumane. And you are incredibly selfish or ignorant if you think otherwise. We should not have pet birds at all. They should enjoy their freedom just as you enjoy yours! Let them charm our lives with chirrups from tree branches. There’s no room for pet birds in a family kitchen. Think again of what you teach your children when you buy them a caged bird. You’ll just teach them no respect for life and freedom.

Except for domestic birds that grow around the house in the backyard, no flying creature makes a good pet. People usually buy them as decorative ’staff’. Instead of taking pet birds, you should go and admire them in the wild where they belong.

The tone of this article has certainly been cynical and critical, but take it as a wake up call. Environmental awareness may start precisely in your family kitchen. Teach your children respect for nature and all God’s creatures. Then, we’ll have less pollution, fewer animals at the zoo, more balance in the environment and a happier life. Thank you for reading this far, and may you enjoy all the living things around us!

A Complete Information About All Kinds Of Pet Birds

Deciding to get hold of pet birds require many aspects that you have to oblige when you value more highly to become a pet owner. You must be in a position to plan to the responsibilities and allot the proper time and cash to ensure that your pets will always be at the surface their game. You can choose from the following popular species of birds.

1. Cockatiels. Aside from having a medium built that makes it more convenient for you to care and entertain them, you will have fun when you’ve this kind. They are recognized to be delightful. These are area of the class of parrots and hailed in Australia. They are known for their singing and whistling abilities. They can also learn how to talk, but they often opt to whistle. They also are inclined to mimic the common sounds that they hear making them appear quirky and fun. They can readily get sounds in the same way as the barking of dogs or the phone ringing. You can get these types in various color combinations. The life-span of cockatiels can be up to 20 years.

Best Pet Birds

2. Lovebirds. They are among the smallest kinds in the species of parrots. They have the personality along with intelligence. That’s why most owners will not trade these kinds to the larger kinds. Aside from such aspects, they’re not that demanding and they’re pleasurable to look at. These are perfect for those who reside in apartments and condominiums because they are fairly quiet. The shape can be around six ins when it relates to length and their life expectancy can be about 20 years.

3. Parakeets. The most common of this kind, referred to as the Budgerigar, is perfect for children. This is particularly true if it is the first time for the child to own a pet, specifically a bird. You can get them to be choose among various pretty colors. These will require less amount of space so you do not need to mind much about the matter. They’re small and yet intelligent. They can whistle along with sing and they can likewise learn very few words. They can live up to 14 years.

4. Canaries and finches. They will need less room because of size. These types can measure 5 inches or even smaller. They are referred to as waxbills or softbills. They thrive in small forms of flocks. They likewise require little attention making them perfect companion for those who can’t afford to allot lots of time in engaging their birds in pursuits. These do not care much about the attention that they get from humans. Their lifetime can reach up to 10 years if you have cared and treated them well.

Choosing A Pet Bird

5. African Greys. These are ideal to be a lifetime companion because they can live up to 70 years. They’re referred to as the most intelligent kinds. They can also learn around 2,000 words if trained well. They’re smart but they also are inclined to be demanding. They will get bored and lonely if you won’t take time to engage them in stimulating pursuits. Your efforts will surely be rewarded because these are affectionate in nature.

So choose from the list what you want to obtain as pet birds. Make certain that as much as you will love their presence, you will likewise be able to give them what they require from you.

If you want to know about other pets, check out Pet Tips

Things That can Be Dangerous To Your Pet Bird

Your pet bird is sick and you are completely at lost how could that possibly be.  Your pet bird spends most of the times inside your home and not exposed to any bad environmental conditions at all.  Here is some thought, your house may not be that safe as you think it is. 

If there child unfriendly homes, then there are avian-unfriendly homes.  Actually, there are different kinds of dangers your bird can be exposed to even if you try to make it danger-free.The respiratory systems of your bird is very sensitive, small in size and they also have fast metabolism.  These are also factors for bird dangers inside your home. 

As a pet owner, you have to be vigilant and alert on anything that you notice in your house.  Here are some common dangers which you can easily avoid by being attentive and cautious.

• Poisoning

Birds can get poisoned by things that they have eaten or inhaled.  Inhaled poisonous materials can come from aerosol, insecticides and other cleaning products that you are using at home.  Even those air fresheners can be dangerous to your bird’s respiratory system.  Other common fumes which can be poisonous to birds are glues, nail polish remover, perfumes, and paint.  So, if you will be doing some cleaning, better move your bird away from the area. 

