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Did you know that if your bird does not get enough sunlight, it can drastically affect its health? Or, if you are breeding birds, incorrect lighting will completely throw off their breeding cycles? We didn’t know any of this when we first started breeding. And once we put this into practice, the difference was amazing! I sure wish someone had told us about this earlier!

ABOUT PROPER LIGHTING

When I say “light”, I am not talking about the light coming from a lamp or light fixture. Birds require “full spectrum” lighting. This is completely different than the sunlight wild birds are used to.

The importance of full spectrum lighting was first discovered by Dr. John Ott while doing time lapse photography of the development of pumpkin seeds. He noticed that when he switched from using cool white light bulbs to fluorescent tubes, he got the complete opposite effect from the plants. He discovered that he could vary the sources of light and get different results, many times drastically improving the growth of the plant. He went on to research this. He discovered that fluorescent bulbs did not produce the entire spectrum of light, leaving out Ultra Violate and other bands. The key was to try and duplicate the light waves generated from sunlight. This led to the development of a true full spectrum light bulb, and later developments improved the length of life to the bulbs.

His invention of the full-spectrum light bulb (named the “Ott” light) was introduced to the poultry industry, resulting in increased egg production, healthier birds, and larger eggs that had stronger shells. Further research proved that full spectrum lighting recreates the light-environment birds have in the wild, and had tremendous health value for birds, plants, and humans.

BENEFITS TO BIRDS

When properly used, you will notice a huge difference with your birds. Their feathers look better, as full spectrum light shows the true colors of the bird. Their health and demeanor improve, because many of the bird’s health and behavior instincts are directly affected. And the heat the light produces can benefit the bird if it’s feeling ill, or if the room is normally cool.

Full spectrum lights also generate ultra violate bands of light (UVA and UVB) which are crucial to the health and development of animals. UV light kills many forms of germs and bacteria that are on the bird’s skin and feathers. It is also necessary in the development of Vitamin D3 synthesis. For breeders, full spectrum lighting is needed to trigger behavioral instincts.

Birds are capable of distinguishing UV light in two ways. Their eyes have tetrachromatic vision, allowing them to see UV light. They also “sense” light through their Harderian Gland. This gland passes information onto the pineal gland and the pituitary gland, effecting a wide range of metabolisms in the bird. Through instinct, the bird knows that if there is a certain amount of sunlight each day, it’s breeding season. By using full spectrum lightbulbs, breeders can extend the daylight on the bird, and thus extend the length of their breeding cycles.

WHY ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING?

Normal windows block out many of the lightbands, especially low level UVB light. The bird is not benefiting from the full spectrum of light if the only source is sunlight through a window.

There are several methods of supplying full spectrum lighting. There are light stands and clamp on fixtures that can be placed near the case. Larger aviaries use fluorescent bulb fixtures in the ceiling to light large numbers of cages. They also have these lights set to timers to ensure between 12-16 hours of light daily.

For small cages, there are many flat panel lights that lay on top of the cage. These are popular with breeders of finches and small parakeets, as they are used in bird shows to bring out the colors of the birds being displayed.

The use of full spectrum lighting is one of the easiest and most effective ways to improve your bird’s health and demeanor. It’s a small investment but will have lots of benefits throughout the birds life.

We are always getting letters and email asking for advice and comments. So from time to time we will be passing along some of these conversations.

QUESTION: I found a wild baby bird and I need to know how to take care of it. I was told to chop up some worms to feed it, and give it water from an eyedropper. Is there anything else I should be doing? I’m not sure what type it is.

ANSWER: You can either start looking for a shoebox to bury it in, or change the diet completely!

For starters, you should not be attempted to feed a wild baby bird without first contacting a licensed bird rehabilitation expert. In many states, it’s against the law to take care of migratory birds, and most birds fit into this category. Starlings, pigeons and brown sparrows are not covered, but you still need some advice to go on.

Never chop up worms or insects of any type. Some parents are insect eaters, and they have already pre-digested this food for their babies. Others are berry and see eaters, and this diet is completely different. The parents also introduce important enzymes to help the baby digest food. Without this preparation, the baby can not digest food properly. If the baby bird is very recently hatched, you may need to add these enzymes to the diet. Most pet stores sell a product called BeneBac, which is a concentrated source of their digestive bacteria.

Giving a baby bird water though an eyedropper is much like the procedure breeders use to hand feed baby birds. If not done correctly, you will put food (or water) into the bird’s esophagus, choking the bird. So any type of forced hand feeding is dangerous.

