TheTameParrot.com - Say “BYE” To Your Parrot Problems

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When we started out as bird breeders, we though we knew everything. We knew everything about nutrition…well, actually we knew they need more then seed, just didn’t know why. We know how to breed them…just leave them alone, they don’t need our help. We knew why the parents fought with each other all the time… OK that’s a lie… Nobody knows that answer!

We started out with cockatiels, and had quite a bit of success.

Then one day we were quickly brought back to earth, and reminded that we didn’t know nearly enough! One of our breeding pairs gave us a deformed chick. The baby’s legs were splay legged. That is when the legs are growing out sideways from the bird, and not under it where it can stand. We did our best and tried to help it, but it died after a few weeks.

A few months later it happened again, and with the same results. That is when we began to read everything on the subject we could get our hands on, and try to prevent it from happening again.

This little Quaker here will be able to live a normal life because it’s owner knew what to do to correct it’s splayed legs. If treatment is started early the legs will continue to grow normally, in a few weeks she will be able to remove the splints.

WHAT CAUSES IT?

Most of the research on splay legged birds seems to indicate the main cause is … You guessed it… Nutrition. How many times have I said this? Most problems that develop with birds can be directly blamed on poor diets, especially all-seed diets!

It is believed that when you have parents being fed an all seed diet, they are not getting nearly enough protein and calcium. Iodine, manganese, magnesium and many other minerals that are critical to reproduction are totally deficient in their diets. And this gets passed down to the chicks.

Other possible cause is not enough, or incorrect, bedding in the nest boxes. Remember, parents sit on their birds to keep them warm. The chicks are being forced down to the ground where they can not get their legs under them, causing the legs to get deformed. In come cases, their legs or joints become fractured.

Some research also indicates that this can be traced to a genetic problem. This is especially true if the parents come from a line of inbreeding. With inbreeding, there is a huge risk of passing along characteristics which can be undesirable, and will multiply with future lines. These genetic problems are suspected in a number of health problems in chicks.

The funny thing is that the parents seem to already know their baby is not quite right. They will refuse to take care of that chick, and concentrate on the rest of the clutch. There is absolutely no visual sign that the chick has a problem! This is what happened with our cockatiels. We had to start hand feeding at a very early age, making us think the splay legged problem was something we did.

In researching this, we also discovered one other possibility. In the wild, birds are always outside and in the sunlight (very important for health). When the chicks hatch, they are also in areas where they get some direct sunlight. But bird breeders were lead to believe that you put up a breeding box and the chicks are born and grown up inside of them. They spend their first few weeks of life…in the dark bottom corner… where there is no sunlight! To solve this, you need to be certain to give the parents a good pelleted diet that contains “active” Vitamin D3. Most of the better mixes do contain it, and it’s passed along to the chicks when the parents feed it.

HOW TO PREVENT IT?

It’s easier to prevent splay legged problems than it is to cure it! So start by getting your birds on a good diet. Many seed mixes contain a lot of millet. This is a very sweet seed and is more appropriate as a snack. It contains only a small amount of protein and calcium, and if this is the “seed of choice” for your bird, then the chicks will certainly have problems.

>>In my ebook “The Easy Parrot System”, I go into great detail about the proper diets for birds. Learn how to convert your birds from a seed diet to a pelleted diet with my step-by-step instructions, and some great ideas on getting your birds to take vitamins. This and many hints can be found in one convenient source:

The Easy Parrot System – Feeding and Nutrition

Breeding birds require a lot of calcium. This can be supplied by using cuttlebones, or by sprinkling powered form over the food. You can even use Tums pills! They contain tons of calcium in an easily digestible form, and do not contain anything that can hurt your bird. The flavored Tums also make it more appealing for them to eat. Just ground them up and sprinkle over their moist food.

If your bird is not on a pellet diet, you must begin getting vitamins and other minerals into their diet. Even the use of mineral blocks is better then nothing.

CURING A CHICK OF SPLAY LEG

The method used to rehabilitate a bird with splay leg will depend on how severe the condition is, and how old the chick is. If the chick has gone untreated for too long, it may not be treatable.

