From: tombaker@bumetb.bu.edu (Thomas A. Baker) Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds,rec.answers,news.answers Subject: rec.pets.birds FAQ: Monthly Posting (1/3) Date: 19 Aug 1993 12:52:33 GMT Organization: Boston University Summary: This is a monthly posting of topics regarding birds that may prove useful to those new to this group or to the rewarding hobby of keeping birds. Or, more accurately, of your bird keeping you! Archive-name: pets-birds-faq/part1 Last-modified: 1993/07/08 Version: 2 =============================================================================== There was an old man of Dunrose; A Parrot seized hold of his nose. When he grew melancholy, They said, "His name's Polly," Which soothed that old man of Dunrose. --Edward Lear =============================================================================== * * * W E L C O M E T O T H E F A Q * * * Freqently (A)sked (Q)uestions regarding rec.pets.birds. P A R T I ========== This is a monthly posting of topics regarding birds that may prove useful to those new to this group or to the rewarding hobby of keeping birds. Or, more accurately, of your bird keeping you! Comments, suggestions, chocolates to: Jodi Giannini(giannini@christos.umd.edu) This FAQ, as a collection of information, is copyrighted 1993, by Jodi L. Giannini, and distribution by means other than Usenet is by permission only. Removal of this copyright notice is not permitted. Thanks, gratitude, and pats on the back to: Rocky Giannini for proofreading and doing the technical type stuff, Mary Firestone for her contribution of part 3 of the faq, Ken Hulme for the poicephalus faq, Tom Baker for archiving and the Appleworks version of this FAQ, Ruth D. Miller, Larry J. Brackney, Kate Finn, and all of the other rec.pet.bird readers who contributed--Thank you very much! Topics that are covered in Part 1 are: Bird magazines, books, and the like; Basic bird terminology; Choosing/Buying a bird; Cages, perches and Bird toys. Part 2 covers Diet and feeding; Taming and training; Travel with birds; Finding an avian vet; Health; Hazards; and First Aid. Part 3 covers Birds and Lung Cancer The species-specific faqs cover the named species: Poicephalus... (we're hoping for more) ***This FAQ is by no means meant to replace the many wonderful and informative books, breeders, magazines, and veterinarians that are out there.*** =============================================================================== B I R D - M A G A Z I N E S - B O O K S - E T C =============================================================================== ==MAGAZINES== *Note: Information is as current as possible, but costs do change. All the magazines are published monthly unless otherwise noted. AMERICAN CAGE BIRD MAGAZINE BIRD TALK MAGAZINE (Subscription Dept) One Glamour Court P.O. BOX 57347 Smithtown, NY, 11787 Boulder, CO, 80323-7347 1-800-359-BIRD (2473) (303) 786-7306 *One year $21.95 (U.S) *One year $25.97 (U.S.) Canada and Foreign add $6.00 Canada add $8.00 plus 7% GST U.S. Funds, International M.O. Foreign add $12.00 International M.O. Visa and Mastercard accepted California residents add 7.25% sales tax CAGE BIRD HOBBYIST (Quarterly**) PARROT WORLD (Bi-monthly) P.O. BOX 427 8 No. Hoffman Lane, Dept. BT Neptune, NJ, 07753-0427 Hauppage, NY, 11788 No number available 1-800-538-8184 *One year $9.00 (U.S.) *One Year $21.95 (U.S) Canada and Foreign add $4.00 Canada $29.95 (U.S. Funds) U.S. Funds only Foreign $37.95 (U.S. Funds) **Should be going monthly Visa, Mastercard, American Express sometime soon Checks and Money Orders accepted ==BOOKS== *Note: These are some of the books I've found useful. They are nice for the hobbyist, being not so much for the science of breeding. They're a good start. Bird Talk has monthly book reviews, and you may want to ask your vet or breeder to recommend some titles to you. Guide To A Well-Behaved Parrot by Mattie Sue Athan ISBN 0-8120-4996-9 Barron's Publishers Copyright 1993 You and Your Pet Bird (softcover) The Bird Care Book (softcover) by David Alderton by Sheldon L. Gerstenfeld, V.M.D. ISBN 0-679-74061-9 ISBN 0-201-03909-5 Alfred A. Knopf, Publisher Addison-Wesley Publishing Company Copyright 1992 Copyright 1981 The Complete Book of Parrots Seed-Eating Birds (softcover) by Rosemary Low (finches, canaries, and such) ISBN 0-8120-5971-9 by Jefferey Trollope Barron's Publishing Sterling Publishing Copyright 1988 Copyright 1992 ==ETCETERA== Sally Blanchard's Pet Bird Report Bimonthly publication $18.00 U.S.A. $26.00 Canada PBIC/The Pet Bird Report 3435 N.W. 56th Street, Suite 700-BT Oklahoma City, OK, 73112 (405) 945-4299 Sally Blanchard is a bird behaviorist who is a regular columnist with Bird Talk Magazine. This newsletter has tips about training, taming, why birds do what birds do, and all kinds of information for bird owners. There are also all kinds of videos about birds available through the various classified ads in bird magazines. They might be worth a look. Bird clubs are wonderful too. I recently joined one myself. It was just great to meet other bird people, ask questions, and get all kinds of information. It's really a good idea. A great source of information is your local breeder. Most breeders will gladly take time to answer questions. =============================================================================== B A S I C B I R D T E R M I N O L O G Y =============================================================================== BLOODFEATHER--Any feather which still has a blood supply to it. CHROMOSOMES--a male bird has two Z(sex)chromosomes and a female one Z and one W. These can be seen under a microscope and are used in chromosome analysis to determine the sex of the bird. (See KARYOTYPING) CITES--(C)onvention on (I)nternational (T)rade in (E)ndangered (S)pecies. This body regulates trade of parrots throughout various countries. Most parrots are on CITES Appendix 2, which means that the country that is exporting the birds may only issue export permits if the exportation of the bird does not endanger the survival of the species. Extremely rare and threatened species go on Appendix I, which means any sort of exportation is explicitly forbidden and illegal. Palm Cockatoos and Hyacithine Macaws are an example of CITES Appendix I birds. Recent legislations is trying to ban importation completely. CLOSED-BAND--a completely closed ring of metal that can only be put on a bird within a certain time, usually from 8-10 days in a small bird and up to four weeks in the larger species of birds. The bands are usually imprinted with hatchdate and place of origin. They are generally accepted as proof of domesticity and age. However, some unscrupulous people may force a closed-band onto an imported bird. Look for a band that seems too big. COCK---Any male bird of a species. DIMORPHIC--A species is said to be dimorphic when there are distinct visual characteristics between the sexes. Gray Cockatiels are an example of this; a male bird has a bright yellow head. Eclectus are also dimorphic, the male bird is green, and the female, red. Eclectus are unusual in that the female is more colorful than the male. This is called "Reverse Dimorphism". (See MONOMORPHIC) DOMESTIC--A bird that has been bred within the country. FEATHER SEXING--See KARYOTYPING FLEDGLING--A baby bird that is out of the nest, but not eating by itself. HAND-FED--also "Hand-reared" or "Hand-raised". The babies are taken from parents at about two weeks, and then fed by people, using spoons, pipettes or syringes and a special baby-bird formula. This results in a bonding of the bird to people, and a friendlier, more tame bird. HEN----Female bird of any species. IMPORTED--A bird brought in from another country. An imported bird will have an open-band on its leg. KARYOTYPING--A method of sexing which is non-invasive. A drop of blood is taken from the bird, usually by pulling out a bloodfeather. The pulp and blood from the feather is then cultured until there are enough cells to do a chromosome preparation. The number of chromosomes then is looked at to determine the sex of the bird. (See SURGICAL SEXING) MONOMORPHIC--Both sexes of the bird appear identical. OPEN-BAND--This type of band, which is squeezed shut around the bird's leg is indicative of an imported bird. PARROT FEVER--See PSITTACOSIS, ZOONOSES PBFD---(P)sittacine (B)eak and (F)eather (D)isease. A serious viral disease which is *highly* contagious. There is no cure. PBFD causes deformed feathers which fall out, the beak softens and becomes misshapen, and the virus can affect internal organs. Birds usually die of a secondary infection of some sort. The virus can be spread through the feces and feather dust and the virus can be found in the birds' crop as well. It can affect several different species of birds, but is most common among Cockatoos. PSITTACOSIS--A curable bacterial disease that can affect BOTH humans and birds. It's also called "Parrot Fever", "Chlamydiosis", and "Ornithosis". Psittacosis is spread through inhalation of feather and fecal dust. Bacterial tests can detect it. The disease manifests itself with flu-like symptoms in people. Infected birds are quarantined (isolated) and treated with Tetracycline, a broad-spectrum antibiotic. QUARANTINE--A period of isolation required for imported birds. These birds are often given various medications to insure that they do not carry Psittacosis or other contagious diseases. Also, it is a good idea to isolate a sick bird from other pet birds or birds in an aviary. SURGICAL SEXING--Also abbreviated as S.S. or S/S. Since many bird species are monomorphic, one way to tell one bird from the other is to do it surgically, using a method called laproscopy. The bird is anesthetized, and a small slit cut into the bird's body. A tiny incision is made and a laproscope is inserted, allowing the vet to view the reproductive organs, thus sexing the bird. WEANED--The bird is out of the nest, and eating on its own. In hand-fed birds the bird is no longer on baby formula and eating seeds and other solids. ZOONOSES--A zoonosis (singular) is any disease of animals that can be contracted by a human being. There are over 100 types of these. One of the most widely publicized is Psittacosis (SEE PSITTACOSIS). For reasons like this, all imported birds must be quarantined upon entering this country. (See QUARANTINE) =============================================================================== C H O O S I N G A B I R D =============================================================================== ***HELP! WHERE DO I BEGIN?