Non-stick cookware when over-heated also emit fumes which are bad for your health.  If your bird is located near the kitchen, then move it out of there.Your bird is not just being cooked by the heat from the oven, but also getting killed slowly and slowly.  Another thing you can avoid is using scented candles, there are some birds allergic to certain odours. 

Another thing you have to be cautious with is cigarette smoke.  It is not only bad for the smoker and the people who inhale it, but also deeply affects your pet birds.

Your birds can also be killed by inappropriate food.  Avoid feeding your birds with food with high sugar, fat and salt.In the long run This would certainly kill your birds after sometime.  Avoid feeding avocado and chocolates to your birds. Prevent your bird in biting and eating the newspapers in the bottom of the cage, newspaper ink is poisonous for birds.

• Open water (like toilet)

Birds cannot swim.  It is easy for small birds to fall in cooking pots, sinks, toilets, bathtubs, buckets and other water containers and drown.  Make sure to put the lid down of toilet seats.  You can just close the bathroom door altogether. 

• Ceiling fans, windows/doors and mirrors

Birds are easily stressed by things moving above them, it is better to relocate a bird’s cageif there are ceiling fans near it.  A bird can easily fly through a moving ceiling fan and cause serious damage.  Open windows and doors can give the birds a chance to fly away.But if it happens to be closed, there are possibilities that the bird fly and collied into it, which can cause severe physical injuries.  So if you are going to let your bird fly out of the cage for a while, it would be better to let the curtains down. 

Birds think that they can get through glass, they do not know that it is a transparent solid.  But if the curtains are down, they know for sure that flying through the curtains is altogether, impossible. 

Pet birds are very intelligent and are very curious about exploring and tasting.  Since their size can permit them to have access in every nook and corner of the house, it is important to watch over them and make sure that would not get injured by simple things in the house.

The Top Reasons To Opt for Pet Birds

If you happen to visit a pet store, it is very easy to get enamored with pet birds. Once you have fallen in love with them and choose to purchase the kinds that you like the most, you must first think about the decision before you pay for them and take the birds at your home.

Are you sure that they can fit on the kind of lifestyle that you are leading? Look at your space. The size of the birds that you will buy should fit perfectly well to your allotted area. You should also consider your neighbors. There are the kinds that create so much noise which may cause trouble with people living near your house. You will normally prefer to keep the kinds that are not noise making most of the time, especially when you are living in a condominium or apartments.

So why should you opt for birds as your pets? Here are some vital reasons that can help you regarding the matter. Take a look at this list that contains the top reasons why people choose birds as their pets than the other kinds of animals.

1. Birds are social creatures. The extremity depends on the species that you choose to acquire. They can be affectionate, a good reward for all your hard work and commitment. You can get the satisfaction that you will also gain from owning a pet dog or cat. Birds can be loving as long as you also show them that you care for them and that you love them. There are some owners of birds that choose to be inseparable with their pets. Wherever birds are allowed and if they happen to go they carry them along.

2.  They are intelligent. Birds are known to be smarts. They have the capacity to learn and they are also inquisitive with their surrounding and nature. When you make them your pets, they will learn a lot from you depending on how you treat them and how you interact with them. Your dogs or cats can never learn to say hi or good morning. But your birds surely can, especially if you have allotted enough time and effort to teach them how.

3. Training your birds can be fairly simple. Your birds are eager to learn from you. So if you will be able to teach them what you want them to know, they will easily get what you want them to do. You can start with simple tasks like whistling. Then comes the time when you can start teaching some words to improve their vocabulary. If you want, you can get a trainer for your pets. But it will be best if you can provide such training even if you don’t have much experience about the matter. This is your chance to bond with your pets and to develop nurturing emotions toward each other.

4. They are easy to handle. You don’t have to take your birds with you for a brisk walk in the morning and afternoon. You don’t have to bathe them and groom them all the time. If you have to leave your house, all you have to do is keep your birds on their cages and serve them with enough water and food that will suffice until you come back.

You must only make sure that you keep the cages of your pet birds clean all the time to keep them away from sickness and other injuries that they may incur in the process.

Know About Toys for Your Pet Bird

Imagine what it is like living in a cage? Chances are, you will feel bored after just a few minutes so you can probably understand how your pet bird feels like being locked the whole day. That is why to prevent them from doing anything harmful to themselves, you should know how to choose the right toys for them.

