The Influence of Diet

One of the surest ways to bring your birds into breeding condition is to provide new, preferably natural types of food as spring arrives.  I have found this to be true in every collection with which I have been involved.  From hummingbirds to ostriches, novel foods bring results. 

Most birds time their breeding to coincide with predictable increases in the availability of foods that will allow them to successfully raise their young.  Budgerigars and others that inhabit harsh habitats may come into breeding readiness at the first hint of rain (and the promise of new plant growth), regardless of the season, but for the most part breeding is tied to specific seasons.  Just as adding a nest box to a cage can cause some birds to begin courtship behavior, the provision of certain foods can be a breeding stimulus in and of itself.

Deciding What Foods to Offer

Read all you can about the natural history of the species in which you are interested, so that you can find out what types of food might become available during the breeding season in its natural habitat.  Books and articles aimed at hobbyists will provide information concerning a healthy basic diet, but for specific dietary changes related to breeding you will likely need to consult field research reports published by ornithologists and students working in the field (or, of course, you can post a question on this blog!). 

It is also useful to study the climate and weather patterns of your pet’s natural habitat – this may allow you to make an educated guess as to what foods to provide.  You may not be able to provide the exact species of fruit or insect needed, but a close approximation may be enough.

Suggested Food Items

Following are some general ideas…please write in for information concerning specific birds:

Parrots: new types of fruits, flowers and seeds; Freeze-Dried Fruits may be useful in increasing dietary variety.

Finches, Softbills (i.e. Shama Thrushes, Pekin Robins) and Quails: Live and canned insects are invaluable in conditioning adults and raising chicks; also useful are hard boiled eggs, cottage cheese and Egg Food.  Sprouts and chopped greens also signal “good times” to many species. 

Hummingbirds and sunbirds are not the only species to feed upon nectar…a surprising number of birds consume it during the spring and summer.  Lory Food is a useful alternative.

Once your birds hatch out their chicks, you’ll need to make other dietary changes.  Nestlings require enormous amounts of food each day…a Zebra Finch was recorded as making 1,237 trips to the nest with food in a single day!  More on that in a future article…until then, please write in with your questions and comments.  Thanks, Frank Indiviglio.

Further Reading

Please see Live and Processed Insects for Pet Birds for other useful conditioning tips.

Thanks,

Frank Indiviglio

Post from: That Bird Blog


Conditioning Parrots, Softbills and Finches for Breeding – Diet Changes

Bird Room Basics

Simply put, a bird room is a room which is outfitted especially for birds – essentially a giant cage.  The first I saw were re-converted attics in small private houses. One held Canaries, the other was give over to a colony of Gouldian Finches…both behaved so differently from caged individuals that they appeared to be of entirely different species.  Each room was a carnival of color, song, activity and begging nestlings.  The individual birds were in great condition and color, and far more vigorous and alert than those I cared for at the local pet store.

Porches, attics, sunrooms and spare bedrooms can all be easily transformed into exciting environments for birds.  If devoting a full room to your collection is not feasible, many of the same benefits may be obtained by situating an Outdoor Aviary indoors, if space allows.

Groups of smaller parrots or pairs of larger species, flocks of finches, perhaps a pair of Chinese Painted Quail – all these and more can be accommodated.  Specialists keeping Hummingbirds, Sunbirds, Turacos and other softbills find bird rooms indispensible.  Even relatively inexperienced bird keepers may expect good breeding results, as the environment is much more favorable than a cage. 

Light and Furnishings

Skylights and or large, screen-protected windows should be incorporated whenever possible.  Depending upon where you live and the species you keep, natural daylight changes may be enough to stimulate breeding behavior.  If additional lighting is needed, timer-controlled Full Spectrum Bird Lamps, can easily be added. 

You can really go wild when furnishing your bird room – vines, natural perches and live plants can be used to create a beautiful environment that is stimulating for your pets.  You may even be able to utilize Wild Bird Feeders and Baths.  Just be sure to keep your species needs in mind, and don’t overcrowd the habitat – flying room is one of the most important benefits of a bird room.

The bird room’s floor should be overlain with tile, and, for most species, covered with a layer of sand.  Sand allows for spot cleaning, which will greatly simplify maintenance.

