Bathing Pet Birds – What You’re Getting Wrong

Bathing Birds

Bathing is more than just a splashy pastime for pet birds – it’s an essential part of their health and wellbeing. Whether you care for a tiny budgie or a chunky macaw (no body shaming here!) it’s important you cater for their basic hygiene needs. Bathing can improve feather condition, respiratory health and even mood.…

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What Is Feather Destructive Behaviour?

Feather Destructive Behaviour

Feather Plucking | Feather Destructive Behaviour | FDB Feather Destructive Behaviour occurs when a bird is intentionally damaging or removing feathers (usually but not always their own).  There are multiple different types of feather destructive behaviours and it helps to identify exactly what type of destructive behaviour your bird is actually doing. Feather Destructive Behaviour…

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Abusing Veterinary Staff

Self-mutilating Bird

Sometimes working in a vet clinic can break you.  It doesn’t surprise me that the veterinary industry has a higher suicide rate than any other industry.  There is a general attitude that vets are only in it for the money.  That vets over-service and over-charge.  The abuse veterinary staff receive continues to amaze me.  The…

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Helping a Pet Bird Grieve

Grieving birds

Do pets grieve? Animals will grieve the loss of a family member (human or animal).  Studies show that most animals will show at least one (if not multiple) behavioural changes after the death or loss of a mate, a companion or other family member.  It can be extremely difficult to help your pet through that.…

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How Long Does It Take To Recover From Feather Damage?

Beautiful macaw

Every now and again I am asked the question: “How long will it take for my bird’s damaged feathers to grow out?” Most of the time, the question relates to a clipped bird, but sometimes it is someone with a bird who has recovered from an illness or is dealing with a plucking/self-mutilation issue. Rosebreasted…

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An Easy Foliage To Use With Pet Birds

Blue and Gold Macaw

Having seen photos in recent blog posts or on facebook a few people have been asking about the foliage in my cages? What exactly is it? What do the birds do with it? What do I do to prepare it before I give it to them? Galah/Rosebreasted Cockatoo: Morgy is waddling around on top of…

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Looking After Parrots During A Stressful Time

Musk Lorikeet

My house has been a wonderful place to live lately. No one living here has been inundated with work. No family member has had to go into hospital. I haven’t been upset because someone ran into my car in a parking lot and didn’t leave a note. I haven’t blown up any essential electrical appliances…

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Dealing With A Broken Blood Feather

Blood Feather

For those who don’t know, I live with a very young Blue and Gold Macaw named Fid. I believe he is currently around 12 months old, although I can’t be 100% sure. What I can be sure of, is there is a very good reason why the first sentence he learned to say was “You’re…

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Let Your Bird Dry Itself After A Bath

galah

When I was a child, I used to worry about what happened to birds when it rained. I’d lie in bed at night, listening to storms wondering how birds kept warm at night if they got wet? I figured they’d find a sheltered perch and ride it out but as perches are branches and branches…

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Providing A Heat Source In A Bird Health Emergency

50W globe

When something goes wrong with a bird, it can deteriorate into a crisis very quickly. It has been one of those weeks for me again. With 9 birds in my personal flock and plenty of rescue work; it’s getting to the point where not only does my vet know my birds and I (without having…

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