If you can’t locate someone to take care of the bird, you can try purchasing a can of moist cat food, not chunky but very finely shredded When baby birds are hungry, they will immediately open their mouths when your hand approaches them. If they have not yet opened their eyes you can gently touch the food to their beaks, and they will instinctively know its feeding time. Take a very small piece of food, roll it between your fingers into a tiny roll. This will shape the food, and warm it up a little bit. Use very small pieces.

While the baby has it’s mouth open, drop it into it’s mouth. Do not force it! As long as the baby does not have any health issues going on, it will immediately swallow the food. By using cat food, it already contains enough moisture to keep the bird hydrated, and the food contains enough fat and protein to sustain the baby.

Never force the bird to eat. When he refused to open its mouth then he is full.

Now comes the fun part. Very young baby birds require constant, around the clock feeding. Every two hours, day and night, they MUST be fed. They must be kept warm, and the humidity must be high. This is a very delicate balancing act, and failing to do any of these will result in a dead baby. Building a hospital brooder is quite a chore for the average bird rescuer. If the temperature is more then a few degrees off, the bird will not survive. This is why it’s not recommended for the average person to attempt to raise wild baby birds.

Also be aware that a tiny, newborn baby bird does not fall out if it’s nest naturally. Many times the reason it fell is because the parents threw it out of the nest because something is wrong with it. In the wild, only the strong survive, so the parents will concentrate their efforts on the healthy birds and abandon the sick ones. Your rescue efforts may be just a futile attempt to get the bird to survive.

But it is also a human instinct to care for needing animals, and it’s awful hard to tell someone to just leave the baby to die. And it’s also a fact (Murphy’s law??) You will most likely rescue your baby bird on a weekend when there are no vet offices open, and no rehab facilities available. This is where we get a lot of our rescues! While we are state licensed, we are not able to handle federally protected birds. We will maintain the birds until we can get them to one of our rescue friends.

The idea of putting together a “first aid kit” for your bird seems strange. It may even be an overkill if you only have one bird. But it could save its life.

Since we have a lot of birds, and lots of minor injuries, we keep a fairly large kit. All are recommended, regardless of how many birds you have.

LET’S GET STARTED

There are a lot of items on our list, so you may want a big box to keep them in. We suggest a fishing tackle box. They have lots of trays with compartments for small items. It will make it easy to organize and your items will be fast to find. You certainly don’t want to rummage through a large box for a simple band aid and tube of Neosporin to fix a minor cut. Also find a large clean towel and roll it up. Then tie it to the handle (or somewhere convenient) in the event you need to secure your bird. When a bird is injured, it will be scared and panicky! You will need to find a safe way to secure it, or you will end up being the one using the first-aid kit…to fix a bad bird bite. By having it secured to your kit, you won’t have to search for one in a hurry.

WHAT YOU NEED

TOOLS

*Scissors – You need these for trimming the birds wings, cutting tape or bandages.

*Nail Snips – For trimming bird nails. Don’t get a cheap pair…they have to be sharp!

*Nail Files – We keep a metal one, plus the soft cosmetic ones. You could use a dremel tool (electric grinder), but it should be variable speed. They have some great battery operated ones. They work well for beak trimming. Just use them carefully.

*Hemostat and tweezers – You need these for pulling blood feathers, or other emergencies. On a tip from another breeder, we keep needle noses pliers in our kit for this, plus they can be used to rescue birds if their toe gets caught in bars/chains of the cage. This idea saved a birds life! Look for a pair with wire cutters built in also.

*Clamp on light – For when you need additional light while treating your pet, but don’t have a second hand to hold it. Clamps on table or cage. You can keep a penlight also.

*Magnifying Glasses – This may sound silly, but they come in very handy when trying to examine or do close up work. My eyesight isn’t the best, and it was recommended to me to try this. Works great!

*Hand Feeding Syringe/Spoons/Eye droppers – For emergency feeding of liquids or food. Sick birds will be seriously dehydrated, one the major causes of death.

FIRST AID MATERIALS

This is not only for the bird, but you too! Get a collection of band-aids, small bandages and compresses and Q-tips. Get cotton balls for cleaning wounds. All of these should be kept in small baggies to keep them clean.

*Vet wrap – This “tape” is made of material that is not sticky, but will stick to itself. Use this to hold splints and bandages, or to secure wings. Have some already cut up into 3 inch strips….you don’t want to waste time in an emergency doing this!

*Paper Tape – Also used for holding bandages in place, but I don’t like sticking it to feathers…You may not have a choice in some emergencies.