When looking for a toy, make sure that this is the right size for your bird. Small toys are not good for large birds because they could break this, swallow and choke on it.

One of the most safe toy is the swing that is suitable for both the big and the small birds. This will allow them to sway back and forth to pass the time.

If you want to give your bird some exercise, it will be nice to put a ladder which will enable them to climb up or down.

Large birds like to play with puzzles and mazes. As an added incentive, see to it that there are nuts inside which they can get as a reward for being able to finish the game.

Let’s say your bird loves to pluck its feathers. As this can be harmful to them therefore preened toys are the best to give them. Preened toys are made mostly by cotton fabric. The downside to using this is that type of toy is that it will eventually fray due to wear and tear.

When this happens, remove it immediately and have it replaced with a new one because the threads could tangle around their neck or toe.

An option to the preened toy made of cotton is the one made from feathers that are considered to be safer since loose threads will never happen.

Other toys you can give your pet bird include children’s wooden blocks, paper towel tubes and tongue depressors.

If one or two of the toys interest you and having more is better than having one or two around, you can create a play gym for your pet bird by buying several of these, putting it together and placing this inside their cage.

You should just be sure there is sufficient room so the bird can rest and do some other stuff when they don’t feel like playing.

Now that we know what toys are nice for the bird, it is important to know what toys are not safe for birds. These include mirrors or anything that has a reflective surface because this may make the bird bond to its own reflection thus no longer being tame and friendly to people.

Toys with small parts should never be given because they could swallow it and there could be fatal consequences. It should also not have any bells or split rings.

Your pet bird needs time to unwind and providing them with toys is one way to keep them from bring unhappy and bored especially when you are not around to be with them.

Most of these toys can be purchased from the toy store or grocery so will not have a hard time finding a few things to keep them busy until you get home. If you want toys exclusive for pet birds, try looking online and in other specialty stores. The solidly built toys are the best to give them.

Easy Way To Read Your Pet Bird’s Behaviour

A pet and the owner relationship does not just evolve around feeding and cleaning the cage, it is companionship and friendship which is based on loyalty and trust.  How can you build this kind of relationship, with your pet bird in this case, if your pet keeps on biting you? 

The key here is to understand your pet bird’s behaviourand body language.To understand their vocalizations is not possible for us, but we can understand their feelings and requirements through their movements.   Ability to communicate between owners and pets enable the owners to train, tame and care for them adequately.

Here are some bird movements and how we can interpret them:

• Flashing or dilating pupils can either mean aggression or excitement and pleasure.  When pupils are dilated pay attention to other movements like tail fanning or raised feathers and some growling, these are aggressive signs.  So beware of contact, you may get bitten.

• Purring, on the other hand, along with relaxed and puffed up feathers means that your bird is in a good mood.

When the bird click its beak, it indicates that some kind of threat it is feeling, but the grinding of the beak indicates that it is satisfied and feeling good.

• Biting reasons depend on the age.Most of the time a young bird bites anything especially during its “teething age”.  An older bird biting is a sign of displeasure or aggression.

• Birds sneeze the same reasons human do, like exposure to dust, irritation, small bug and feathers on the nasal cavity.  An abnormal sneeze, which typically includes nasal discharge should be consulted immediately to a vet. 
• Head shaking is not associated with disbelief in cases of birds.This means excitement or trying to get attention.

• Quivering wings would should fear or being nervous.  Assurance is needed when talking to these kind of birds.Yo got to convince them that there is nothing to be nervous with you.

• Tail bobbing sometimes can be a sign of sickness or just singing. When the tail bobs while the bird breathes, then that could be a sign of sickness and should be taken to the vet. 

There would be instances when pet owners would be exasperated with their pets because of their bad behaviour.  There are many reasons why birds would act the way they are.  Hormones can be responsible if your bird is displaying negative characteristics. 

Birds mature too! Just like people, they would undergo a stage where they would sexually mature.  During the stage where they begin to be sexually mature, birds begin to be very sensitive.  This stage differs on the bird size.Mostly, on their fourth year big birds would have this.  While, smaller birds would experience this on their twelfth month.

Also, observe your pet birds if something is bothering them.  If there are some items in the house that are starting to bother them then remove it from the space. Birds are sensitive to routine, some changes on it can be stressful for them. Also, paying enough attention to your pet and letting them stretch their wings more through exercise are great ways of improving bird behaviour.

Pet birds are extremely rewarding and wonderful companion, it is important to display or show the understanding and patience.  In every relationship, understanding is the key.  So does in animal and human relationship.