Some Cautions

Be sure to observe newly introduced birds carefully.  Additional space usually allows one to keep more birds, but in some cases individuals that would co-exist in small quarters fight when given enough room to establish territories (I once lost 3 Laughing Jay Thrushes that had lived together for years in this way). 

New birds should always be quarantined and examined by a veterinarian before being allowed into the bird room, as lice and other parasites will be hard to eradicate once established.

Further Reading

Please see Breeding Gouldian Finches for more info on colony breeding.

A video of a very attractive bird room is posted here.

Please write in with your questions and comments. 

Thanks, until next time,

Frank Indiviglio

Post from: That Bird Blog


The Bird Room – A Treat for Birds of all Kinds (and their owners!)

Salmonella Transmission

Pet birds most commonly contact Salmonella from food and water contaminated with the bacteria, but in crowded conditions may also inhale airborne organisms shed in nasal secretions or feather dander.  In outdoor aviaries, wild birds (especially pigeons in urban environments) rats, and mice are the usual culprits in a Salmonella outbreak.

When I first began working at the Bronx Zoo, I was baffled by continued flare-ups of Salmonellosis among birds which had been cleared of the disease and were housed in isolation.  It was later discovered that roaches and flies, which are particularly difficult to control in zoo holding areas, can spread Salmonella in their droppings as they travel from cage to cage.

Symptoms

Depending upon the species (over 2,000 have been identified) and concentration of the bacteria, infected birds may exhibit no symptoms at all, especially if otherwise in good health.  However, birds with mild (termed “sub-clinical”) infections are able to pass Salmonella to other animals and people, and may themselves become very ill if their immune systems weaken due to stress or other health problems. 

Typical symptoms of Salmonellosis include weight loss, lethargy, diarrhea and, in some cases, mucus discharge, dermatitis, excessive thirst and the passing of yellow-green feces.  Lories and African Gray Parrots appear to be especially susceptible to attack by Salmonella.

The disease is diagnosed via fecal tests; identification of the exact species involved is important, as certain species or strains require specific antibiotics, and do not respond to standard treatments.

Salmonellosis in People

Salmonellosis is particularly dangerous to infants and elderly or immune compromised individuals, but even healthy adults should take proper precautions when working around animals of any type (please see article referenced below). 

The overwhelming majority of aviculturists have little to fear from Salmonella, as it is not common in pet species…as always, knowledge and sound husbandry is the best way to safeguard your health and that of your pets.

Further Reading

The American Veterinary Medical Association’s Salmonella prevention guidelines are posted here.  They refer to reptiles, but are applicable to birds.

An interesting study on Salmonella in parrots and other birds is posted here.

Please write in with your questions and comments. 

Thanks, until next time,

Frank Indiviglio

Cockroach image referenced from wikipedia and originally posted by Wm Jas to FlickR
Lorikeet drinking image referenced from wikipedia and originally posted by Mats Lindh to FlickR

Post from: That Bird Blog


Salmonellosis – Salmonella or Paratyphoid Infection in Pet Birds

The Findings

The article, published in the Journal of Experimental Biology, points out that birds need 5-20 times the amount of light as do humans in order to see color.  By day, birds have extremely sharp color vision, and see both UVB light and a far greater range of colors than do people.  However, their color vision disappears at twilight – far earlier in the day than does that of any other animal studied thus far.

Light’s Effect on Captive Birds

I believe it is important that we consider the type of light we provide to our birds…the zoos in which I have worked are now experimenting with full spectrum lighting in their bird exhibits.

Poor light quality and intensity may explain the difficulties experienced in breeding otherwise hardy bird species in captivity.  Light can have some unexpected implications for reproduction.  Captive female desert iguanas (lizards native to Southwestern North America), for example, rarely reproduce unless given full-spectrum lighting…without UVB light, they cannot see the pheromone trails laid down by males. 

Similar scenarios are likely at work where birds are concerned.  Indeed, there are indications that proper levels of UVA and UVB light encourage natural behaviors, reproduction and strong immune systems in captive birds.