*Popsicle sticks – for splints

OINTMENTS/SUPPLIES

*Flour/Cornstarch – Get a small pill bottle to store this in. Mix this with water to create a paste, and apply it to bleeding feather or toenails to help clot the blood and stop bleeding.

*Kwik-Stop – This is also used for bleeding. Care must be used with this product. It’s safe on bird nails but can cause damage to skin, so not recommended for cuts or on blood feathers.

*Silver Nitrate Sticks – Again, can be used on bleeding nails but this is a very dangerous product. Use only as a last resort.

*GelFoam – This material is great for stopping bleeding, especially on legs and toes. You will need to ask your vet for this.

*Betedyne, Aloe Vera, Neosporin, Rubbing alcohol – disinfects and cleans wounds, helps with burns. Get some alcohol swabs, as they may be easier then using cotton balls or Q-Tips.

EMERGENCY FOODS/LIQUIDS

*Hand Feeding Power – Get a clean baby food jar to keep this in…When needed just add some hot water and mix. Temperature MUST NOT be too hot! Just warm it up a bit!

*Pedialyte – To prevent dehydration. This liquid can be mixed with food. Many stores sell this in small bottles, but once opened they must be used within 24 hours or tossed out. They also have 2-ounce freezer pops that work perfectly in your kits! No freezing needed, and no waste once opened.

*Baby Food – keep a jar or two for hand feeding.

BROODER – Seriously injured birds must be kept in a warm and dark place. There are methods of making them quickly with heating pads or lamps, but care must be taken to not overheat your birds.

>>My book, The Tame Parrot, contains step-by-step instructions on how to construct a very safe and efficient brooder/emergency unit for under $60. This device can save your pets life! Get the complete parts list and instructions at The Easy Parrot System – Health

I have been asked on a number of occasions about how to build a bird nesting box. Designs, specifications, materials… and I just don’t have an “all-in-one” answer! There are so many variables to this:

Type and size of bird?

Inside or outside the cage?

Wood, plastic, metal?

Is it for an outside aviary?

So I’ll give you some tips on how I’ve build my boxes, and some ideas on how you need to design them.

WHAT KIND OF BIRD

Finches can use a very small sized box, but you will have better luck using a woven type of nest. These are readily available in pet stores, and are made from bamboo, straw, hemp or other grasses. You supply the finches with a nesting material and let them finish their own nest themselves. This material can be cotton, grasses, straw or shredded newspaper.

Cockatiels are a bit fussy. They seem to want a fairly large box, but if the hole is too small they may not care to enter it. They don’t want to mess with widening the hole. I generally make a 12×12 box with a fairly large hole near the top.

Parakeets will be more then happy with any small box. I build them about 7×9. But I’ve had them nest in some extra cockatiel boxes with no problem.

Conures and Quakers need a slightly larger box, and more rectangular (shoebox shaped). Put the hole on the back side of the box so they can nest toward the front, and away from the hole. Note that Quakers will want to build their own nest, so supply them with material such as twigs, shredded newspaper and straw or grass.

Larger parrots will want to use a “boot” box. This is an “L” shaped box that they will enter through the top and crawl down to the bottom front. Since parrots are instinctively used to having nests in hollow tree branches, they will not want an oversized box. Make the hole a little small and let them adjust it to their liking. I prefer an 18×18x12 size.

Large macaws are a bit difficult to please. I’ve read about people using 36 gallon plastic garbage barrels, old wood barrels, or whatever they can find. My birds were kept in an 8 foot flight cage, and I wanted my nest box inside the cage, and be able to move it around. It had to withstand the constant bird chewing, so I decided on a 48×48x24 box mounted on wheels. This was a “boot” shaped box, and it worked great for us.

MATERIAL

Birds will chew up their box. This is a basic breeding instinct and part of what triggers their breeding cycle. Therefore, many breeders try to avoid metal or plastic material. If you use these two materials, supply some wood for them to chew on inside the box.

Metal absorbs heat! If this is for an outside flight it will become very hot in the summer. If inside and exposed to the sunlight, it will also overheat. Keep this in mind if choosing metal.

Plastic is very easy to clean but will not hold up to chewing. Expect to replace these boxes frequently.

Wood is easy to work with and build, and fairly inexpensive. The only real disadvantage I have is cleaning it, as it’s very porous. You can’t wash it as this will result in mold growth. Therefore, once it becomes very soiled and chewed up, it’s best to just toss it out. I generally use ½ inch plywood, but with the larger parrots you will need to use at least 5/8 inch to withstand the chewing. Sometimes, placing metal trim around the door will prevent excessive chewing.