It’s sad that many bird breeders will not take care of such birds, as they are a waste of their time. These birds require a tremendous amount of “special care” that could go on their entire lives. Cages may need to be modified to allow ramps or special perching areas since the bird is unable to walk or easily move around.

What we prefer to do is locate a family that will adopt it. They have to be a very special person who understand what the bird is going through…Like maybe another handicapped person? Several of our birds were adopted out to elderly people with lots of time on their hands, and lots of love to give.

But this medical problem is curable! There are a lot of different and creative ways to go about it.

Step one is to try and identify what is causing it and fix the problem. If the parents are putting too much weight on the chick, add more bedding. Double check the diet and be sure it’s sufficient. Try to get more sunlight into the case… Find some way to get additional light to the chicks.

Curing the bird will involve trying to straighten the legs back under the bird. In severe cases you will need to find some creative ways to accomplish this.

Start by putting some soft bedding, such as paper towel, soft cloth or cotton, into a cup, and place the baby in it so that the legs are fairly straight under him. This will need to be done for a few weeks until the legs heal.

Another method is to “hobble” the legs by strapping/splinting them together. Care must be exercised to ensure that they are not too tight, and won’t cut off circulation or scratch up the legs. One method is to take some “vet wrap” tape (this is bandaging tape that sticks to itself, available at all drug stores). Cut off a thin strip about 4 inches long and gently wrap around the legs in a cross fashion. This will hold the legs together but not force them together too much. Remove the wrap a couple times a day to allow the bird to get the circulation moving in the legs.

Some breeders have created other methods to make a “cast” for the legs out of surgical tubing or cardboard. This would be a better method for larger birds, but it may be difficult to do this with small chicks and prevent scratching up the legs. One method I read about involved using some wooden craft sticks (like they used with popsicles), cutting them to the correct length, and strapping them to the legs using Vet-Wrap. This not only keeps the legs straight, but in the correct position under the chick.

You may also want to check with your vet. Once it has been determined how severe the problem is, a trained avian vet can suggest some additional methods. In very severe cases some sort of traction may be called for. Just remember that even the best methods may not completely cure the birds deformed legs. That does not mean it can’t live a very long, productive life.

>>Check out my ebook at http://www.TheTameParrot.com/cb/ - I believe every parrot owner should have a copy of this. Discover more about getting the perfect bird to fit into your home in “The Easy Parrot System”

Living with a parrot can be challenging, rewarding, fun-filled, stressful, heartbreaking, nerve-wracking, and many other adjectives. Our parrot’s behavior is directly related to their interaction with us and how we care for our birds. Below are some tips for living comfortably with your pet parrot:

1. Don’t teach your bird to behave badly – Many parrot owners unknowingly teach their birds to behave badly. For example, you’re watching a movie on TV. Your parrot is on the other side of the room squawking loudly so you can’t hear what’s being said in the movie. You turn to your bird and shout “Shut up, Oscar!” Boom! You’ve just taught your bird that s/he can get your attention if s/he squawks loudly when you are watching TV. Completely ignoring the squawking will teach a parrot that the noise won’t get a reaction from you (hang in long enough for the bird to learn!). Turning up the TV volume won’t work because a parrot might squawk louder and louder until its voice can be heard above the TV volume. Be aware of your reaction to your bird’s behavior to ensure you aren’t teaching your bird the opposite of what you want her/him to learn, and also to ensure you don’t confuse your bird. A confused parrot may behave badly because s/he isn’t sure how to behave.

2. Rewarding (or not) – Always, always, reward positive (good) behavior immediately after the positive behavior. This means when your parrot steps up on your finger when you give the “step up” command, reward the bird with its favorite treat (just 1, not a dish full), pet the bird, or praise the bird. In some way, let your parrot know you are pleased with his/her behavior. Your bird will learn this is acceptable behavior. Never reward negative (bad) behavior. For example, your parrot is sitting on top of its cage and it’s time for bed. You ask your bird to “step up” and the bird tries to bite you. You pull your hand back and allow the bird to stay on top of its cage. Boom! You’ve just rewarded your bird for trying to bite you by allowing her/him to stay out. You’ve also taught your bird that biting results in the bird getting its own way. A reward to a bird can be eye-to-eye contact with you, a look from you, you covering its cage and other subtle reactions. When your bird tries to bite you or actually bites you when you are interacting, you should put your hand right back up to your bird and insist the bird step up in order to be put away. You may need to use a perch to get the bird inside its cage. Control your bird; don’t allow your bird to control you.

