My Swiffer duster really is no contest for oily feather dust.    The oily feather is a little sticky and it dust repels water thereby keeping a wild or outdoor bird from getting soaked and chilled.

At BirdSupplies.com, we’ve got 4 Powder Down birds, birds that essentially throw off an oily based dust.  In order to manage the endless mess, we’ve developed a bathing routine for our birds.

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Your bird is on it’s feet all day. Shouldn’t he have some comfortable bird perches?

Regardless of how fancy your bird’s cage is and how nutritious his diet, if you don’t provide a comfortable perch, or perches, to his domain, you are neglecting one of the most important aspects of proper parrot care.

Look at an appropriate bird perch like you would a comfortable pair of running shoes. Would you attempt to jog around your neighborhood–let alone run a marathon–in a pair of shoes that didn’t fit? Of course not. Regardless of whether the shoes are too large or too small, you would be certain to end your run with painful, tired feet as well as raw areas and blisters. The same situation occurs with your bird–although it may take longer for the bird to show evidence of a bad fit. A perch of inappropriate diameter will damage the soles of his feet. Red, worn areas will develop on your parrot’s feet much like they develop on yours. In fact, the next time you have your avian buddy out for some fun, examine his feet. You may be surprised to see an area–or areas–that look pink and irritated compared to the rest of the bird’s soles. You can bet these areas are tender–as well as painfully cramped.

The reason for this discomfort is improper perch diameter. A perch that is perfect for an African grey will not work for a macaw and vice versa. The ideal diameter is a perch that will allow a bird to grip in a manner that its feet encompass approximately 3/4 of the perch surface, with nail tips touching the perch surface. If the bird can wrap all of his toes around the perch with room to spare, the perch is too small. If the bird cannot get a firm grip and the toes do not reach the underside of the perch, it is too large.

Peachy is showing off on his Java Wood Perch

Regardless of the material the perch is made of, proper diameter is the most important consideration. Some of the best perches have a slight change in diameter depending on where the bird stands. Some natural wood perches are this way naturally, while other woods perches have been intentionally manufactured this way. The subtle variance in diameter allows the bird to flex his toes and exercise his feet. Think of the running shoes comparison gain. After a long run, doesn’t it feel good to take those shoes off and wiggle your toes? Movement of the toes and flexing of the foot muscles is a very soothing sensation when toes have been in the same position for a very long time.

So, whether a perch is wood, concrete, PVC or other synthetic material, shop for them carefully and provide the best choice possible. Your bird uses his feet for just about everything he does: climbing, eating, perching, as well as the occasional scratch to his head, like a dog sometimes uses his hind feet. Since they serve as both feet and hands, comfort is critical. You bird will appreciate it. If he could, he would thank you.

Choose some comfortable bird perches for your pet today.  Let us offer personalized customer service if you need help.

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Birds can groom their own beaks by chewing wood and safe, yet somewhat abrasive items.

How to Trim Your Birds Beak

While different species of birds have different beaks, a bird beak is designed to consume the diet that that particular species eats in its native environment and to groom feathers. Bird’s also use their beaks to feed their young. All beaks are made up of Keratin and dermis woven with vascular layers and supported by bone.

A parrots beak, in particular grows in three directions – from tom to tip from the center to the edges and from inside, deep to the surface. Keratin is the same protein that our fingernails are made of. Hooves and horns are also made of Keratin. Your birds’ beak grows between 1 to 3 inches per year, depending on your birds’ species and its health.

The germinal layer of the beak contains the organs blood supply and it extends from the skull to the tip of the beak. A birds’ beak is a very sensitive yet strong organ.

A Dremel Rotary Tool can be used to trim an overgrown beak

In the wild, birds groom their beak through day to day activities such as chewing abrasive or hard substances, using the beak when climbing and rubbing their beak on branches to clean it after eating.

A pet bird may not have as many opportunities to groom its beak and they may need occasional assistance. An overgrown beak can be trimmed down with the use of a Dremel tool, clippers or a file. Get the lowest power available. We suggest between 6,500 and 13,000 rpm which is slow enough to help you control the device so that you don’t get into the germinal layer or the blood supply.  Should you get into the germinal layer, it is very painful and may cause bleeding.