Providing Birds with Appropriate Light

Fortunately, a number of options are open to bird owners.  Exposure to natural sunlight (bearing in mind that glass and plastic filter out UVB rays) is the best of these, but when this is not possible a high quality Full Spectrum Bird Lamp should be utilized.

Further Reading

The new findings on light intensity should be valuable in explaining certain aspects of bird evolution and behavior.  For example, the chicks of Gouldian, firetail and zebra finches, all of which nest in dark tree hollows, sport light-reflecting nodules near their mouths.  To read more about this survival strategy, please see my article Flashy Finch Chicks.

 Please write in with your questions and comments. 

Thanks, until next time,

Frank Indiviglio

Post from: That Bird Blog


Light and Color Vision in Birds – Improving our Pets Quality of Life

Respiratory Disease

Birds are especially sensitive to airborne toxins…so much so that canaries and other species long played a vital role in warning workers of the presence of poisonous gases in underground mines (the birds weakened and died long before the fumes affected the miners).  It is, therefore, not surprising that veterinarians have documented a high frequency of respiratory disorders and eye irritations among birds kept by owners who smoke indoors.

However, it has also become apparent that problems of a different nature are also affecting birds owned by smokers, even when the birds are never exposed to second-hand smoke.

Nicotine on the Skin and Feathers

Nicotine is readily absorbed through the skin of some animals and clings to hair, fur and feathers.  In the course of working with amphibians in zoos, I’ve been made aware of many frog and salamander deaths that occurred, often instantaneously, after the animals were handled by someone who had smoked and not washed well afterwards.  It now seems clear that nicotine lingering on fingers also causes dermatitis and other skin afflictions in pet birds, and may lead to their deaths.

Birds with nicotine-stained skin often pick at their feathers, nibble on their feet and otherwise exhibit signs of discomfort.  Dermatitis often follows, with small sores or areas of eroded skin developing.  Birds so afflicted will pick at these areas and the scabs that form, opening an avenue of attack for opportunistic bacteria and fungi.  These micro-organisms (which are always present in the environment) can cause severe and potentially fatal infections.

Further Reading

To read more about the dangers posed to birds by nicotine and other common toxins, please see this article.

Please write in with your questions and comments. 

Thanks, until next time,

Frank Indiviglio

Photo by jdurham from Morguefile

Post from: That Bird Blog


Smoking, Nicotine and Pet Birds – Expected and Unexpected Health Concerns

I have found that even birds that are known to live long captive lives on somewhat limited diets show great improvements in their condition when variety is introduced.  Be it frogs offered to fishing owls or fresh sprouts provided to red bishops and other finches, the vigorous reactions induced by novel foods leaves me with no doubt as to their value.

A Practical and Inexpensive Tool

Of course, life often intrudes on our abilities to provide our pets with diets comprised of dozens of ingredients, however noble our intentions.  That Pet Place Variety Treat Packs offer an ideal solution by combining several types of difficult-to-find foods in one convenient package…and at a lower price than if the items were purchased individually.

Group-specific Products

There is a specially formulated Variety Pack for all types of popularly kept birds, including large macaws and large parrots, conures and small parrots, lovebirds, cockatiels, doves, finches, canaries and parakeets. 

Each pack contains a wide variety of foods, with some in the form of toys that encourage natural foraging behaviors.  Lafeber Nutri-Meals and Avi Cakes, which are helpful in introducing pelleted foods to bird diets, are included in some of the packs.  Other ingredients include fruit, nut and berry treats, dried coconut, papaya and other tropical fruits and honey-dipped seed sticks.

Further Reading

For a look at what it was like to prepare bird diets for a collection numbering thousands of individuals, please see my article Alternative Bird Diets, Yesterday and Today.

Please write in with your questions and comments. 

Thanks, until next time,

Frank Indiviglio

Post from: That Bird Blog


Towards Balanced Bird Diets – That Pet Place Variety Treat Packs

Temperature

Parrots, and all birds for that matter, puff up their feathers in an effort to keep warm.  The layer of air trapped within the feathers and warmed by the parrot’s body provides amazingly effective insulation.  If you watch native birds during cold weather, you can readily observe this behavior.  A bird’s internal temperature is much higher than our own, averaging 106-110 F, and so many species (but only a few parrots!) easily tolerate frigid weather.