3. Healthy diet is key – A nutritious, healthy diet is key to your bird’s behavior, psychological (mental), and physiological (body) well being. A variety of nutritious food during a bird’s lifetime will help to ensure your bird stays healthy and happy. Good nutrition for a bird is no different than good nutrition for humans. Fast-food, fried foods, salt, sugar, caffeine, soda, chocolate, avocados, dairy products, and citrus seeds should not be fed to parrots. Raw, clean, pesticide-free vegetables are great, cooked beans/lentils, various fruits, multigrain/wholegrain foods like dry, sugarless cereals/breads, etc. , cooked brown rice, or any other types of food that are healthy and nutritious. Parrots can be finicky about their food, so you might have to try various shapes and sizes to find what suits your bird’s fancy! Piece size should be based on the parrot’s beak size, not the size of the bird. Also, some species of parrots don’t like particular types of foods and some parrots have specific dietary requirements which must be met, so research your particular bird’s species for this information. For example, a lot of parakeets and cockatiels don’t particularly care for fruit, and Lories require fruit, nectar, and pollen in their diets. An important tip about parrots and food – a parrot won’t eat something it doesn’t recognize as food. Therefore, keep offering the new food every day…the bird will eventually try it. To encourage your bird to try the new food, allow your bird to see you enjoying it!

4. Mental stimulation – An often overlooked part of keeping a parrot healthy is mental stimulation. Parrots are intelligent, some more than others. As a result, they need mental stimulation every day in order to stay psychologically fit. Provide challenging toys to fit the type of bird. A challenging toy would be one where, for example, the bird has to find the nut hidden inside; the bird has to open the lid to find the treat inside, a series of rings a parrot can climb through, etc. Many parrots enjoy music (or TV) when you’re away, but watch the type (they can learn to mimic what they hear)! Talk, play, and interact with your bird daily, particularly with cockatoos, macaws, and grays (not exclusively). Allow your parrot to be part of your flock (family)…your bird considers you (your family) his/her flock…by including him/her in as many things as possible with you in your home. Lack of mental stimulation can result in feather plucking, bad behavior, shortened lifespan, and a very unhappy bird.

5. Start with a tame bird – Most people confuse taming with training. Taming is the process of imprinting a parrot to humans so a bird is friendly. Training is the process of teaching a bird tricks, to step up/step down, to fly to you on command, etc. If you want a pet bird, one that doesn’t bite, that will sit on your finger or shoulder, and otherwise be a good companion, you have to start with a tame bird. Taming a bird begins by handfeeding when the bird is very young (about 10 days old). By handfeeding, a baby bird imprints on humans, resulting in a friendly (tame) bird. Once tame, daily human interaction has to occur or tameness can diminish. Don’t fall prey to many pet shop statements “you can start training it as soon as you get it home.” Taming takes much time, patience, and knowledge on the new bird owner’s part. Buy your just-weaned parrot from a reputable parrot breeder who handfeeds their baby parrots so you start with a tame bird. This isn’t to say all pet shops sell untamed birds…you have to do your homework and know what you’re buying. Most pet bird owners want tame birds they can handle right away, so seek out a parrot breeder or search pet shops carefully to find the tame, young bird you really want.

6. To breed or not to breed – It is a myth that parrots should be kept in pairs. The best pet bird is a single bird in the home. This means one parrot in the home can be tame and friendly, but when a second parrot is added, since birds prefer other birds to humans, some or all tameness can disappear. In most cases, one cannot keep pet parrots as breeders. In other words, a bonded pair of birds is either breeder birds or pet birds, but cannot be both. There are exceptions to the latter statement. In addition, if you don’t want baby birds, don’t buy a male and female of the same species and house them together. Baby birds may eventually result and/or the female may become an excessive egg-layer. Before you start thinking how nice it would be to have baby parrots, do some research to see if this would be something you’d enjoy. Dealing with baby parrots is a whole new aspect to keeping birds. Stick with a single bird. If you want multiple parrots, think about keeping different species if you aren’t interested in breeding them.