*** First, you want to take into consideration these things: 1. What can I afford? Cost varies according to the type of bird being purchased. You can get a pair of Finches for about twenty dollars, a Budgie for about the same. Cockatiels range from $40 to $100, Amazons $250 to $800...and a Hyacinth Macaw can command upwards from $6,000! Set a budget, and work from there. But let the buyer beware of "bargain birds"--they're usually not worth it. Hand-fed birds are well worth the extra cost. 2. How much space will the bird need? The larger birds and even some of the smaller ones, are very active and need large cages and areas to play in. It's not fair to cramp a bird in a small cage. 3. Do I have the *time* for a bird? This is probably the most important question. Birds are intelligent, playful, and most of all, *social* animals. Will you have time to play with your bird? To properly care for it? Will you have an opportunity to be part of your family? Also, consider time in this sense--Birds are rather long lived. A little Cockatiel can live up to 20 years! An Amazon or a Grey, could live 50 or 60, there are documented cases of some birds living to be 100! Can you commit to that?! It's not unusual for birds to be passed down to another generation. Don't buy a bird if you think you will quickly tire of it. 4. How noisy is the bird? Will the neighbors complain? Budgies and Cockatiels are rather quiet. They are good for apartment dwellers. A Moluccan Cockatoo could work in an apartment, as long as you have neighbors on the sides and sixth floor that like to listen to head-splitting screams. Aratinga conures are noted for their squawking--Sun Conures belong to this genus. Pyrhurra conures (I have one) are rather quiet. Of course, there are variations due to the personality of the bird. There may be a quiet Cockatoo somewhere. 5. How destructive is the bird? Do you have priceless heirloom furniture? Rare books? Keep in mind that birds have powerful beaks. Some birds are less prone to "chewing" than others. 6. Does the bird need a special diet? Lories and Toucans, for example, require specialized diets. Do you have the ways and means to provide it? Once you you've done your research and decided what kind of bird you want, now is time to go out and buy a bird. Never, ever, buy a bird on impulse. ==WHAT DO I LOOK FOR WHEN I BUY MY BIRD?== First off, you want to make certain you get a healthy, happy bird. In general you want to look for: 1. An alert disposition. The bird should be interested in its environment. It should be active. Avoid puffed-up and sleepy-looking birds. 2. Feathering: Make sure feathering is shiny and without bare patches. On long-tailed species like Macaws, take a good look at the tail. If there are thin lines running across tailfeathers, it's usually a good indicator of poor nutrition. Please note that baby birds often look rather tatty, with the feathers somewhat frayed. This is normal. 3. Eyes: The eyes should be bright and clear. There should be no discharge. There should be no swelling. 4. Nostrils should be clear of any blockages. They should be of the same size and shape. In birds with bare facial patches (Macaws) the skin should be clear and white. A flush of red sometimes indicates an infection of the sinus cavities. 5. Upper and lower parts of the beak (the mandibles) should meet cleanly, with no signs of separation. In Cockatoos, the beak should be grayish, covered with powder. Never buy an older Cockatoo with a shiny black beak. is a sure indication that something is wrong. Baby Cockatoo beaks will be somewhat shiny. 6. Feet should have all toes, although a missing toe or claw for a pet isn't a bad thing. It is however, out of the question for a show bird. More than one toe or claw gone will hamper the bird's perching ability. The bird should be able to grip its perch or your hand firmly. The feet of a young bird should be smooth and soft. Older birds have feet which are more scaly. Excessive scaliness is not good, and can be indicative of vitamin A deficiency. 7. Breathing should be regular and even. No wheezing, snorting or straining allowed. 8. The bird should not be too skinny. To check for this, ask someone to hold the bird while you feel along the sides of its keel (breast) bone. It should be well fleshed out. If you can see the keel protruding, the bird is obviously underweight, and might be suffering some illness. 9. While the person has the bird, have them turn it over and check the vent area. It should be clean and clear of stains or pasted feces. 10. Ask to handle the bird yourself. Observe it. Does it have a nice personality or did it just bite the ($*# out of you? 11. Look to see if the bird is banded. This is indicative of imported or domestic birds, depending on the type of band used. 12. Aside from the bands, another way (not so accurate) to tell a baby or younger bird is by looking at its beak and feet. In a young bird, these are soft and smooth. Older birds have scaly feet and beaks that show wear. ==I'VE SELECTED MY BIRD AND I'M BUYING IT. WHAT SHOULD I DO NOW?== 1. You should make sure that if the bird does not pass a vet exam, you have the privilege of returning/exchanging the bird within a certain and reasonable amount of time. Some dealers include a vet check in the purchase price, but ask if you can take the bird to your vet as well. 2. Get a *written* bill of sale, clearly stating the terms of the sale, which really should include: A. The privilege to return the bird if it is not up to par. B. Date of purchase and any other conditions of sale. C. The amount that you paid for the bird, method of payment (cash, etc) D. The bird's band number. E. The hatch date of the bird F. A full description of the bird, scientific name, any unusual marks, and the bird's sex (if known) G. If the bird is imported, get all the proper documentation for it. Such information might prove useful when retrieving a stolen bird, or if you should ever have to prove ownership of your avian amigo. 3. Get written instructions on diet, care, and such. ==GETTING POLLY HOME== Bringing the bird home in a cage would make sense, but it is less stressing for the bird if you bring it home in a secure, darkened carrier. A cardboard box with some airholes in it is ideal for small birds. A plastic carrier the ones for used for cats and dogs, and covered with a towel is excellent for larger birds. Move the birds individually whenever possible. For a journey of an hour or so, no food is needed. For a long haul, sprinkle some seed on the floor of the carrier. Use firm, moist fruits to provide liquids. Never put the birds in the trunk of a car. Try not to stop too often. Try to have the cage already set up at home. You can then put the new arrival into its new cage, and let it rest and get used to the new scenery. It is a good idea to isolate it from the rest of your pet birds. Two weeks is a fair time. If you are buying a bird that will have to be airshipped, you will pay for a carrier and the airfreight. You may also pay what is called a "crate" or "box" fee. You will then pick up the bird at the nearest airport. =============================================================================== B I R D C A G E S A N D P E R C H E S =============================================================================== ==CAGES== Q. What size cage do I need to get for my bird? A. Get the largest you can possibly afford. A good rule of thumb is that the bird should be able to stretch out its wings fully in at least one direction. Note that "outstretched wing length" refers to the span of the *unclipped* wings. Q. Is bar spacing important? A. Yes. If it is too large, a smaller bird could hang itself. 1 3/16 is a good space for medium birds and 1 3/8 is good for larger. 