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

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In our many years as breeders and running an aviary, we get customers with a very common problem. They are replacing a bird that escaped or “flew away”. They miss their bird so they are replacing it.

It’s unfortunate. If they had practiced some very basic precautions they never would have lost their bird. Were the wings clipped to prevent them from flying? Do you keep them out of their cage unattended? Do you take them out of the house in a cage not properly secured?

One instance that still sticks in my mind was when we attended a bird show. One of the vendors was carrying a bird cage filled with cockatiels. It was one of those inexpensive cages, and the bottom tray fell right off the cage! His birds flew off in every direction!

Taking one minute to secure the tray to the cage with a few wire ties would have prevented this.

THE BEST SOLUTION IS PREVENTION

• Clip the bird’s wings. They can’t fly away if the can’t fly!
• Take extra care if you have windows without screens…keep the bird caged
• Escape proof your cage. Trust me…unless you put some thought into it they will figure out that latch! And they know how to lift that food dish door!
• If you take your bird outside, make certain the cage or carrier is secure! That includes doors, trays, and the cage base!
• Clipped birds can still have limited flight…be careful if you take them outside uncaged.
• Have a capture plan in place. Get a net, long poles, and extra cages.
• Have pictures, notes of identifiable markings and band numbers stored for identification.

THE CAPTURE

It’s vital to recover your bird within a few days. Captive birds do not know where to search for food, and are targets for predators (cats, other birds, etc…) In poor climate conditions they will not survive more then a few days.

The best time to capture them is early morning or evening. They are generally not going to be moving around yet, so you can concentrate your efforts in one location.

If you have the birds mate, or another bird of the same species, put them in a small cage, then place that cage inside a larger cage. Place food inside the cage to entice the bird to enter.

If he won’t come for the mate, leave food inside the cage, but not a lot. You want the bird to be hungry but not starving, and he will not return frequently if overfed.

Have a garden hose ready. Wet birds don’t fly well, and when they do it takes a tremendous amount of energy to get airborne. Once they get wet, and after a short chase, they will become too exhausted to fly and you should be able to capture it.

If all else fails, you will have to try and identify where the bird is resting, and try to sneak up at night to capture it. Some breeders have told me they play recordings of their aviary, and the bird will sometimes either call back to them, or may fly back to “visit”.

Hopefully, you will never have this emergency happen to you. But if it does, you now have some ideas of how to recapture your pet.

If you are reading this, you are probably a bird fancier already. And you already know how intelligent birds are. But if you are like me, you have lot of friends who need convincing.

Many people don’t think of birds as intelligent. They consider nothing more them poop machines! Dirty, filthy animals! Lets just ignore the fact that these are “captive” animals and they are totally dependant on the owners to care for (and clean up) after them. Not much different then dogs and cats, right?

But the thought of training and playing with birds never crosses their minds. So whenever possible, I like to show them what birds can do. And what better way to do that but with some great parrot videos!

The internet has a vast resource of parrot videos available. But there are a few in particular that have become famous. Everyone has heard about the intelligence of Alex, the African Grey..and Einstein! But have you seen the golfing Indian Ringneck?

Here are just a few of my favorite parrot videos. Show these to your friends and see what they have to say now? My dog isn’t this well trained!

Ringneck parrot video playing golf!

Large assortment of parrot videos

http://www.metacafe.com/tags/parrot/

Parrot Video Collection..featuring Einstein!

http://www.parrotgateway.com/parrotvideo/parrotsvideocatalog.html

Alex the African Grey on National Geographic

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/09/070913-alexparrot-video.html

If you are like me, you never get enough information about parrots. It’s a never ending educational experience. It sort of reminds me about the medical profession… every day some new research comes out, or a new procedure. Doctors are always reading and learning… and so do I. But my problem is sitting down long enough read a book or magazine. I’m always on the go!

If this sounds a lot like you, let me clue you in on something that has been available for a while now, but not many people have heard if them. Parrot Podcasts!

Podcasts are a radio show that anybody can create and make available on the internet. Groups large and small make them. They can use massive production studio’s and techniques, or they get a $5 microphone and free sound recorders, and make them on their computer. The major news networks put them out. They are available on every topic imaginable. And there are several great parrot podcasts out there too!