7. Think like a bird – You have to learn to see the world the way your parrot sees the world. Most parrots have a mental capacity of a 2-year old child. They are very psychologically skilled! Therefore, one should deal with them based on these facts. In addition, be aware that most parrots are afraid of new things, that is, things that are new to them. You might be familiar with something, but that doesn’t mean your bird is! Birds don’t know about things, such as window glass, water running from faucets, hot stoves, sinks of hot soapy water, commodes, the toy your child is playing with, the neighbor or your friend that they shouldn’t fly out of the open door, etc. A parrot does know the cat and/or dog is a natural enemy though! Be aware your bird can become stressed out, frightened, disoriented, and confused by new things. Painting the walls, bringing in new furniture, changing the furniture around, moving to a new home, addition of a child, loss of someone, are examples of some things your parrot might not understand so be sensitive to how your parrot might perceive changes in his/her world.

8. Respect your bird – A bird’s cage is its personal space, its territory, its safety zone. This is the one place in a bird’s world s/he can call his/her own. Of course, bird owners have to enter the bird’s territory to accomplish certain chores. However, when your bird is taking its afternoon nap, put off the cage cleaning until your bird awakens. Our parrots don’t always want to do what we want them to do when we want them to do it! Set up a daily routine of when you service the cage, when your bird naps, when you play together, etc. Birds love routine! There are some days when a parrot might not feel “up to par” or is in a bad mood. Give your bird the time it needs.

9. Time to visit the vet – A trip to the bird veterinarian can be a very stressful experience for a parrot. Some parrots get so stressed out they go into shock and die as a result of a car ride. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to occasionally place your parrot in a pet taxi or small, escape-proof cage, for short trips in your vehicle. Being ill is stressful enough for a parrot. Eliminate added stress and possible death by preparing your parrot for this occasion. If you own a parrot, you will eventually find it necessary to take your parrot to the birdie vet.

10. Lifetime Commitment. Be prepaired for a lifetime commitment. A healthy, well cared for bird will live for a long time. Small birds live for 15 to 25 years. Large parrots live from 30 to 50 years (or more). The birds can easily outlive you! What if your health fails, or an emergency develops where you can no longer care for your bird. Do you have someone ready to take over? Most birds turned over to rescue agencies are the results of an owner passing away, and none of the family members want the bird! Many people think of their children when they prepare their wills…and totally ignore their most loved pets.

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Once upon a time my wife and I decided to open a bird aviary. We intended to raise a wide assortment of birds. At that time we already had about 6 breeding pairs of cockatiels, so that made us experts, right?

We build our aviary, loaded it with cages and away we went. But we forgot an important piece of equipment! A bird brooder.

Not thinking it was a big problem, we began to shop around to buy one. We got a severe case of sticker shock! A decent brooder is not cheap! At least $!50!! And I needed several! All of these electronic gadgets were outrageously overpriced, in my opinion!

A brooder is a box or some sort of container that supplies warmth and humidity to your baby chicks. It must be able to circulate the air around the bird. It had to be easy to clean and maintain accurate temperatures.

We managed to locate a couple of very old and antique looking human baby incubator that came from the intensive care unit from a hospital. The thing was at least 30 years old, and it was hard to believe they would put babies in it! But it worked great for us.

I look it over to see how it worked, and was totally amazed at its simplicity. It had a regular light bulb supplying heat, a fan that passed air over it and circulated it, and a pan filled with water. The light bulb would heat the water, creating steam/humidity, and the fan circulated it.

Now how simple is that? I could build one! So I did some shopping.

I needed a case or some type of box. I wanted it to be plastic because it had to be easy to clean, wouldn’t rust, or have any sharp edges. I needed to figure out a way to put a door on it, so we could observe the babies and have easy access. Where the heck was I going to find something like that!

I quickly located the perfect box! Van Ness sells a “sifting enclosed cat pan”. It measures 19 inches high, 15 inches deep and 10 inches wide. The “sifting” part means that there are two pans and a screening tray, and this is supposed to make it easy to clean your cat’s litter.