3/4 inch spacing is fine for cockatiels, smaller than that for finches. (repectively 3.02, 3.50, and 1.90 cm) Q. What about horizontal vs. vertical bars? A. Horizontal bars are nice for the birds because they're easy to climb. Vertical bars make it hard to climb, but don't fray long tailfeathers. Q. What kind of metal is used for the cages? A. Anodized aluminum, Brass, stainless steel, wrought iron. For some of the smaller cages for less destructive birds, wood and clear acrylic sheeting, like Plexiglas(tm), may be used. Q. I'd like a colored cage...can I get one? A. Some cages are available with a "powder coat finish" so you can get them in different colors, however, birds can eventually gnaw the finish off. There are epoxy painted cages as well. Some cages come in wood cabinets, and you can order custom designs to match your decor. Q. Do I need a wrought iron cage with those fancy curlicues? A. Nope. The fancy stuff can be hard to clean, and the bird can get caught in it. Q. What's a knock down cage? A. It's a cage that comes shipped flat and unassembled. Nut and bolt assemblies hold it together. Be careful if you have a mechanically inclined bird, it might loosen screws. Check the every so often. One piece cages are just that. They're completely assembled and welded together. Q. I've seen great deals on cages, should I get one? A. Sure, as long as it's sturdy and safe. Check for sharp corners, poor latches, shoddy paint. Paint can be toxic and if the bird gnaws on it disaster could ensue. Look at the welds. Are they smooth and virtually invisible? Give the cage a good shake. Does it stand firm, or sway precariously? This is your bird's house we're talking about, here. When in doubt, don't buy it. Q. I don't have the money for a new cage, how about a used one? A. As long as the bird didn't die of some contagious disease, it should be fine. Disinfect the cage thoroughly. One text I came across suggests taking a portable blowtorch and searing the cage. This would definitely kill any yuckies, but would melt anything other than a thick steel or iron cage. Q. Where should the cage be placed? A. Never in direct sunlight! But a bright area close to the hubbub of your household is ideal. There should be no drafts of hot or cold air. The kitchen, due to fumes, flames, and such is a poor idea. Dreary basements are a poor choice too. A finished basement is fine, as long as it's not damp and has good circulation and there's action going on that the bird can be part of. Q. Do I really need to cover the cage? A. Depends on the bird. Birds, like people, need undisturbed sleep. If the bird is in a room you can darken, then no, you don't need a cover. Sometimes, the bird may be scared of the covered cage. Other times, birds may refuse to go to sleep if the cage isn't covered, and will holler for it. If you turn down the heat in your house at night, covering the cage is really a good idea. You can get custom covers made to fit any size or shape or use a sheet or a blanket. Covering a cage can help reduce screaming at the break of day. Q. How do I clean the bird's cage? A. Warm, soapy water and a sponge work well. You may want to use some sort of disinfectant. Rinse well no matter what, and make sure that everything is dry before putting the bird back in. Q. What should I use for as a tray liner? A. There are several options, and much debate over what is best. You could use: no liner, gravel paper, plain newsprint paper, shavings, processed cobs, newspaper. Birds should not ingest any of the above, although plain paper isn't harmful, it will get soiled. A grid above the tray will prevent ingestion of liner material and any dropped and soiled food. Newspaper itself is not toxic, but some inks are. You can call your local paper to find out what type of ink they use. Soy-based inks are non-toxic. No liner means you've got to scrub out the pan, to which the poop has cemented itself. Processed cobs can actually be used with or without a grid, but make sure your bird doesn't eat them. There is commercially prepared gravel paper, but it's hard to find in the larger sizes and the gravel usually doesn't stick to it very well, and ends up all over. **HELP! My bird is an escape artist!*** Sammy, the green-cheeked conure (Pyrrhura molinae) kept escaping from his cage via the sliding door, and the food accesses. I "wired" them shut with Quick Links(tm)--c-type links. They were easier than messing with those plastic "pine tree" type garbage bag ties. You may have to use padlocks with larger birds. However some of them are *very* mechanically inclined (especially Cockatoos) and may very well pick the lock. For the die hard cases, use combination locks. SOURCES FOR CAGES: *Note: I went shopping for cages. These I wrote to. Animal Environments Inglebrook Forges 2270 Camino Vida Roble, Ste. 1 151 N. San Dimas Canyon Rd. Carlsbad, CA, 92009 San Dimas, CA, 91773 King's Aviary Quisenberry Enterprises 256-8 Craft Ave. 915 Glen Arrow Hwy. Rosedale, NY 11422 Glendora, CA, 91740 ==PERCHES== Q. What kinds of perch(es) does my bird need? A. Your bird needs an assortment of perches of varying diameter, to provide exercise, to prevent foot injuries and such ailments as sores and arthritis. Q. Where should the perches go? A. Your bird should be able to climb all over his cage, so place the perches accordingly. Stagger them, and make sure there's enough clearance for the bird to sit up comfortably. Nobody likes to bonk their head! Q. What can the perch be made of? A. Wood--the plain round ones are everywhere. There's manzanita and madrone, maple, and apple wood. They can be made from PVC and from acrylic, like Plexiglas(tm) but these should be sanded slightly to roughen up the otherwise slick surface. There are rope perches, there are even concrete perches, like Polly Perfect(tm) which help to keep beak and nails in trim. Q. What shape should the perch be? A. They range from round to flat to elliptical. Provide at least two different shapes. Q. What about those sandpaper perches? A. Okay, but make absolutely certain the bird has another perch to sit on. Or only cover half the perch with the sandpaper cover. Q. Rope perches in the pet store are expensive! Can I get them elsewhere? A. Sure. It was posted to the net that they can be purchased at boating suppliers. Make sure you get all cotton-rope that hasn't been treated with chemicals. Ropes are great for feather-pickers, but watch out for fraying, and replace the rope when it gets too frizzy. Booda Bones(tm) makes Byrdy Cable(R) rope bird perches if you'd rather buy them from a pet store. Q. Can I make my own perches? A. Definitely. Use wood that you know is untreated, and cure it. Make sure there's no bugs or anything nasty like that in or on the wood. Cure it until it's thoroughly dried out. Leave the bark on, birds love to peel it off. T-stand type perches are useful aides in the training of your birds. We use one for the conure's "potty." SOURCES FOR PERCHES Manufacturers of cages will often offer perches. Manufacturers of toys will sometimes offer perches. Aries Manufacturing (Manzanita perches) Avian Adventures (acrylic) 4480 Treat Blvd. Ste. 201 P.O. Box 92136 Concord, CA, 9421 Warren, MI, 48902-0136 $2.00 for brochure, refunded with order. =============================================================================== B I R D I E T O Y S =============================================================================== As has already been mentioned, birds are playful and intelligent. A bored bird is a dead bird, basically. So it stands to reason that birds like-- and need playthings. Q. What size toy do I need for my bird? A. Well, a big bird needs a big toy, and a small bird, a small toy. If you give the bird the wrong-sized toy, injury is possible. Most toys are labelled for small, medium, large, and extra-large birds. Q. What kind of toy should I buy? A. Depends on the bird. Some love bells, some like twirly, spinning toys, some like rawhide leather to chew on. Some prefer "hand-held" toys over those that hang from the cage. Wood is a good choice for any bird, it exercises the beak. Fabric is excellent for feather-pluckers. It all depends on your bird, and sometimes, finding the right kind of toy can be a hit-or-miss endeavor. Q. How many toys should the bird have? A. The bird should have a variety of toys, but only two or so in the cage at a time. Rotate the toys about every two to three weeks so the bird doesn't get bored. Q. My bird seems terrified of the new toy, what do I do? A. Some birds can be suspicious of any new thing, including toys. It seems that a lot of African Greys are like this. The best thing to do is to put the toy on the floor of the cage or playpen. When the bird starts poking at it and taking and interest, then try hanging it up. ***HELP! My bird HATES the twenty dollar toy I bought for it!