Choose Your Pet Birds Common Or Wild

People adopt pet birds for different reasons. There may be some who find feathered friends extremely relaxing and love the colourful plumage. While, there are others who take interest on the ability of some birds to adapt human language.  

Pet birds can be both those common and domesticated breeds of birds.  People have taking care of birds since three to four centuries ago.  These birds graced numerous kingdoms and palaces before it entered out living rooms.

So, if you are thinking of getting a feathered friend and unsure about what to pick out, there are some considerations that you have to think about.  This would include ability to handle additional financial obligations and taking care of a pet.  Birds are not easy maintenance pets, unlike what most people think.  They are social animals who need attention from their owners.And you will be surprised to know the facts of their life span!

If you have fully considered taking care of a bird but indecisive  of what kind you can take care of, here are some information about the most popular bird choices: 

• Parakeets – this bird can also be called a Budgerigar or sometimes Budgies.If you are a new bird owner, such kind of birds are most ideal since they are sociable towards each other and to humans.  Their size range from small to medium making it easier to care for compared with big birds.  Their life expectancy is about 12 to 14 years. But they tend to be noisy sometimes and destructive of their surroundings.

• Cockatiels -  are  birds members of the parrot family making them capable of learning human words. Ther are also pretty much advanced in their singing and whistling capabilities. They are also very much capable of copying sounds like  a car alarm, ringing phone or other bird calls. There are different colors for these birds and can live up between 15 to 20 years.

• Canaries- are also very popular birds.Those pet owners who is unable to spare more time and pay required attention this kind of bird is ideal for them.  These birds pay little attention to humans and prefer to live in small flocks.10 years approximately would be their life span. What‘s great about canaries is that they sing beautifully.  Male canaries have richer voices than females.

• Lovebirds – these birds are ideal if you live in a place where you are very close to neighbours who do not want too much bird noise. These species normally remain quite and their norma life span is from 50 to 70 years.  They are also part of the parrot family. Some pet owners would rather have a single lovebird rather than a usual pair, so that the bird can bond more with the owner than the other bird.

• African greys- are said to be the most intelligent of the birds, especially in terms of their vocabulary.  This intelligence is why it is important for an African Grey to have a lot of stimulating toys around their cage. These kind of birds can live up to 50  to 70 years.

But not all pet owners are happy with having domesticated pet birds.  There are pet owners who prefer exotic birds which are usually from countries in Asia, Africa or Australia. Most of pet owners would choose birds from the parrot family since they would have very delightful colors and can show supreme intelligence.

But when importing birds from other countries, there are important regulations and rules which should be followed.  Smuggling birds in countries can have an effect on the number of birds in their natural habitat (which sometimes lead to endangerment) and worse health for the birds and humans too. 

Serious diseases happened in the United States because of failure in undergoing the proper procedure for bringing exotic and wild birds in the country.  Examples of these diseases would be avian flu or the exotic Newcastle Disease. 

When bringing in a bird in the country, make sure that you birds have been checked by veterinarians and avian experts for diseases.  They should have a health certificated from the veterinarian and at the same time the permit issued by  the government. Most cases of aviary disease and their outbreak can be traced to birds who have entered the country by illegal means. 

There are many options when picking out the right pet bird for you.  Regardless of its breed, size, or appearance, the most important thing is to take into consideration is that they would be around for a while.  So make sure to pick the bird that you can enjoy, because they are not just commodities that you can throw away if you no longer want them to be around.

Tips To Engage Your Kids in Loving Their Pet Birds

When you have children at home it is good to teach them the good values in caring for pets, instead of buying them toys that they will only outgrow. To make sure that they will enjoy the process, you can give them animals that are easy to handle. For this purpose, you can choose to give your kids pet birds. But also you must be careful about the species that you opt to give to your kids. To start with, you can bring them along with you at the pet store where you will buy the birds. Let them choose based on appearance and guide them by telling the pros and cons of such choice.

Kids are usually fascinated with pets. Your role here is to make sure that they become good providers and friends to their birds. This learning process will only be successful if you will serve as a good leader. You must teach them good values regarding the process. You may also choose to reward them for the good deeds that they will be able to share with their pets. You should also help them in choosing accessories for their birds. About the value of money also you can teach them. You can give them certain amount that they can allot for the expenses that they have to spend on their pets.