But this works absolutely great as a brooder! Disinfecting your brooder is critical. Remember, where you combine heat, humidity and bird droppings, you have created a great place to grow all sorts of nasty germs and bacteria. The brooder needed to be cleaned at lease twice a day. Having a brooder that can quickly be disassembled for cleaning without disturbing the babies is perfect!

The height (19 inches) made it perfect for larger birds. The electronics would be mounted to the roof, out of their reach.

I quickly planned my design out. This was going to work ten times better then my antique human brooders!

If this sounds like something you want to build, it’s very easy to do. But I would urge you to find someone experienced with working around electricity. If you don’t wire this up right, you can toast the wiring, blow fuses, and get yourself hurt.

BUYING THE PARTS

I drew up my parts list and went shopping. I started at the pet store.

Covered Cat Litter Box. This can be picked up at most of the large pet stores or department stores. Van Ness is a major brand carried by all of them. If they don’t have it in stock, it can be ordered. Last resort, search the internet.

Black Basking Light bulb. If you raise reptiles you know all about this. It’s a simple 60 watt light bulb painted a very dark blue. It radiates heat, and puts out a dark blue light. This will not disturb the babies, and supply more then enough heat for my brooder.

Then it was off to the hardware store.

I needed a light bulb socket. They have one that is very small, made of ceramic, and once mounted takes up only a small space. There are two screws for attaching the wire.

Dimmer Switch. I wanted one with a dial to adjust the voltage to the bulb, and when you push in it would turn the light on or off. By turning the brightness of the bulb up, it radiates more heat. Turn it down, and you get less heat. Simple, huh?

I picked up an inexpensive extension cord to supply the power. It’s much cheaper than getting a plug and wire and making it myself. I also picked up a package of machine screws and nuts to mount all of this stuff inside the box. You will also need a spool of hookup wire. Also grab a box of wire nuts to connect all of the wires together, and a roll of tape to cover up any exposed connectors.

I needed a fan. Something like a cooling fan from a computer would work, but it would require me to build a transformer to convert power to 12 volts DC. What I found was a 120VAC fan that looked like a large computer fan. This is available at your Radio Shack Dealer. This fan would be used to blow air over the light bulb, and then circulate the heated air around the brooder. I didn’t need a lot of air flow, but it had to be sufficient to do the job.

I got a stainless steel food dish and sponge from my aviary to use for humidity. By putting the sponge into the dish, then filling with water, it would “wick” the water to the top of the sponge and evaporate. This would work until I found a better method.

To really make this work, I needed to be able to control the temperature using an electronic thermostat. It had to be fairly adjustable for accurate settings between 98 and 105 degrees.

Most home made brooders used a “wafer” thermostat. This was a mechanical device where a metal disk would expand and contract in response to temperature changes, and would operate a relay to turn off the heat source. It was accurate, but only for a couple of months. Then it became very unreliable.

Every electronic thermostat I located was either not suitable for what I wanted, or was far too expensive. I finally had to settle for a reptile thermostat made by Zoo-Med. The sensor went into the box, and the controls were on the outside of the brooder. It was fairly inexpensive but not as reliable as I hoped. We ended up placing a temperature alarm inside the unit to signal of the temperate was getting too high or low.

One more optional addition…I added a 120v outlet plug. That way, I could daisy chain additional brooders, plug in an auxiliary light, or any other gadget I needed. Having a plug readily available was handy.

ASSEMBLY

Now comes the tricky stuff. You don’t have to be an electrician to build this but it helps to have an understanding with electronics.

You want to mount the fan near the top of the brooder. Try to mount it so there is a little bit of space behind it to supply air.. Mount the light bulb/socket so that the bulb is in front of the fan. The fan is wired so that it runs constantly. The light bulb is wired through the dimmer switch. Mount the dimmer switch to the top front of the box. With some experimentation you can determine the temperature settings, and mark them next to the dial.

If you go with the thermostat idea you need to wire the bulb so that it’s controlled through the thermostat. There are several ways to do this, so use your own judgement.

Buy a good thermometer and tape it to the front of the door. You need to constantly monitor the temperature to ensure it does not go outside the 98-105 degree range.