*** Try putting it on the floor of the cage (see previous question) If this doesn't work, then you're pretty much out twenty dollars. Taste is a personal thing, and birds definitely do have preferences. Don't be upset or mad at the bird if it didn't like what you picked out. Q. One bird chews, one bird plucks. Are there any special toys for them? A. For chewers, try wood toys, if they destroy that, try an acrylic, which will last longer. Manzanita wood is really hard, too. Try toys by Manzanita Munchies and Naughty Acrylics(tm). For pluckers, try rope toys, like Byrdy Cable(r) by Booda Bone(tm) or the Polly Dolly(tm) by Lucia. The Polly Dolly(tm) has lots of different colors and cloth to pick at. Q. How do I clean the toys? A. A mild soap and warm water will usually do the trick. Rinse and rinse and rinse, and then dry well. Q. What are some dangers of toys? A. Hanging, either by getting caught in a clip used to attach the toy, (avoid those metal shower curtain hangers) or by getting wrapped up in a leather strip, or a getting hooked in a chain. Fibers from rope and cloth toys can be wrapped around toes, cutting off circulation and resulting in the loss of a toe or even a foot. If the toy is shoddily made from cheap materials, it might break off, and parts could be ingested. Paint might be toxic. Make certain that the clapper in the bell cannot be pulled out and eaten. Be careful how you attach a toy. Some birds can unscrew C-links and might tighten them onto a toe or their tongue. Others seem to always get tangled in hanging ropes or chains. If this is the case, give your bird a "hand-held" toy when you can't be around, and carefully observe playtime with hanging toys. Q. Can I use some household items for toys? A. Sure. Toilet paper *tubes* (not the toilet paper) seem to be resounding favorites, and they're cheap! Ping-pong balls are popular, along with ball-point pen tubes (with the ink cartridge removed) We have a ten-speed set up as an exercise bike in the living room, and our four birds love to "go biking" more than anything. Plastic measuring spoons and cups work well, and Josie the cockatiel loves to play with the plastic caps to soda bottles. But one of the best ideas has to come from brackney@ecn.purdue.edu (Larry J. Brackney) who writes: " My wife and I are firm believers in giving our birds baby toys. They are typically MUCH cheaper than bird toys, and generally hard to destroy. All of our birds love interlocking plastic toys: hearts, fish, etc. And you can buy them at discount and toy stores. We also have good luck getting toys at the local Goodwill. They usually have a bin of $0.25 baby toys (plastic doo-dads, teething rings, etc.) We usually pick through them, and try to pick out toys without small parts that can be broken and swallowed. Once home, we wash and sterilize the toys. " --------- SOURCES FOR TOYS: These are ones I've seen in my local pet shops. B is for Bird Toy Fowl Play 6740 William Ln 545 William Ln Lincoln, CA, 95648 Moline, IL, 61265 Polly Dolly Texture Toy Thee Birdie Bordello P.O. Box 997 P.O. Box 2906 Comfort, TX, 78013 El Segundo, CA, 90245 =============================================================================== E N D O F P A R T O N E ============================================================================= Archive-name: pets-birds-faq/part2 Last-modified: 1993/07/08 Version: 2 =============================================================================== There was an old parrot of Steen, Its musical sense was not keen; People found it quite odd, That Polly sang "God- Save the Weasel" and "Pop Goes the Queen." --Unknown =============================================================================== * * * W E L C O M E T O T H E F A Q * * * (F)reqently (A)sked (Q)uestions regarding rec.pets.birds. P A R T II =========== This is a monthly posting of topics regarding birds that may prove useful to those new to this group or to the rewarding hobby of keeping birds. Or, more accurately, of your bird keeping you! This FAQ, as a collection of information, is copyrighted 1993, by Jodi L. Giannini, and distribution by means other than Usenet is by permission only. Removal of this copyright notice is not permitted. Part 2 covers Diet and feeding; Taming and training; Travel with birds; Finding an avian vet; Health; Hazards; and First Aid. Part 3 covers Birds and Lung Cancer. Species-specific faqs cover the named species: Poicephalus Topics that are covered in Part 1 are: Bird magazines, books, and the like; Basic bird terminology; Choosing/Buying a bird; Cages, perches and Bird toys. =============================================================================== F E E D I N G - D I E T - T R E A T S =============================================================================== Q. What can I feed my bird? A. For hookbill, a pelleted diet is a good choice, with seeds as a treat. Finches and canaries are naturally seedeaters, but should have greenfood as well. Finches also do well to have some live food occasionally. Some canaries (red-factors) need color food which is high in beta-carotene or uses an artifical coloring to maintain their red. Lories and other brushtongued parrots eat a special nectar. Toucans and Toucanettes need a diet low in iron and will eat livefood. You can feed your bird just about anything that is good for you, but birds seem to have a tendency towards vitamin A deficiency, so keep this in mind. Birds can eat fruits, veggies, low-fat yogurt, an occasional bit of cheese, lean meat--chicken and turkey are good, cereals like corn flakes or crisped rice, whitefish. An occasional nut is fine, but be careful as nuts are very fatty and peanuts which are moldy can give a bird aspergilliosis. Basically it seems anything that is good for you is good for your bird. There is raging debate over what exactly is a good diet, but it seems that a vet-recommended pellet diet, with a little seed, and a choice of fruits and veggies daily is a good ch oice. Each pellet in a pelleted diet has been made so that it is nutrionally complete. Also, there is a "pulse" diet, which is a mixture of seeds, nuts and various legumes (beans, etc) which is good as well. You can also feed your birds prepackaged diet supplements that are cooked, like Crazy Corn (tm). Most birds love stuff like that. Q. Okay, then, what CAN'T my bird eat? A. Chocolate, Alcohol, Avocado, Rhubarb and Caffiene are toxic to your birds. Never feed them to your bird. Some seeds and pits are also toxic, but seeds from melons are okay. Foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar are no-no's too. Q. What functions are vitamins and minerals needed for? What are symptoms of deficiency? What foods provide these necessary dietary components? A. Birds are just like people, vitamins and minerals, along with trace elements are required for growth and maintenance of homeostasis (regulation of body). A balanced diet will provide the nutrition needed. For charts and information in detail about avian vitamin needs, check books or get a copy of December 1992 Bird Talk Magazine. It features an article by Tom Roudybush, who developed Roudybush feeds. Q. Does my bird require a special diet/supplements? A. Certain species need special diets. For example, Lories live on nectar. African Greys are susceptible to Calcium deficiency, which leads to seizures. Birds which are molting need more protein. Breeding and brooding birds need a boosted diet too. Sick birds may require a diet different from the usual. Consult your vet. Q. Do I have to feed my bird live food? A. Live food--crickets, grubs, worms, pinky mice (hairless babies) are good sources of protein for breeding and brooding birds and pets. You can get them from pet stores or mail-order. Your bird may refuse to eat them. Q. Do I need to use a vitamin supplement? A. A balanced diet is always better than a poor one supplemented with vitamins, but there may be a case when your bird will need them. Vitamin supplements that you put in the water may be refused because of the taste. The amount of nutrients in the water also encourages bacterial growth. Powdered supplements work on moist food, but measure carefully, so you don't overdose your bird. Cuttlebones and mineral blocks should be provided in the bird's cage. The bird will use them as needed. Q. Does my bird need grit? A. Welcome to the great grit gridlock. Everybody has a different opinion on this issue. The current opinion is that birds that eat mostly soft food and fruits don't need grit; a bird which eats mostly dry seeds will need grit. However, some people don't even give grit to birds which supposedly "need" grit. They claim that it makes the bird lose weight. There is also the danger of crop impaction when a bird is given grit. Birds kept in aviaries with dirt floors will pick granules off the ground, so it is not necessary to provide grit to them. If you do feel your bird may need grit, try to get a soluble kind, as it will eventually dissolve out of the bird's crop and in doing so will provide calcium and other such minerals. Oyster shell grit is ideal. A bird will only need a few grains of grit. Q. What can I give my bird as a treat? A. An occasional treat or reward is a nice thing for a bird. It might be a bit of favorite fruit/veggie. Cheese, a commerically prepared birdie treat, a spray of millet, a bit of people food (Sammy conure gets a teeny, teeny bit of pizza when we order one) a nut is a nice treat too, and it's fun to play with. Remember, if the treat seems miniscule to you, recall that you are much bigger than your bird, so adjust the serving accordingly. ***HELP! My bird won't eat anything but seeds! What do I do?!