To help your kids more about the deciding phase, here are some types of birds that you may want to suggest to them. These are easy to handle and they will surely learn a lot from them. And they will also be able to share vital lessons to these birds.

1. Budgies or Parakeets. Kids love these types because they are colorful and pretty. They can be touched and can tolerate the petting that your kids may subject them to. They are small and easy to carry around even by your small tots. They are gentle in nature and develop good bonding with their masters. Your kids will surely be delighted to have them around as companion. These are sweet in nature and they will easily oblige to your child’s requests, making the relationship harmonious between the bird and your child.

2. Finches. These kinds only require very less interaction. This attitude is perfect for kids who tend to engage themselves in so many things and activities. These birds will not mind even if their owners spend little time with them. Young kids will surely enjoy the soothing music that these birds can create. They can emulate chatter and soft chirps that will sound like beautiful noise to your kids’ ears. You can opt to get more than one finch so that they will have companions even if your kids don’t have much time to allot with their pets. But these types should not be taken out of their cages. That is a vital factor that you must teach your kids from the very beginning.

3. Cockatiels. These types are ideal for young and even older kids. But the owners must be able to spend quality time with them for the birds to be happy all the time. Your children will be delighted with the attitude of these birds. They will certainly like tobe with them after a hard day at school. They can teach these kinds to talk, making it such a delight for your child especially when they have become successful in the project.

They can also teach them to whistle their favorite tunes. These birds can also learn simple tricks as long as your child pays enough time and attention to teach their pet birds how.

Cheap Bird Cages

When I first initiated looking for a huge bird cage for my two parakeets, I was not sure how big it should be or whether my birds, Charlie and Sweetie really needed a larger cage.  So I started to ask acquaintances in a chat room about what they thought.  One of them suggested that I look for “flight bird cages”.  I really didn’t know what that was, but he told me that it was for my birds so that they could actually fly in the cage.  That’s why it is called that.  I felt foolish, but hey, who knew!  When I looked online, I couldn’t find exactly what I wanted quickly enough.  So I decided to dedicate a site just to flight bird cages.

I have since found more and more information about why birds really should be able to fly inside of a cage, rather than all the time just out of their cage in the house.  Charlie and Sweetie have loved their new cage and really do seem much happier.  Some of my points of why this type of cage is good for them are below.

Why I think Flight Bird Cages are necessary for birds:

My birds are a lot happier when they can fly around in their cage.The bigger cages lets all birds be healthier and happier because they get their exercises in all day.  It keeps their little bodies strong!

They are a lot safer in their cage if there are other animals in your house, such as a cat or dog.  Especially so when you can not be home with them all the time, they can still fly about in their cage.  One word of caution that I read somewhere, so use your own judgment on this, don’t put your birds in a round cage because it doesn’t give them any points of reference and they will be confused.  That’s why a lot of bird cages probably are hexagon or at least have corners.

The right bird houses are perfect for breeding birds.After finding out that birds that could fly would breed, I did observe Charlie and Sweetie doing just that.Just to make sure you understand that if you have had no luck with your birds mating, it might be because the birdcage they are in is not large enough.Allowing birds access to flight will enhance their ability to mate!

It makes your birds feel free.  During the spring and summer months, I sometimes put their cage outside on my patio.  I think when they whistle at the people that go by is a very funny and cute thing.When the unexpected person walks by, they smile and then giggle and my other friends howl with laughter.

Cleaning is much easier, giving you more room to maneuver.  I found that the easier cages are to clean, they get changed and cleaned a lot more often.  Even my husband doesn’t mind cleaning it, and it takes less time than it used to with the smaller cage.

The flight bird cage I got for Charlie and Sweetie is on a pedestal, so they are at eye level with us.  They love being able to be right there with us and talk to us a lot more often.This is because then they can be with us a lot, but just as safe.Being able to move the cage to where we were, the birds were so accustomed to them being around us.  Even with this larger cage for them, it still makes it so manageable.  Don’t forget, birds like to be part of the family too.

Just so you’ll know the size that I got for Charlie and Sweetie, remember they are parakeets.  Their cage is 32” width by 22” depth.It measures in height just at 59 inches.  They are a little more money than the smaller birdcages.  But believe me, Charlie and Sweetie are such happy, healthy and breeding birds now that they have their new bird cage.  I hope you will are here often, as I am going to be adding more posts to this small site.  Please leave a comment if you want to share any of your good tips on your birds.Just wanted to say thank you again for visiting and look to your return.