Archive for November, 2008
Avian Health Concerns: “My Parrot Seems Healthy, but Sometimes Passes Whole, Undigested Seeds in its Stool. Is this Normal”?
Nov 17th
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.
The presence of whole, undigested seeds in a parrot’s stool is cause for concern. It is usually associated with hyper-motility of the gastrointestinal (digestive) tract — in other words, food is passing too quickly through the system, and digestion is not taking place. The problem usually centers in the glandular stomach (proventriculus) or the gizzard (ventriculus).
A gram-negative bacterial infection, which may be caused by organisms such as Enterobacter mega-bacteria or various spirochetes, is often involved. Fungal infections, and parasites such as Giardia or roundworms, are also possibilities that must be considered. Less frequently, gastrointestinal hyper- motility can arise due to cancer, or to problems in the functioning of the crop and pancreas. The possibility that your bird has contracted the very serious Proventricular Dilation Disease (PDD, or “Macaw Wasting Disease”) must also be investigated (please see reference below).
You should contact your veterinarian if undigested seeds show up in the feces of any species of parrot that you might keep. The first step is usually to submit a fecal sample. This may be followed by a radiograph or, if necessary, a biopsy of the area in question.
Please write it with health-related questions or to share your experiences in caring for sick or injured birds. Thanks, until next time, Frank Indiviglio.
You can learn more about Proventricular Dilation Disease at:
http://www.gtpc.ca/documents/PDD-AABirds%20_1_.pdf
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading ...Breeding the Melba Finch (Green-Winged Pytilia), Pytilia melba – Part II
Nov 14th
Click: Breeding the Melba Finch (Green-Winged Pytilia), Pytilia melba - Part 1 to read the first part of this article.
The Importance of Insects in the Diet
The Melba finch’s beak is much thinner than that of those finches, such as the Gouldian, that rely on a seed-based diet. In the wild this species consumes a good deal of insect prey, and such is particularly important in bringing the birds into breeding condition, and when they are raising chicks. This is true of Melba finches to a much greater extent than for any other finch species.
Melba finches do well when provided with small crickets and mealworm grubs and pupae, but increasing the dietary variety is always a good idea. Waxworms, Canned Caterpillars and insects collected with Zoo Med’s Bug Napper Insect Trap (moths and small beetles are especially favored) will help assure your success. Higgins Eggfood is indispensible for Melba finches, both in and out of the breeding season. The young are fed entirely upon insects for at least 10 days after hatching, so be sure to have plenty on hand.
In addition to the aforementioned foods, the basic adult diet should consist a mix of high quality Finch Seed, sprouts and a bit of romaine and other greens.
Eliciting Natural Feeding Behaviors
Melba finches in the wild and in outdoor aviaries forage mainly on the ground. Dry hay or grass can be placed on the cage bottom – insects or seed scattered within this will keep them occupied for hours.
The Breeding Cage
Although success has been had in fairly small cages, I would suggest using one along the lines of the Blue Ribbon Peaked Bird Cage. Melba finches favor an open wicker cup as a nesting site, which should be situated behind Hanging Silk or live plants.
Typical Reproductive Behavior
The male will indicate his breeding readiness by singing and commencing nest-building (provide dry grass or 8 in one nesting hair). Females lay 3-6 eggs, which are incubated by both parents. Most importantly – these birds will not tolerate nest inspections. Doing so almost guarantees that they will toss the eggs from the nest.
The eggs hatch in 12-13 days, and fledging usually occurs at day 19-21. The fledglings are fed by the parents for approximately 2 weeks after leaving the nest. They should be removed shortly thereafter, and can be kept as a group for 7 months to 1 year. However, I suggest splitting them at age 5-6 months, as aggression triggered by maturity can come on quite suddenly.
Adult plumage is attained at age 7 months, but birds rarely breed before 2-3 years of age.
Melba finches and their relatives are still not commonly bred in captivity – please pass along your own observations concerning successes and failures. Thanks, until next time, Frank Indiviglio.
Techniques used by Australian aviculturists to breed this and related finches are discussed at:
http://www.hawkesburyfinchclub.com/pytilia.html
Click here for an image of the Melba Finch.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Breeding the Melba Finch (Green-Winged Pytilia), Pytilia melba – Part 1
Nov 12th
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.The hardy Melba finch is among the most popular of the Estrildidae (an order of approximately 130 species of waxbills and grass finches), but after reading most husbandry accounts, you would quickly abandon any hope of breeding it in captivity. Most authors suggest not even attempting such unless you can provide the birds with a large, well-planted aviary.
True, I have observed this bird to breed regularly in huge zoo exhibits, but I also know of hobbyists who have accomplished the same indoors, in surprisingly small quarters. Today I’d like to pass along a bit of what I’ve learned from them.
A Mix of Sensitivity and Aggression
I think that aviculturists often give up on this bird because they fail to realize how long pairs may take to settle in – both to each other and to their cages. Melba finches are quite sensitive and, while new birds may calm down and feed normally, they will not reproduce until conditions are exactly to their liking. They are easily stressed by conditions that might not phase related finches.
Mature pairs may take 6 months to 1 year before settling down to breed. Under no circumstances should more than 1 pair be housed together – even in large zoo exhibits I have had trouble with aggression. Pairs housed in the same room, but in different cages, may also inhibit one another from breeding… this is less likely if sight barriers are utilized.
Range and Description
Native to southern Africa, the Melba finch frequents dry savannas and overgrown, thorny scrub. It forages in pairs or small groups, and does not form large flocks.
Males have scarlet-orange to red faces, with traces of red on the breast. The gray underside is marked with white streaks, while the chest, wings and back are olive. Hens are somewhat duller overall, and lack red coloring on the face. Adults top out at 5 inches in length.