*** Be patient. Some birds will just refuse to eat pellets outright. There's nothing to be done in a case like that. There are various opinions on how to convert a seed-eater to pellets. Cockatiels are notably the most stubborn. The process can take anywhere from two weeks to two years. You begin by mixing in some pellets with the seed and gradually, decreasing the amount of seed and increasing the pellets. Veggies and fruits have to be presented daily. Some birds will not eat sliced carrots, but will eat them shredded or whole. Keep this in mind when serving the bird. It may like its apple quartered instead of sliced. Experiment. Birds like things that are fun to eat. Peas in a pod, whole beans, melon is good, and birds love the seeds. Broccoli seems to be widely and nearly immediately accepted. Try skewering a fruit or veggie, and then not only is it food, but a toy! Keep trying. Some people just take away the seed all at once, and let the birds get hungry enough until they break down and eat the pellets. But you have to be careful, some birds would rather starve than try something new, or it might be that they are unable to recognize the pellets as "food" because it doesn't fit their picture of "food" (seeds). In such a case, watch for all-black droppings, it means the bird is starving to death. You may have to try different brands of pellets as well. Patience is the key to this, and well worth it. It helps the birds to lead healthier--and fuller, more active lives. SOURCES FOR PELLETED DIETS: *Note: According to several netters, (actually their vets) the general opinion seems to be that Pretty Bird diets are terrible, and Purina is even worse. But this is all opinion. Lafeber Company Lake's Ultimate Avian Diet BT7 92 RR#2 639 Stryker Avenue Odell, IL, 60460 St. Paul, MN, 55107 1-800-842-6445 1-800-634-2473 Roudybush Feeds Scenic Bird Foods P.O. Box 908 Marion Zoological Inc. Templeton, CA, 93564 113 N. First P.O. Box 212 1-800-326-1726 Marion, KS, 66861 (Avialable only through Veterinarians, and certain dealers) SOURCES FOR COOKED SUPPLEMENTS Crazy Corn Flights of Fancy 13330 Bessemer Street 1594 Hilltop Drive Van Nuys, CA, 91491 El Cajon, CA, 92020-8227 1-800-BIRD-YUM (1-800-247-3986) 1-800-776-MEAL (1-800-776-6325) SOURCES FOR LIVE FOOD Grubco Rainbow Mealworms P.O. Box 15001 126 E. Spruce Street Hamilton, OH, 45015 P.O. Box 4907 1-800-222-3563 Compton, CA, 90224 1-213-635-1494 for inquiries, information. 1-800-777-9677 (orders) =============================================================================== T R A I N G - T A M I N G - T R I C K S - P L A Y I N G =============================================================================== ==TAMING/TRAINING== Q. How soon do I begin? A. Right away! Q. What supplies do I need? A. A T-stand, a perch, a towel may be necessary, an area free from distraction, a positive attitude, and lots and lots of patience. Q. Does clipping my bird's wings help in training? A. Yes, it does. Not only that, it's a good saftey measure. If you take the time, it is possible to do a clip that really isn't visible and looks pretty good. Wing clipping is painless, and the bird isn't going to hate you for it. (see HEALTH section) Q. Okay, I have what I need, now what? A. Establish a routine, and stick to it! Birds are creatures of routine, and one that is consistent will help the bird feel more secure. Establish taming/training time, say, for an hour every day at two. Then just do it! Every day. Q. But I have a hand-fed baby bird, not an older, untame bird. Do I really need to "tame" it? A. You will need to train the bird to respond to an up command, and learn to stay on its perch when you put it there. Hand-fed babies are naturally friendly and tame, but they need discipline and rules too! Q. What's the UP command? A. The UP command is a rule for your bird. When you say UP, the bird knows it is to step on the perch or hand/arm you are offering it. The DOWN command is used when setting the bird down. --TO TEACH THE UP/DOWN COMMAND-- Take your bird to the training area. Put the bird on its t-stand. Now, take your finger,hand, or arm (or use a dowel/perch) and press it against the bird's legs. The bird will then step up onto the perch. As the bird steps up, say " Up!" Praise the bird. Place the bird back on the t-stand, say " Down!". Repeat this. It seems that most birds can learn this is fifteen minutes, but results and birds vary. Always be patient, and no matter what happens with training, never, ever hit your bird. Being consistent is the best thing you can do. Q. My bird is stick trained, but *hates* to perch on my finger or hand. What do I do about this? A. You have two choices, one using the perch, and the other using a training towel. Holding the stick on which the bird is perched, slowly tip one end of the perch up, so that it's higher than the other. A bird will instinctively go to the highest perch, and this would be your hand. Drop the perch away once the bird is on your hand. The bird might jump off when it feels the skin of your hand. Then there is the training towel. Get a neutral colored towel (white, beige, etc). Put the towel on the floor, and the bird on the towel. Gradually bring the corners of the towel up until the bird is enclosed. This may take a while, a week or two, or maybe even just ten minutes. If it gets to the point where your bird is calm about this, reach under the towel, and place the bird's feet on your finger/hand/arm. Once the bird is perching, drop the towel's sides down. The bird may stay on or hop off. Keep working until you get results. Once again, be consistent and patient. Q. I'd like to teach my bird to talk. How do I do that? A. Some breeds talk better than others, and even that can vary by individuals. Greys are supposed to be the best talkers. Start with something simple like "Hello" and just repeat it to the bird. Once again, consistency and patience is the key. Once the bird picks up a few simple words, it may very well start learning on its own. There are also CD's and tapes with phrases on them. It's a good idea to teach your bird its phone number and address in case it escapes or gets stolen. Q. Can I teach my bird to be quiet? A. All birds need some time to mouth off, but constant screaming is a problem. But you simply cannot punish a bird for doing what comes naturally. First, think about when the bird screams. Is it in the morning and at night? This is normal and natural. Is the bird near a loud TV or stereo or a window that has bustle and hustle going on outside? Try moving the cage. Never yell at the bird, this is a reward of sorts for it. If the bird is screaming in its cage, try covering it for about five minutes. It should quiet down. Remove the bird when it's quiet. Try to provide more toys for the bird if left alone frequently. Reinforce *positive* behavior. This can be hard to do...we're more inclined to notice bad behavior than good. Each bird is unique and may require a different approach to remedy its screaming. You can consult with a animal behaviorist to help in really bad cases. Q. Can I teach my bird tricks? A. Yes. Once again, ability and inclination varies by individuals. Cockatoos seem to be the best at physical tricks. Tricks are taught by gradual conditioning towards the desired behavior. There are books and videos on how to teach a bird to perform tricks. One such book is published by Parrot Mountain. Parrot Mountain Handbook (potty training, tricks, etc) $7.95 and $3.00 shipping and handling (U.S.) $4.00 shipping and handling to Canada P.O. Box 2037 Ocean, NJ, 00712 1-800-362-8183 Q. I'd like to potty train my bird. How do I do that? A. Keep in mind that a bird flies, and in order to do that, it must stay as light as possible. So the bird just unloads its ballast whenever it feels the urge. I can speak from experience that our conure goes every 10-15 minutes, although now he's started to hold it till we get him on his potty. What I did was get a t-stand and designate it as his potty. It's small with a wide base for catching the Birdie Bombs(tm) :) and it's portable. You can designate a pile of papers or the cage, or whatever is acceptable to you. I simply would put Sammy on his potty and say "Poop!" until he did. Then he was praised, and taken off the perch. Every 10 minutes or so I would repeat this. Sammy had perfected his bombing within three days. We rarely have accidents. I can hold him over a paper or in his cage and say "Poop!" and he will. You can choose whatever key word you like best, as long as it's not too common, which may confuse the bird if it hears its cue in normal conversations. Some birds potty train themselves. Some, unfortunately, do this using their water bowls and thus make poop soup. Apparently Quaker Parakeets are known for this. For a chronic soup maker, you may want to get a tube waterer, like the kind used for hamsters. ***He--OUCH!