INSIDE OR OUTSIDE THE CAGE

This is the tricky part. If mounting on the outside of the case, you need to keep in mind the weight of the box. Most 12×12 boxes will outweigh the cage and cause it to tip over, unless the case is fairly large to begin with.

I like to build the door on the front of the box, never on the top. It’s not as scary for the birds to have a front door open. Since the eggs will be on that side, they would tend to move back and away from the eggs. Opening the top will scare them as they don’t know where to run…and this panic would injure the chicks.

For example, on a 12×12 square box, I would take the front panel and divide it into two pieces. Take a hinge and put it into the middle so the top portion will swing down. Place a handle on the top, and a cabinet latch to hold it in place when closed.

If it must be placed inside the cage, you need to figure out how to get into the box to monitor it. Unless this is a walk in flight cage, you are going to have great difficulties doing this.

NESTING MATERIAL

The most preferred material for inside the box is clean newspaper. Pine shavings are fine but do create a dust problem that could injure your chicks. Never use corn cob, kitty litter, or tissue paper. Cedar chips produce mold easier and can create respiratory distress in the birds.

More bad ideas I’ve heard of is dog food, oatmeal, popcorn and bird pellets. When they become wet from the droppings they are a great haven for bacteria.

This issue has come up many times with us. The problem is that nobody ever really thinks about it. They don’t plan for it. They don’t ever expect this problem to happen, but it does!

If you are injured or killed, what will happen to your bird? Who will take care of your pets?

What happens if something happens to you? What if you are injured? What if you are hospitalized? Or… What if you die?

Over the past several years, we have been called upon to rescue birds in this situation. Here are just two cases:

1) An elderly lady had a heart attack. For the past few years she lived pretty much by herself and her family didn’t visit that often (but did call frequently). Nobody even knew she had a cockatiel. It was only discovered after the daughter entered her home ten days later and discovered it. The bird was in terrible shape, very dehydrated and malnourished. Neighbors knew about us, and called upon us to rescue the bird. After a few weeks of care and attention, he regained his health. The next year he found a mate and became a daddy.

2) An elderly lady asked us to take her African Grey named Freddie. Due to her health she was unable to care for the bird, so we accepted it. Shortly afterward, the lady died. We never intended on keeping the bird, but were in the process of finding a suitable foster home for it. Unfortunately, we got stuck in the middle of a custody battle over this bird with several relatives who were more interested in the fact that this was a very expensive bird, and didn’t seem to care about giving it a loving home!

After this, we began educating our clients on planning for the unthinkable!

BABYSITTING

You need to find a person who can take over the care of your pets for both short and long term periods of time. This can be for times when you go on vacation, business trips, or extended visits in the hospital that you never really plan on. This can simply be a friend or neighbor who has access to your home, and knows how to do basic feeding/watering and clean the cage. This can even be accomplished with a set of written instructions. You should have this person already picked out, and they need to have access to your home.

LONG TERM CARE

What if you are involved in a severe accident? If you are hospitalized, does anyone know you have a bird? Do they have access to your home to get the birds? Do they know how to care for it? Now is the time to get these plans worked out. This person should have knowledge of how to care for your pets. They will most likely have to take your bird to their home, as it’s not practical to keep the bird in your home unattended for a long time. It’s also not good to leave the bird alone.

WHAT IF YOU DIE?

This problem involves two things. The bird must be taken care of immediately for the short term…But what about the future? Remember, many parrots live for 30-50 years or more! If you are already up in age, it’s very likely your bird is going to outlast you! Have you thought about who will take ownership?

Do you want your kids to have it, knowing that your bird never really got over their constant cage hitting when they were young? Or the time junior nearly sat on him when he was lounging on the sofa? You really think they forget those things?

Seriously, you don’t want the bird to go to someone he doesn’t get along with. But you sure don’t want family members fighting over it either. Be sure your bird has a place in your will directing it to the person you want to care for it.

INFORMATION NOTICE

Here is another tip…Many people keep cards in their wallets or purses alerting them of who to contact in case of an emergency. This is a good spot to include a notice that you have pets at home that need to be looked after.

Include information about what type of bird, how to feed it and give short term care. Include a name and phone number for whoever you designated to care for the bird in case of emergencies.

Did you know that finches can die if deprived of water for 24 Hours? Just another reason to keep this information readily available for emergencies.