They are put out in MP3 format, and can be played on your computer, or better yet, on your IPod while you are away from home. I love listening to podcasts while driving or doing my morning exercises. You can even subscribe to their shows, and with the proper software they are automatically downloaded to your computer whenever they are made available.

If this sounds interesting to you, let me point you to some great parrot podcast links.

Podcast.net has a list of many individual parrot podcasts and other bird audios.

http://www.podcast.net/show/23331

Anonymous Parrot

http://www.podcast.net.show/1733

Parrrot Chat

http://www.scritches.com/podcast/index.html

All God’s Creatures

http://allgodscreaturespets.podOmatic.com/entry/2007-01-12T19_24_27-08_00

Parrot Science

http://www.parrotscience.com/podcast/site/Podcast/Podcast.html

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.

It may surprise a lot of you, but many people love to travel with their pets. And I don’t mean dogs and cats… But birds too!

There are lots of reasons for this. Trying to find someone to care for your bird can be difficult. Boarding your bird is not a good idea. Many of these places are set up to handle dogs and cats, and know very little about birds. And it can be very expensive!

And let’s face it, some people love their animals so much they want to take them along!

With some proper planning and research, this can be accomplished very easily.

PAPERWORK

You need to take your bird to the vet. In many cases, you will need a health certificate to travel with your pets. You can travel around the United States without a hassle, but don’t even think about crossing the border! Every country has laws regarding importing any animal, and there are quarantine procedures (very expensive) involved. In these cases you are better off leaving them at home.

Your vet will also be examining your pet to ensure they can safely travel. In some cases, they may wish to vaccinate the bird for safety reasons, so go over your travel plans with your vet.

GOING BY PLANE?

There are lots of rules and regulations involved in transporting pets on an airplane. You must check with your air carrier prior to booking your flight to ensure that you will be able to take your bird.

In most cases, you can take the bird into the cabin with you, but expect to pay a charge for this. Most fees will be at least $50.

Your bird must be in an approved animal carrier. Many pet stores sell an airline approved pet carrier, and all you need to do is make a few minor alterations. The carrier must be no larger then 23”x13”x9”. If you are transporting a large parrot, you will have difficulty with this rule, and will have to carry it as “cargo”. There are a number of approved kennels that are more then big enough for most parrots.

Attach a perch inside the box to allow the bird to have something to stand on. It’s far better then sliding around on a slippery plastic floor slamming into walls! Also attach a food and water dish (if it’s not already on it).

Pay attention to the weather conditions. If the temperature is cold you must have something to cover the box to prevent cold drafts. In hot weather you need to find ways for your bird to cool off. Keeping a mist bottle in your bag is great, but due to recent airline rules you may not be able to carry it on. Check with your airline for what they permit. One good idea is to keep some ice cubes in the water dish. They will not splash out, and will give your bird a constant source of cold water.

Birds actually do become airsick! One suggestion is to keep some ginger root in the cage to nibble on.

Expect to have proper health certificates when you board the plane.

GOING BY TRAIN?

Forget it! Amtrack has strict rules about transporting pets.

GOING BY BOAT?

Forget it! Many do allow pets, but they must remain contained in their kennels. And since most boats require travel outside of the country, you are going to have a massive red-tape battle when you arrive. Unless it’s absolutely necessary, leave the pet at home.

AUTO TRAVEL

This is the way we prefer to transport our birds. They get to sit on your seat and just love to watch everything fly by! I remember one trip where we had three parrots all fighting for a window position….and the looks we get from people in the cars next to us!

Just be aware that having loose birds in the car is a distraction for the driver, and the police may not see the humor in it. Keep them in their kennels, but allow them time to get out and stretch.

HOTELS

There are a lot of hotels that now recognize that people do travel with their pets… Even birds. They will allow them, so call ahead and find out which ones do. But be considerate to the housekeeping staff! Bird poop and bedding do not mix! So if your bird is allowed out of its travel kennel, be sure it doesn’t make a mess or do any damage.

One other hint… If your hotel stay is going to be more then a few days, ask the housekeeper to let you do your own cleaning. They use some very strong cleaners that are dangerous to birds. Pack your own spray bottle of a safe cleaner and clean up after your birds.

EMERGENCE VETS

Be sure that you have researched where the avian vets are in the city you are traveling to. Trying to locate one at the last minute is going to cost you the life of your bird.

>>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”

[tags]traveling with a bird, traveling bird cages, bird traveling cage[tags]