Consider providing natural ways for your parrot to groom its own beak. First, insure that you are feeding your pet a premium diet such as Harrison’s Bird Food. Also, provide plenty of toys to chew. Wood bird toys in particular wear down the excess growth. Conditioning or pedicure perches such as the Sandy Perch provide safe yet abrasive surfaces that a bird can rub its beak on for self-grooming. Place a pedicure perch near the food bowl so that when your bird finishes eating it can rub food crumbs off onto the perch while filing off excess grown.

You are encouraged to routinely check the condition of your birds’ beak looking for cracks, lesions, unusual colorations and overgrowth. Consult a veterinarian or avian specialist for guidance about any abnormalities or injuries that you notice on your birds’ beak. An over-aggressive wing trim job will cause your bird become unbalanced making it susceptible to falling forward and injuring or cracking its beak. Should your bird chip and expose germinal tissue of its beak you can stop minor bleeding with styptic powder. For more aggressive bleeding consider taking your bird to the vet to cauterize the injury.

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Parrots need about 12 hrs. of sleep each night

I learned a valuable lesson from an “almost” lost dog last night.  Albeit a sleepless, tense night.

My little 6 year old Chihuahua, Jasmine, went missing at 9:30 last night. I had been working on the website a little later than usual and got up to let the dogs out at about 9:30. Jazzy and Bailey could hear the wind whipping around and so they didn’t budge off of the bed when I called. I could have sworn that I hand carried them downstairs to go out in the fenced backyard. Exhausted from a long day, I let them back in and locked the door. Bird lights in the bird room were shut off and all my pets were all snug in their beds – almost.

Contact lenses out and my coke-bottle glasses on, I did a quick head-count before snuggling under the sheets. Jazzy was missing!

I looked in every nook and cranny in the house but she was nowhere to be found. My old standby of getting out a bag of treats didn’t work either. A friend came over to drive the neighborhood to help look for her. My worst fear was a fox! Our search caravan looked until 11:30 before giving up and coming home to plan my search strategy.

In my upset, I wanted to make a poster and submit a “lost dog” report I couldn’t find her microchip number. Worse yet, I couldn’t find a current picture! I even have professional pictures of my little pup! Needless to say, I didn’t sleep much last night. Every little sound stirred me. I kept thinking I could hear her crying but each time I got up to check, she wasn’t waiting at the front door.

Pre-prepare a “Lost Pet” Poster at least annually, so if your pet does go missing, you can jump right into action.

This morning I awoke early and started my search. Very nervous since a storm is moving in, I created “Lost Dog” posters, posted to Craig’s List “Lost Pets” and Facebook “Colorado Springs Lost Pets, FindToto.com and then I prepared to hang the posters about the neighborhood – hoping to get them hung before the neighborhood kids started walking to school. Since I was shaking a little bit, I couldn’t get the staples loaded in my staple gun. I came back inside to sit at the counter and load the gun without shooting a staple through my finger…

Just then, I heard some scratching. It was coming from the bird room. Going in to make sure that Peachy wasn’t chewing the woodwork again, I realized that something was in the closet. Jez. What else could go wrong???

You guessed it! Jazzy came running out. What a relief. She was as stressed out as I had been. Poor dog has slept all day.

On hind sight, I have prepared a list of what to do before and if your pet escapes. This is also very handy information to keep should you need to prepare an Bird Evacuation Kit.