--Help! My bird bites! How do I stop it!?" Birds will bite for three reasons; they will bite out of fear, they will bite because they are excited or even just because they're feelin' good and are being high-spirited, and they will bite out of malice-- biting for the sake of biting. Birds that bite for the sake of chomping might be better off as a breeder. Any bird will bite, and justly so--if it's frightened. Birds go through a nippy stage when they hit puberty. They're trying to establish their position in the social order. This is natural. You should give an "Up!" command in a firm voice when this happens. It reminds the parrot just who is in charge of the flock. Keep in mind that a tongue to a baby bird is like fingers to a two year old human. The tongue is tactile and the bird uses it to explore its world. Never jerk your hand away from a bird that's exploring, it may get frightened and bite you. An "Ouch!" is okay, if the the bird "beaks" you a little too hard. The "Ouch!" will help the bird to understand your limits (and its limits!) But never yell, hit, or be dramatic, even though your fingers--and feelings may be hurt. Such behavior can be a drama award and it's exciting for the bird to get a rise from you. Don't put the bird in its cage either, should it bite. This only reinforces territoriality about the bird's cage, and the parrot will quickly equate bite = back to cage. The bird will then bite whenever and however often it feels like going back to its cage. You would be very surprised how gentle birds are once they understand your limits. As an example, I had an an opportunity to handle a Blue and Gold Macaw. These birds can bite hard enough to break a broom handle. The owner of the shop had obviously worked with this darling bird, as it took my index finger in its beak and explored it very gently, never once bearing down hard enough to be even slightly uncomfortable, let alone hurt me. ==PLAYING== Play is an important part of your bird's daily activities and it's fun to do things with your bird. This can range from watching TV together to sailing, to games, to listening to music together. A bird is most happy when it can be part of the family and part of the action. Also, a certain amount of *independent* playtime--where the bird is responsible for amusing itself--is necessary, whether you are at home or not. Make certain your bird has few safe, fun and interesting toys to amuse itself with. This independent time keeps the bird mentally healthy and gives you a break too. =============================================================================== T R A V E L L I N G - W I T H - B I R D S =============================================================================== Q. Can I travel with my bird? A. If your bird is not stressed by new places and situations, yes. Make sure to call ahead to confirm that hotels will take birds. Also talk to your vet if you'll be crossing state lines, you may need a certificate of health and perhaps other papers. Q. What's the best way to transport my bird? A. In a sturdy container. It's a terrible idea to let the bird ride on your shoulder or be loose in the car. Should the bird spook, it could endanger everybody. Q. What about carsickness? Do birds get it? A. Yes, with the same symptoms as people. They get sick and vomit, act listless and may lose their appetite. Not feeding the bird and covering the cage will help ease this. The sickness may even be due to nerves. Once again, your vet can help you. Q. Should I acclimate my bird to travelling in the car? A. If the bird seems apprehensive about it, yes. Do this gradually, perhaps beginning with the carrier. Let the bird have enough time to get used to it. Leave it open in the play area and let the bird poke around in it. Take the bird out to the car. Sit in it for a while. Don't run the car, just sit in there, and praise the bird. Work up to where the bird feels comfortable. Then try running the car. Work up to comfort again. Then try short drives. Then longer. And then pretty soon the bird will be able to drive the car by itself. Q. What should I bring when trance to another. *Help! My bird's NAKED! Why does it pluck?" This behavior is most common in African Greys. Plucking is usually brought on by stress, but sometimes skin problems can cause it. Parakeets sometimes will pluck their older babies, in order to get them out of the nest, so that they can clutch again. Cockatiels might do it as well. A bird may denude itself because it wants to breed, but cannot, as it's a pet. Sometimes, plucking is acceptable, as when a hen may pluck her brooding area to transfer her body heat better. Boredom can cause plucking. A diet that is poor can cause this behavior, too. Once started, it usually is a very hard habit to break, and even if "cured" the bird may regress back to plucking if it gets upset. Even a minor change may trigger plucking. Q. How do I stop the bird from plucking? A. First, take it to the vet to rule out any medical causes. Consider any changes in the bird's environment. Even little things. A plucker may be dissuaded from its habit by giving the bird a toy with rope or fabric or anything the bird can tear up. Polly Dolly (tm) toys are great for pluckers. There are bitter apple sprays available, but they usually don't work. Collars can be used, but don't ever try to do this without a vet's help, or the bird could get hurt. Q. Do I need to vaccinate my birds? A. There are pros and cons to vaccinations. The biggest drawback is that every bird will react differently to the same vaccination. Some birds become paralyzed, others blind, some die, some aren't even bothered. I would think that one or two domestic birds kept as pets wouldn't need it. Birds in a large, mixed, business aviary, maybe. I don't feel qualified to give advice on this one. Ask your vet. They'll be able to explain it to you, correctly and in depth. Q. What's a hospital cage? A. It's a small, enclosed cage that has a heater in it, and usually a humidifier. A hospital cage can be warmed up, which makes it easier for the sick bird to maintain its normally high body temperature. The humidifer helps ease respiratory problems. You can make such a cage by using a small aquarium, and placing a heating pad under it. Put a thermometer in the bottom corner where the bird will be. Put some bedding in there, along with food and water, and cover with towels. Place in a dim room. The temperature should be about 85 to 90 degrees Farenheit (27 to 32 degrees Celsius). If you're really in a pinch, place the cage, wrapped in towels, near a lightbulb. ==HAZARDS== Q. What are some common hazards? A. Animals (Cat and dog saliva is very hazardous to birds) Aquariums (Uncovered = drowning) Carpet (getting snagged) Ceiling fans Children (Unless they know how to handle the bird) Chimneys/fireplaces Curtains/Drapes (can get toenails caught) Electrical wires, fixtures. Feet Fannies Mirrors Phone cords Pots on the stove PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene)--given off by nonstick pans overheated to 536 or higher degrees Farenheit (280 or higher Celsius)-- is very toxic to birds, death occurs within a few minutes. Stovetops Windows Q. What are some of the common household poisons? A. Aerosols Insecticides Shoe Polish Alcohol Kerosene Suntan lotions Antifreeze Medicine Waxes Aspirin Mothballs Bleach Paint (Lead-based) Caffeine Perfume Cigarette smoke Pine Oil Deodorants Paint remover Dishwasher detergent Paint thinner Drain cleaner Rat/Mouse poison Gasoline Shellac Q. I have plants in my home. What ones are safe and what are dangerous? A. Tom Przybylski posted the following list of dangerous plants (taken from the October '87 Bird Talk Magazine) to the group: The article gives latin names as well that I did not copy in. The symptoms codes are: GI = gastrointestinal, CV = cardiovascular, BL = blood abnormalities, CNS = nervous system, IR = irritant, UR = urinary tract, CY = signs associated with cyanide poisoning, RE = reproductive. The text of the article gives more information and detail on the symptoms. All or part of the listed plant may be deemed hazardous. COMMON NAME SYMPTOMS ------------------------------------------------ Autumn crocus or Meadow saffron GI Avocado GI Azelea GI Baneberry GI Beans: Castor GI Horse, Fava, Broad Java BL Glory, Scarlet Runner CY Mescal CNS Rosary peas, Ind. Licorice GI Bird of Paradise GI Bleeding Heart or Dutchman's Breeches CNS Bloodroot GI Boxwood GI Bracken Fern BL Buckthorn GI Bulb Flowers: Amaryllis GI Daffodil, Narcissus GI Hyacinth GI Iris GI Caladium IR Calla Lily IR Cardinal Flower CNS Chalice or Trumpet Vine GI Cherry Tree CNS Chinaberry Tree CNS Christmas Candle or Rose GI Clematis or Virginia Bower CNS Coral Plant GI Cowslip, Marsh Marigold CNS Daphne GI Death Camas CNS Dieffenbachia, or Dumb Cane IR Elderberry CNS Elephants Ear or Taro IR Eucalyptus Tree - not dried, dyed, treated CY* Euonymus or Spindle Tree GI False Hellebore CV Firethorn, Pyracantha IR* Four O'Clock GI Foxglove CV Golden Chain CNS Grass: Johnson, Sorghum, Sudan, Broomcorn CY Ground Cherry GI Hemlock: Poison CNS Water CNS Henbane CNS Holly GI Honeysuckle GI* Horsechestnut or Buckeye GI Horsetail CNS Hydrangea CNS Ivy, English, varieties GI* Jack-in-the-Pulpit or Ind. Turnip IR Jasmine GI, CNS Jimson Weed or Thornapple CNS Kentucky Coffee Tree CNS Lantana CNS Larkspur CV Lily-of-the-Valley CV Locusts: Black GI Honey RE Lord and Ladies or cuckoopint GI Lupines or Bluebonnet CNS Marijuana or Hemp CNS Mayapple, Mandrake GI Mistletoe GI Mock Orange GI, CNS Monkshood, Aconite CV Moonseed CNS Morning Glory CNS Mushrooms - Amanita, others GI, CNS Nettles CNS, CV Nightshades: Deadly, Black, Garden, Woody, Bittersweet, Eggplant, Jerusalem Cherry, Potato shoots GI, CNS Oaks GI Oleander CV Periwinkle CNS Philodendrons: var. Split Leaf, Swiss Cheese IR* Pigweed BL Poinsetta IR* Poison Ivy IR Poison Oak: Western, Eastern IR Pokeweed or Inkberry GI Privet GI Rain Tree GI Ranunculus, Buttercup CNS Red Maple GI Rhubarb leaves UR Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Laurels GI Sandbox Tree GI Skunk Cabbage IR Sorrel, Dock CNS Snowdrop GI Spurges: GI, IR Pencil Tree Snow on the Mountain Candelabra Tree Crown of Thorns Sweet Pea and related peas CNS Tansy Ragwort CNS Tobacco, Tree Tobacco CNS Vetch CY Virginia Creeper GI Wisteria GI Yews CV, GI Yellow Jasmine CNS * These plants have been used