Puffed feathers can, oddly enough, also indicate that your parrot is too warm.  In this case, the feathers may be flared to a greater degree than when cold temperatures are involved, and the wings may be held out a bit from the body.  When very hot, the parrot may open its beak and pump the throat rapidly, a behavior known as gular flapping.

Aggression

Like many animals, parrots that feel threatened will attempt to make themselves appear larger…flaring their feathers and sometimes spreading the wings.  The head feathers may be raised quite high, even among species without crests (the “head display kings” are the cockatoos and hawk headed parrots; please see photo).  Aggressive parrots will also stare at the threat – you may notice the eye’s pupil widening as well – and may snap their beaks or scream. 

A normally friendly bird that suddenly begins exhibiting this behavior, especially if it does so as you approach, may be masking an injury.  Anticipating pain, the bird is warning you off and so should be checked carefully.  Sudden aggression may also arise as a result of hormonal changes associated with sexual maturity, or because the bird is jealous of attention being given its favorite person by another pet or individual.

Sickness

Sick or injured parrots, and females having difficulty passing eggs, will sit, sometimes on the cage floor, with their feathers puffed out and the body held in a “hunched” position.  The eyes may be closed or partially closed as well.  As it is in a bird’s “best interests” to hide any symptoms of illness (predators single out sick and injured individuals as prey), parrots exhibiting such dramatic signs of illness should be seen by a veterinarian right away.

Further Reading

Parrot sounds also convey a great deal of information; to learn more, please see my article What is My Parrot Saying?

Please write in with your questions and comments. 

Thanks, until next time,

Frank Indiviglio

Umbrella Cockatoo image referenced from wikipedia and originally posted by Benjamin Graves

Post from: That Bird Blog


Parrot Body Language – Puffed Feathers

The Scenario

Chick-plucking is most commonly observed among peach-faced lovebirds, budgerigars and cockatiels (particularly lutino cockatiels).  Attacks on the plumage usually commence when the feathers first emerge from the skin, and may continue until the time they unfurl.  Oddly, the erring adults continue to feed their offspring throughout, and remain good parents once the plucking ceases.

Unfortunately, chick-plucking parents usually do not change, and subsequent offspring are usually attacked as well; there is also evidence that chicks born to “plucking parents” repeat the cycle when they mature and reproduce.

A Theory

The most likely explanation for this perplexing behavior is that it results from frustrated attempts by the parents to preen the emerging feathers.  Unable to perform this task properly on the thin, unfurled plumage, the anxious parents begin pulling at the feathers.  The fact that most attacks are confined to the chicks’ napes and upper wings – areas not reachable by the chicks and usually attended to by the parents, lends support to this theory.

Thwarting Attacks

Bitter Apple Spray is often successful in deterring plumage attacks, but is best applied before plucking begins.  If the chick’s skin is broken, consult your veterinarian before applying Bitter Apple or similar products.

Further Reading

Captive breeding, while immensely rewarding, is not without its problems.  To read about other potential concerns, please see my article Spring’s Affect on Cage Birds.

 Please write in with your questions and comments. 

Thanks, until next time,

Frank Indiviglio

Lovebird with newborn chicks image referenced from wikipedia and originally posted by Snowmanradio
Whitefaced lutino Cockatiel Chick image referenced from wikipedia and originally posted by Magnus Manske

Post from: That Bird Blog


Bird Breeding – Why Do Good Parents Sometimes Attack Their Chicks?

Bird First Aid Kit

The VSI Bird First Aid Kit is stocked with powdered styptic, bandages, antiseptic wipes, forceps and many other useful products, this kit has everything you need to deal with minor emergencies.  The emergency card included in the kit is most helpful.

Nutritional Supplements

Lafeber Powdered Vitamins can be used on a daily basis, and are especially useful in that they can be applied to food or water.

Virbac Vita Flight Supplement is flavored with fruit and therefore well-accepted by many birds.  It is designed for use during stressful times, such as when a bird has been re-located or is molting, breeding or recovering from an illness.  Another of Virbac’s products, Ornabac, is fortified with extra Vitamin B, an important nutrient during especially stressful events.