The only problem I have had with this box is when the birds get very big. They may be able to reach up to the electronics, or mess with the fan. You may wish to experiment with a method of covering the top with a screen. With this box, I only had this issue when I was raising the large Macaws. But by the time they are big enough to reach the roof, they are fairly feathered out and we can turn off the power. The box kept out drafts and the bird did fine.

The entire cost of this project is about $60 (without the electronic thermostat).

>>Check out my ebook at http://www.TheTameParrot.com/cb/ - I believe every parrot owner should have a copy of this. Discover more about getting the perfect bird to fit into your home in “The Easy Parrot System”

Jerry & Sapphyre

I’d love to hear your own technique and experiences in building a brooder. Or if you’re planning of building one, please ask away in the comments box below. Thank you!

When people call me looking for a new bird, I ask them if this is their first bird. If it is, then I will try to educate them on the importance of proper bird care and the long term commitment that they require. Since some birds can live past 56 years, you will need to make sure that it is the kind of pet you are really looking for. Here are some pointers you should check out before investing in a new bird.

Get a young bird. It is best to get a very young bird. Training will be easier on both of you. I really believe it is better to purchase your bird from a breeder. There are good and bad breeders, so you need to do some research. Ask local vets if they know any reputable breeders. Visit them and see how well they care for the birds. If the place the birds are raised is an unhealthy mess, that’s a good clue to walk away.

>>In my e-book “The Easy Parrot System”, I talk about the questions you should ask your breeder and what precautions you should take. Get hold of the e-book from: http://www.TheTameParrot.com/The-Easy-Parrot-System/

Let the bird pick you! No joke! If you pick out a bird that you like, it doesn’t mean it will like you. There is nothing worse then getting a bird that dislikes you. Birds have personalities! They pick out people they like and they may be aggressive or shy away from someone they don’t like.

Always have your bird vet-checked at least once a year. It’s amazing how folks have their car checked out regularly, but totally ignore their bird! Since birds are very good at hiding when they are sick, you may not notice it until it’s too late. Learn how to identify the signs that they are not feeling well.

Be sure you get the proper size cage. It should be large enough for your bird to get some exercise their wings. It must have enough perch space. Watch the bar spacing and door openings. Birds will get their heads caught between the bars if too wide.

Birds love to play with toys! Load up on lots of them. Stay away from rope and cloths toys that will easily become frayed and get tangled around feet and toes.

Large birds like to chew. Unless you want to replace wooden perches every other week, get some wooden blocks. Hang them on chains and the birds will love them! If your birds are allowed out of the cage, they must be closely supervised. Wooden windowsills, furniture, and cabinets are their favorite treats!

Keep your bird’s wings clipped. If you are going to have it for a pet you don’t want him finding out what a ceiling fan feels like. It’s not uncommon for a bird to get out of its cage and fly out an open door or window. If a bird gets loose out side you may never get it back. (We have had it happen to us before.) Other dangers are flying into windows or into the kitchen where you are cooking on hot stoves. We have had some close calls there too. There are pros and cons about wing clipping, but our birds have to be clipped. I am not taking any chances on loosing one again.

Pay attention to your bird’s eating habits and behavior. Watch for changes. When a bird gets sick, they have a tendency to hide their illnesses. But the time the bird shows that it is sick, it may be too late to get it medical help.

It is important that you carry info on you that would tell an emergency official that you have a bird or birds at home that needs some one to check on them. It would be terrible to be in a bad accident and no one knows you have pets at home depending on you.

You should always have arrangements made for someone to take are care for your bird should you die. It isn’t a pleasant thought but remember that bigger birds have a long life span, and you want to make sure that you do have someone who will.

>>Check out my ebook at http://www.TheTameParrot.com/cb/ - I believe every parrot owner should have a copy of this. Learn more about getting the perfect bird to fit into your home in “The Easy Parrot System”- What Every Bird Owner Must Know

If you have read any of my articles, you will find one thing that I constantly say - Most problems that develop with birds can be directly traced to a poor diet. It’s no different than with humans. Too much of one food type and not enough of another will always result in health problems.

You know this! You were taught this in school! They drilled that silly pyramid food chain nonsense into your head right from kindergarten! But it never occurs to you to apply this logic to your pet birds!

Birds have the same nutritional requirements as humans. And if you feed your bird that way, you will never have problems.