in aviaries without reported problems and may be considered of questionable hazard to birds. ----- Q. I'm worried about my bird getting stolen. What can I do? A. Your best bet is not to tell people the worth of your birds. If you have to transport them, do so in a covered carrier and tell them you have a canary. If you have a big bird, you might want to lock it in in the cage and keep the keys with you. I doubt a crook will try to make off with a 215 pound wrought-iron cage just because the bird's locked inside of it. Teach your bird your name, address and phone number. If you have a lot of birds, invest in an alarm system. Don't put the bird in a window where people can look in and see it. If you have a very rare, expensive or just much-loved bird, consider having a transponder planted in its chest. It's painless and effective. Q. How can I make sure that I can postively identify my bird should it be stolen? (Heaven forbid!) A. Teach your bird your full name, address and phone number if at all possible. Keep your receipt, which should have the bird's band number on it. The thief will, in all likelihood cut off the band, though. Make an audiotape of the bird speaking, especially if it says something that's unique. Make a videotape of the bird, if it does tricks. Take photographs of feet and beak, they're just like fingerprints, each unique. With Macaws, the feather lines on the facial patch are good identification. All these lines vary slightly from bird to bird. Photograph any unusual physical features, like scars or marks or missing toes and the like. You can get the bird tattooed with an I.D. number, but bird skin is thin, and doesn't hold the tattoo well. It fades quickly and has to be retouched every so often. It also is very stressing for the bird. Transponders are effective, painless and undetectable. Q. Is there such thing as bird insurance? A. Yes, there is. You may be able to get additional coverage from your company, but usually not. The loss of a bird will not be covered by your homeowner/rental policy, either. However, there is a company called Avi-Care that has a standard policy which provides coverage against theft and death. Premiums begin at 9.5% of the bird's market value. There is also an optional veterinary coverage at additional cost. For futher information call or write to: Complete Equity Markets, Inc. Avicare Divison 1098 South Milwaukee Avenue Wheeling, IL, 60090-6398 1-800-323-6234 =============================================================================== F I R S T A I D =============================================================================== ==AVIAN AID== *Note: all the A's in this section are what to do right then and there. Should the situation be serious, get to the vet, who will perform "Second aid" First aid is just to hold the bird over 'till the vet visit. It's not a cure. Q. Can I buy complete bird first aid kits? A. Yes, you can! Exotic Bird Care Thief Of Hearts Bird Aid First Aid Kit 7514 Charmant Drive #923 421 N. Glenn San Diego, CA, 92122 Wichita, KS, 67203 1-619-793-2473 1-316-267-1656 $14.95 plus $2.00 s/h $39.95 (loaded with stuff!) CA residents add 7.75% tax Q. I would like to put together my own kit. What should be in it? A. First get a toolbox to put everything in. Then you should get: Tweezers, scissors, clippers, long needlenosed pliers or a hemostat to remove broken bloodfeathers (hemostats can be purchased at RadioShack in the tool section), Styptic *powder* (pencils are too hard), Bird towel, masking tape or other tape that won't ruin feathers, rubbing alcohol (but don't use on head or vent), gauze and gauze sponges for cleansing wounds, Q-tips, Betadine scrub for washing feet, hydrogen peroxide, syringes for handfeeding a sick bird, and baggies for stool samples or storing a sample of poisons or other substances the bird may have ingested. Find a booklet of first aid procedures and put that in there as well! Q. What shouldn't I do to the bird? A. Never use oils or lotions which contain oils on your bird. They gunk up the feathers, and ruin their insulating properties. This means a chilled bird. Never wait out a cat bite--those require immediate veterinary attention--a bird can die within two days because a cat's mouth is so filthy and full of bacteria. Don't bother with over-the- counter medication. It really doesn't work, and in some cases, may upset the delicate bacterial balance in the bird's body, or even worsen the situation. Never try to treat a fracture at home. Q. My bird is healthy. I don't need to go to a vet, do I? A. Schedule a "well-bird" checkup. Prevention is the best medicine. Even though the bird might appear outwardly healthy, it may have a low-grade infection or something not so readily apparent. Your bird's health and your peace of mind will be worth it. Q. My bird's leg is being rubbed raw by the leg band. Can I take it off? A. No. Don't attempt this, especially if the leg is broken or swollen. The vet will be able to remove the band, and deal with whatever injury maybe lurking under the banded area. Q. How do I pull a broken bloodfeather? A. This is probably the most common mishap. The remedy is simple--yank! It's most easily done with two people. One to restrain the bird and the other to pull the feather. Use a plier, or a hemostat. Tweezers won't work on primaries. Clamp onto the quill, and give a short yank. The feather will come out. Apply a little pressure to the follicle where the feather was to stop the bleeding. Dab some styptic powder on it to help stop the bleeding as well. Let the bird rest. Ask your vet or breeder to demonstrate exactly how to pull a bloodfeather if you're apprehensive about doing it. Q. My bird has broken its wing, what now? A. Get thee to a vet! But take precautions to immobilize the wing. Using butcher, drafting, or masking tape (which isn't too sticky) tape the wing gently to the body. Q. My bird can't lay her eggs. What can I do to help? A. Put her in a hospital cage, and keep her warm. Sometimes this is all it takes. Never try to expell the egg yourself, it may break, and then the bird may get an infection. Call the vet, just in case. When the egg is stuck, the bird cannot relieve itself, and toxins build up. Q. What can I do for a burn? A. Rinse with lots and lots of cool water. A burn is a very serious injury because they are so prone to infection. Q. My sick bird isn't eating! A. Even eating treat foods is better than not eating at all. Try a hand- feeding formula if all else fails. Q. My bird is wheezing, what could this mean? A. The bird may have inhaled a seed hull or a bit of pellet. This is very serious. Also, the bird may have air-sac mites (Gouldian Finches are prone to these) or an infection. All these require vet care. Q. I feel like this is all my fault, why did this happen? A. Even with the best of intent and cautions, mishaps occur. That's exactly why they're called accidents. ============================================================================== E N D P A R T I I ============================================================================ Archive-name: pets-birds-faq/part3 Last-modified: 1993/07/08 Version: 2 =============================================================================== * * * W E L C O M E T O T H E F A Q * * * (F)reqently (A)sked (Q)uestions regarding rec.pets.birds. P A R T III ============ This is a monthly posting of topics regarding birds that may prove useful to those new to this group or to the rewarding hobby of keeping birds. Or, more accurately, of your bird keeping you! This FAQ, as a collection of information, is copyrighted 1993, by Jodi L. Giannini, and distribution by means other than Usenet is by permission only. Removal of this copyright notice is not permitted. Part 3 covers Birds and Lung Cancer. Species-specific faqs cover the named species: Poicephalus Topics that are covered in Part 1 are: Bird magazines, books, and the like; Basic bird terminology; Choosing/Buying a bird; Cages, perches and Bird toys. Topics that are covered in Part 2 are: Diet and feeding; Taming and training; Travel with birds, Finding an avian vet; Health; Hazards; and First Aid. ============================================================================== LUNG CANCER AND PET BIRDS ============================================================================== --compiled and contributed by Mary Firestone (rclapp@apc.igc.org) (on EcoNet) LUNG CANCER AND BIRDKEEPERS: Three Studies Some members of the birdkeeping community have expressed concern over reports that scientific studies have shown birdkeeping to be a risk factor for respiratory cancers. Since I live with an unruly mob of conures and have easy access to the epidemiological literature, I decided to have a look at the studies. A very brief summary is shown below; more detail follows. Odds ratio = odds of exposure in patients with a disease divided by odds of exposure in controls (those without the disease). For example, if the odds of exposure in the patients is .5 and in the controls is .25, the odds ratio is 2.0. An OR of 2.0 for a group of patients means that people in that group are two times as likely to have been exposed to birdkeeping as controls. If the OR is .50, they are half as like to have been exposed. _________________________________________________________________ Odds ratios for three variables Author, Bird Smoking Diet # of cases keeping Kohlmeier 2.4 16.08 daily carrot 0.24 et al., 239 consumption Gardiner 1.29 19.69 beta carotene 0.56 et al., 143 > 2000 mg/wk Holst et al., 6.7 10.0 vitamin C 0.23 49 > 50 mg/day _________________________________________________________________ All three of these studies were case-control studies. In a case-control study, each case is compared with one or more non-cases. In general, a study with more cases is less likely to produce results solely due to chance. Errors due to study design can occur in a study of any size, and someone can always be found to disagree with a study design. It has been said that an epidemiologist is someone whose job is to disagree with other epidemiologists. Following are full citations, abstracts, and some additional data on each of the three studies. All articles and the editorial appeared in the British Medical Journal (BMJ). ________________________________________________ "Avian exposure and bronchogenic carcinoma." Austen JS Gardiner: Monklands District General Hospital Medical Unit, Airdrie, Lanarkshire, Scotland ; Barbara A. Forey, and Peter N. Lee: P N Lee Statistics and Computing, Sutton, Surrey, England BMJ 305: 989-992, 24 October 1992. 