Reproductive Triggers – Humidity and Insects
A colleague who bred Melba finches in a small, standard-sized finch cage identified an increase in humidity and insect food as keys to her (or the birds’!) success. This makes sense, as budgerigars, cockatiels and other finch species hailing from arid climates are stimulated to reproduce by the onset of the rainy season (or even a passing storm).
Humidity
Humidity can be increased via a small room humidifier, but several contacts have reported that daily misting with a water bottle works just as well. I have noted that many zoo birds respond to seasonal “rains” delivered via a morning and evening hosing of their exhibits, so misting could well deliver the stimulus needed by caged finches.
Check out an excellent picture of a Melbra finch here.
Click: Breeding the Melba Finch (Green-Winged Pytilia), Pytilia melba – Part 2, to read the conclusion of this article.
Until than,
Frank
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Parrots Behaving Badly: Beer-Guzzling and Swearing Lands British Birds in Hot Water
Nov 10th
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.We’ve all handled our share of troublesome parrots, but 2 incidents that caught my attention recently seemed worthy of passing along…enjoy.
A bad Actor…or a Brilliant Prankster?
An Amazon parrot set to debut in a Christmas play for a professional theatre company in Dorset, England was summarily dismissed for replacing his painstakingly-learned lines with curses. Despite reciting his lines perfectly during rehearsal, the bird unfailingly broke into a stream of obscenities each time he was called upon to speak on stage. The bird’s owner expressed “shock” and claimed to be “at a loss” when asked to explain his pet’s behavior. As might be expected, a stand-in for the mischievous fellow is proving difficult to locate.
An Avian Barfly
On a more serious note, in terms of proper pet-keeping, a parrot of unidentified species was banned from a pub in South Wales, where he had been a beloved mascot. According to the pub’s manager, the bird had become “too fond” of beer, to the point of stealing sips from patron’s mugs at every opportunity, and rarely rose “before noon”. The errant bird also cursed “continually” (wonder where he picked that up!), “heckled the pool players” and produced a loud “wolf whistle” each time a woman entered the pub. This last transgression proved to be the last straw, as some women blamed other pub patrons for the whistles, and fights broke out as a result.
Happily, the bird was adopted by a concerned neighbor and is now living in much more appropriate surroundings. It seems the bird’s “peers” were a bad influence – he is now happily guzzling water instead of beer, and is up with the sunrise!
Please write in with your own stories. Thanks, until next time, Frank Indiviglio.
An Indian Hill Myna’s vocal talents once landed me in a bit of hot water with a zoo director…please see my article The Natural History and Captive Care of the Hill Myna (Myna Bird, Indian Hill Myna), Gracula religiosa.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Product Review: Alternative Bird Foods – Yesterday and Today, Part II
Nov 7th
Hi Frank Indiviglio here.
Last time we took a look at some of the fine foods available to those who keep softbills and lories as pets (Please see Alternative Bird Foods – Yesterday and Today, Part I). I mentioned that these products have greatly simplified the captive husbandry of a number of species, and alluded to the difficulties involved in preparing certain diets from scratch.
Today I’d like to recount what it was like to be a bird keeper assigned to prepare food for the huge collection of insectivorous birds at New York City’s Bronx Zoo.
Birds and Bird Keepers Must Eat Early
I rose at 3:20 AM (despite the dreadful hour, I awoke hungry and so allowed time for feeding myself before even thinking about birds of any sort!), and arrived at the zoo by 5:15 AM or so. The walk from my car to the World of Birds took me along the Bronx River, and my arrival at the door was often delayed by the parade of creatures out and about at that time – perhaps a family of striped skunks, or any of the 265+ bird species recorded nearby.
Cooking and Mixing
The first order of business was cooking 80 pounds of horsemeat which, I must admit, smelled quite sweet and roused me to hunger once again. I also hard-boiled 60 dozen eggs, which were then ground (with the shells) and, along with vitamin and mineral supplements, mixed with the meat.
Diets for individual exhibits and birds were posted over the mixing table, on a board that measured about 18′ x 3′. Individual ingredients were then added to the pans, as per the needs of the various species – mealworms, newly molted mealworms, blueberries, mixed fruits, chopped vegetables and innumerable other ingredients all had a place.
Delivering the Food
We kept a great many mixed species exhibits, so food pan placement was of paramount importance. Some pans went to areas accessible only to tiny birds; others went in wire cages that functioned as traps, allowing the keepers to capture birds needing attention, while many were positioned so as to afford the public a good view of the feeding birds.
Without carful attention to such details, birds in large exhibits often become malnourished. Oddly enough, the most dominant individuals often fare the worst, as they select only favored treats, such as mealworms and crickets…leaving the others to consume the more nutritious basic diet.
An Array of Other Foods
Diets for specialized feeders – nectar for hummingbirds and sunbirds, nuts and fruits for cassowaries, fish for bald eagles, mash for flamingos, rodents and insects for burrowing owls, and so forth – came next…more about that in the future. Thanks, until next time, Frank Indiviglio.
Please check out my other articles on bird nutrition:
Grit and Gizzards – how birds digest seeds
Feeding Insects to Pet Birds – useful products designed for reptiles
Iodine Deficiency (Avian Goiter, Thyroid Hyperplasia) in Parrots, and Other Cage Birds
Sprouting Seeds at Home: A Useful Method of Providing Pet Birds with Nutritious Treats
Pet Birds and Plants, Part I & II – avoiding toxic species
Please write in with your questions and comments. Thanks, until next time, Frank Indiviglio.
An interesting perspective on feeding birds and other animals at Australia’s Taronga Park Zoo is posted at:
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...