THE EVILS OF AN ALL-SEED DIET

One of my recent bird rescues involved a pair of Blue Front Amazons. The owner had been put into hospital, and from there she would be going into a nursing home. The family was at a loss of what to do with the birds. They knew this was a proven pair of breeders that regularly produced babies, so they thought they would give it a try. They kept the birds for several months and did what any uneducated bird owners would do…give it an all-seed bird diet. It was quick and easy, and didn’t cost them much money!

As time went by, the bird’s attitude changed. They became less active, and never did lay any eggs. It became a burden on them to keep unproductive birds, so they turned them over to us.

My wife is the medical expert of our aviary, and immediately noticed the signs of a sick bird. Black tips on the feathers, no energy, some respiratory problems, and a low body weight.

One of the most common diet related diseases in birds (especially Amazons) is hypovitaminosis A, or Vitamin A deficiency. This is mainly caused by a poor diet, especially if the only food the bird gets is seed. Bird seed only has a trace of Vitamin A in it, making it a terrible diet.

Birds that develop ‘hypovitaminosis A’ develop a variety of health problems, especially a much lower immune system, and poor reproduction. As the disease develops, the bird will show countless sighs of illness.

I knew right away what the problem with our rescued Amazons was…..now all we had to do was move fast to cure it.

Dianna is is a Blue Front Amazon with low body weight caused by a Vitamin A deficiency.

Analissa is a Double Yellow Head Amazon she came to me with a severe Vitamin A deficiency and had E-coli infection. Most of her feathers were black tipped and the feathers on top of her head were suppose to be yellow

You can see from the photo the black coloring on the front of her head.

This photo was taken of her about 6 months after medical treatment and a change in her diet.

A BIT MORE BACKGROUND

Body chemistry is a very complicate thing….it is a very delicate balance of minerals and vitamins, and they all work together. Calcium and Vitamin D are both needed for proper digestion. It is much the same with Vitamin A…a protein-deficient diet will effect the bird by inhibiting its ability to absorb Vitamin A. Again, a balanced diet is important.

If caught early, this disease is easy to cure. In its later stages, long term medical care may be needed. So it’s important to be able to identify the symptoms in their early stages. One of the easiest signs to see is poor feather color. In Amazons, this will show up as a darkening of the tips of the feathers. Hypovitaminosis A will have a lot of effects on the respiratory system, so look for sneezing, wheezing, or nasal discharge that will become crusted and plug the nostrils. The bird will begin to lose energy and may become a bit lethargic. He will slow his eating and begin to lose weight. In the later stages you will notice a foul smelling breath, and patches of white in the mouth.

TREATMENT

If you begin to see these signs, take your bird to a vet. He will do a simple CBC Blood test that will quickly identify the deficiency, and will give you some additional advice on how to proceed. NEVER treat your bird with human vitamins or medications without first consulting your vet.

You must change the bird’s diet and begin to include foods rich in beta carotene. Some of the best sources for this are any carrots (especially carrot juice), canned pumpkin, sweet potatoes, kale and spinach. Dandelion greens are another excellent source. Keep these foods in their cage along with their other diet, and encourage them to eat it.

There is a product on the market called Sirulina. This is readily available on line, and in some of the better pet stores and health food stores. Spirulina is an edible blue-green microalgae sold as a dry powder. It is rich in Vitamin B12, and has 20 times more Vitamin A then carrots. Feed this to your bird for 3 weeks, and you will begin to notice a dramatic effect.

The long term treatment is to ensure your bird has proper nutrition. If you can’t adjust its diet, begin to feed it a good vitamin mix. Pay attention to the label and make sure it has a good amount of Vitamin A. I am particularly fond of Nekton-S, but any good mix will do. Lafeber has a good multi-vitamin mix that is not that expensive and will do the job.

Don’t forget that sunlight is also an important part of the bird’s treatment. Try to give the bird a few hours a day in front of the window. A much better method would be to purchase a bird lamp with a full spectrum light, and allow the bird to get 12 hours of this light per day.

Do you have any super-secret bird recipes that you’d like to share? Or have any questions on your bird diet? Please post your questions, feedbacks and comments below. Thank you!