Feather and Skin Care

Feather Glo Bird Bath helps to keep both skin and feathers in good shape, while Feather Brite Bird Bath Spray contains lanolin and aloe to assist in soothing irritated skin.

Scalex Mite and Lice Spray should always be on hand to address external parasites.

Bitter Apple has long been favored as a means of discouraging feather plucking.  It is most effective when applied as soon as plucking commences, and therefore should always be on hand.

Beak Conditioning

Disguised as an attractive toy, the volcanic pumice in Four Paws’ Pumice Kabob is one of the most effective materials for keeping bird beaks naturally trimmed and in prime condition.

Further Reading

I’ve written a number of other articles addressing bird medicine and health.  Please see The Diagnosis and Treatment of Ailments Afflicting Cage Birds and the articles referenced there for more information.

Please write in with your questions and comments. 

Thanks, until next time,

Frank Indiviglio

Scarlet macau image referenced from wikipedia and originally posted by VC-s.

Post from: That Bird Blog


Keeping a Preventative and Emergency Health Care Kit for Birds

Swollen areas and assorted growths are regularly seen on the otherwise hearty budgerigars (parakeets) and, less commonly, on other parrots, finches and softbills. Ranging from harmless to quite serious, these typically arise from trauma, abscesses, tumors, ruptured air sacs, hernias, cysts or egg-binding, but other -less obvious maladies may also be at work.

A Caution

The following remarks, while written with budgerigars in mind, are applicable to all types of birds. Please note that they are provided as guidelines, to help you understand what might be happening… only a veterinarian can accurately diagnose your bird’s medical problems.

Even benign growths, if accompanied by shivering, loss of appetite, breathing difficulties or similar symptoms, are cause for concern and necessitate an immediate visit to your veterinarian.

Ruptured Air Sacs

Budgerigars and other birds may rupture air sacs by flying into windows or other obstacles during their time out of the cage. Bird-proofing flight rooms and gradually adjusting your pet to such will go a long way in alleviating this problem. Less commonly, air sacs may be damaged when startled birds crash into cage bars or walls.

A swollen area along the breast, which emits a characteristic “crackling” sound when gently touched, is a sure sign of a ruptured air sac. Unless involving a huge area, air sac damage usually resolves quickly on its own.

Hematomas

Trauma-related injuries that do not involve air sacs may result in hematomas…swollen, blood-filled injuries below the skin (in people, such are often called “black-and-blues”, but skin color change will not usually be evident in a bird).

Resulting from broken blood vessels, the pooled blood typical of hematomas is usually re-absorbed by the bird without incident.

Abscesses

Avian abscesses present as swollen, painful, reddish areas that are warm to the touch. The swollen area, or abscess, is filled with white blood cells and other blood borne compounds produced by the bird to battle infection. The abscess usually also contains dead tissue and living and dead bacteria or other pathogens. Budgerigars often exhibit abscesses below the eye, but they may also occur on the feet, in the mouth and at other locations.

As a defense measure, the abscess has been walled off from the rest of the bird’s body, but the toxins and bacteria contained therein can escape and spread via the blood to vital organs. This can happen very quickly, and usually has fatal results. Therefore, all abscesses should be treated promptly by a veterinarian.

Gout, a disease that takes hold when uric acid is stored in the joints and internal organs, sometimes produces abscess-like growths on the feet of budgerigars. Known as tophi, these growths will bleed extensively if impacted or cut, and should be addressed by a veterinarian.

Tumors

Tumors are often difficult to identify specifically, and may arise from a wide variety of diseases and conditions. Fatty tumors are usually benign and require monitoring but no other treatment, while others may be malignant.

Any unusual growth or swelling that you notice should be examined by a veterinarian. A biopsy may be used to confirm the doctor’s diagnosis if there is any doubt as to the nature of the problem.

Next time we’ll complete our review of noxious bird bumps with a look at feather cysts and cloacal swellings. Until then, please write in with your questions and comments.

Further Reading

You can access a detailed article concerning the types of tumors that afflict budgerigars here.

Thanks, Frank Indiviglio.

Post from: That Bird Blog


Lumps, Abscesses, Tumors and Swellings on Budgerigars and other Birds (Part I)