3 references ABSTRACT: Objective - To investigate the association between birdkeeping and risk of lung cancer. Design - Case-control study asking detailed questions on exposure to domestic birds and other pets, smoking, and various demographic and potentially confounding variables. Setting - District general hospital; current admissions interviews in hospital or recent admissions interviewed at home. Patients - 143 patients with lung cancer, 143 controls with heart disease, and 143 controls with orthopaedic conditions individually matched for age, sex, date of admission, and current or past admission. Main outcome measures - Odds ratios for lung cancer in relation to various aspects of birdkeeping, after adjustment for smoking and other relevant confounding variables. Results - Risk of lung cancer was not significantly associated with household exposure to pet birds at any time or at various specific periods in life, or to keeping large numbers of birds. For specific types of birds no association was seen for living in households with budgerigars or canaries but risk was significantly associated with keeping pigeons (odds ratio 3.53, 95% confidence interval 1.56 to 7.98). This remained significant after regression analysis to account for confounding variables (3.9, 1.2 to 12.62) in both sexes and all age groups. Conclusion - Bird keeping may confer some risk of lung cancer but the relation is not as strong as previously reported. Odds ratios for various exposures: Ever kept bird in household 1.29 Type of pet Budgerigar 1.14 Canary 0.54 Pigeon 3.53 Finch 1.28 Cockatiel,parakeet, lovebird, parrot 2.03 Dog 1.07 Cat 0.77 Other pets 1.22 Ever worked In pet store 2.22 In greenhouse w/chicken manure 20.01 Current smoker 19.69 Beta carotene >2000mg/wk 0.56 NOTE: 97% of cases and 78% of controls had been smokers. ________________________________________________ "Pet birds as an independent risk factor for lung cancer." Kohlmeier L, Arminger G, Bartolomeycik S, Bellach B, Rehm J and Thamm M.: Institute for Social Medicine and Epidemiology, Berlin, Germany. BMJ 305: 986-989, 24 Oct 1992. 37 references ABSTRACT: Objective - To test the hypothesis that exposure to pet birds increases risk of developing lung cancer. Design - Case-control study. Computerized interviews were used to assess previous exposure to pets and other risk factors for lung cancer. Setting - Three major hospitals treating respiratory disease in former West Berlin. Subjects - All people newly diagnosed as having primary malignant neoplasm of the trachea, bronchi, or lung who were 65 or younger and control subjects matched for age and sex from the general population of former West Berlin. 279 cases and 635 controls qualified for the study; 239 cases and 429 controls participated. Main outcome measure - Odds ratio of developing lung cancer according to whether or not pet birds were kept and the duration of keeping pet birds. Results - In addition to the risk of lung cancer imposed by smoking, passive smoking and occupational exposure to carcinogens, an increased relative risk of 2.14 (95% confidence interval 1.35 to 3.40) was found among people exposed to pet birds. The adjusted odds ratio for exposures longer than 10 years was 3.19 (1.48 to 8.21). Conclusions - Avian exposure seems to carry a risk of lung cancer. Until the pathogenesis is understood, long term exposure to pet birds in living areas should be avoided, especially among people at high risk of developing lung cancer. EXCERPT FROM INTRODUCTION: Contact with birds has been associated with impaired pulmonary function, including chronic avian hypersensitivity pneumonitis or extrinsic allergic alveolitis. The result can be pulmonary interstitial fibrosis and permanent pulmonary impairment. Long term exposure to avian antigens has resulted in reduced T suppressor cell activity in lymphocytes obtained by lavage. Parasites such as Sarcocystis falcutula, carried by canaries and pigeons, are known to affect the pulmonary epithelial cells of the birds themselves. Non-smoking pigeon fanciers maintain high concentrations of IgG antibody to pigeon gamma globulin and increased rates of clearance of diethylenetriaminepenta-acetic acid labelled with technetium-99m, which indicate that the lungs' integrity is affected. Whether such changes initiate the development of cancerogenic cells has not been investigated in humans. NOTE: 95.4% of cases and 55% of controls were smokers. ________________________________________________ Editorial: "Pet birds and lung cancer - smoking is still a confounder" John Britton (Senior Lecturer) and Sarah Lewis (Statistician): Respiratory Medicine Unit, City Hospital, Nottingham, England BMJ 305: 970-971, 24 Oct 1992. Final paragraph: Despite the possible sources of error in these studies it is essential to give the work credit. If valid, the association with pet birds would not only identify an easily avoidable cause of disease but also open new avenues for pathogenetic research. The immediate priority is to build on these findings by conducting investigations that control properly for the effects of smoking. One solution would be to study lung cancer only in lifetime non-smokers, perhaps by combining data on non-smokers from these three studies. The finding in the two papers in this issue of an association with intake of vitamin A also highlights the potential value of investigating dietary intervention in the prevention of lung cancer. Smoking may remain the most important cause of lung cancer, but we should not ignore other possible causes. ________________________________________________ "For debate: Pet birds as an independent risk factor for lung cancer." Peter A. Holst (General Practitioner), Wassenaar, The Netherlands; Daan Kromhout (Professor, Institute of Social Medicine) and Ronald Brand (Statistician, Department of Medical Statistics): University of Leiden, The Netherlands BMJ 297: 1319-1321. 19 November 1988. 15 references ABSTRACT: To find out whether keeping birds in the home is an independent risk factor for lung cancer, a case-control study was carried out in four main hospitals in The Hague, The Netherlands. Forty nine patients under 65 years of age with lung cancer were matched for age and sex with two control subjects who attended the same general practice. Data were collected on social class, cigarette smoking, intake of beta carotene and vitamin C, and alcohol consumption. It was found that smoking, birdkeeping, and a low intake of vitamin C were significantly and independently related to the incidence of lung cancer. The odds ratio for lung cancer among people who kept birds as pets was estimated to be 6.7 after adjusting for smoking and vitamin C intake. The results of this study suggest that keeping pet birds is an independent risk factor for lung cancer. NOTE: 98% of cases and 84% of controls were smokers. Holst has also published a book, Birdkeeping as a source of lung cancer and other human diseases: a need for higher hygienic standards. Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag, 1988. ________________________________________________ Personally, I do not intend to give up my conures, but I do intend to install an air filter in the Fall; since my fans run continuously in the summer, the filter would not have much chance to do its work before the air is whisked away to the outdoors (and polluted outdoor air is whisked in). I have never been (or lived with) a smoker, and had no notable occupational exposure to respiratory carcinogens, so I would seem to be at lower risk than most of the cases in this study, but there are no guarantees. Even persons who are not in the known high risk categories (smoking, passive smoking, occupational exposure) occasionally get a disease, and not everyone in the high risk categories gets the disease. The principal question as I see it is: does living with birds enhance my life? The answer is: Yes. ============================================================================== rec.pets.birds. FAQ last updated on 06/02/93 c1993 Jodi Giannini ==============================================================================