1. Microchip your pet and make sure that Microchip registration is current at least on an annual basis.
2. Have All Intel Handy: Create a template and a file or use a smart phone app such as Pets+ on each pet in your home that contains the following information:
   1. Take a new photo annually. Try to include photo’s of any identifying marks or colorations. For instance, Timmy, our Timneh African Grey has splotchy red feathers on his neck area, while Sierra has a leg band.
   2. Update Microchip registration information annually.
   3. Create a” Lost Pet Template” with current photo and information on an annual basis.  That way, it is almost ready to go when time is of the essence if your bird should fly off or your dog or cat go missing.
3. Don’t Forget the Power of Social: Update current online and social assistance resources annually, i.e. Craig’s List, Local Facebook groups, Research based pet recovery groups such as FindToto.com for dogs
4. Create a Local Contact List:  Include Veterinarians, within a 5-10 mile radius, your local shelters, groomers, bird clubs or any other potential animal lovers who can help you quickly in a time of crisis.
5. Create a list of friends and family to call “just in case” : A ground crew search party will be very helpful.  These folks can start hanging up your pre-made poster, do a foot and car search, contact and call neighbors.
6. Don’t Give Up: While a recovery effort may be tiring, you can count on it that your pet is MORE stressed out than you are.
7. Consistently work on Coming when Called for Dogs and Recall for Birds:  For birds in particular Good Bird DVD’s and Clicker Training for Birds are excellent resources. Get a book on how to Clicker Train your particular pet and do it consistently!  Make sure that your pet knows to come to you when called.

Prepare your file and train your bird for recall today.

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Learn how to choose  well fitting bird perches that fit your parrot and exercises the feet.

A pet bird needs a good perch, or preferably bird perches. It’s mandatory equipment for a proper parrot cage. After all, the perch is where a bird will spend the vast majority of its time. Bird owners should shop carefully for the best choice(s) available for the species they own.

The first consideration is proper perch diameter. A perch that works for a large parrot will be entirely inappropriate for a small one, and vice versa. The bird should be able to grip the perch about 3/4 of the way around, with nail tips touching the surface.

Perch Materials

The choice of materials used for bird perches these days is probably larger than you imagined. Although wood is still the perch material of choice, the list now includes PVC, pumice, concrete, lava rock and other choices. Wood is popular for very good reasons. It holds up well, gives the bird a soft surface on which to perch and also allows for safe chewing, which any parrot will appreciate. Once the bird chews a wooden perch to the point of it being worn out, a replacement perch is easy to provide. The wooden dowel perch remains a popular favorite. These types of perches work very well. Uneven wooden perches that provide alternating width’s and diameters along the perch surface are especially useful because they allow a bird to exercise its feet. The uneven surface can be manufactured that way or provided naturally through the use of branches of manzanita or other hard, nontoxic wood.

Rope perches provide a fun alternative to a rigid perches, and many parrots enjoy them. Numerous sizes of rope perches are available, in a variety of designs.

Most perches attach to the cage in one of two ways. The first is a notched perch that has grooves cut in each end to accommodate affixing the perch to the cage bars. The second is the clamp-on perch that attaches to the cage with a wing nut and bolt. Using stainless steel pieces when using a clamp-on perch is always best to avoid rust and possible toxicity issues from the bird chewing the metal.

Perch Varieties

Along with the range of material used for modern perches is the different styles and designs. Besides the in-cage perches, most pet parrots will appreciate a portable T-stand single perch or even a full bird playpen with a variety of perching areas. Portable perches should have areas at each end for food and water bowls. These generally attach by screwing onto bolts drilled though the perch material.

Some perches also serve valuable functions like bathing and grooming. Do you want a portable shower perch to use as an easy way to help your pet enjoy a warm mist? How about his nails? Are they sharp and frequently require trimming?  Perches made to serve both of these needs are available. Shower perches usually attach in the corners of a shower using suction cup attachments. They are generally made with PVC or other durable waterproof material that has a roughened surface to minimize slippage from the bathing bird. If you wish to keep your bird’s talons trimmed, try one of the pumice or concrete perches. When the proper size, they do an excellent job of dulling avian nails.

How about a perch specifically for your car? Yep, there are perches specifically made for that purpose, too.

I think you get the idea. Numerous choices await the pet bird owner who goes shopping for a perch. Carefully considering the needs of your particular pet will help you narrow down your search.

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Beautiful Major Mitchell Cockatoo is best for the experienced birder

The Major Mitchell Cockatoo is a beautiful, pink colored  medium sized cockatoo  originating from Central and South Central Australia these birds are considered to be “threatened” on a low level – they are on the Appendix II list.  Also known as the “Leadbeater” or Pink Cockaoo these birds may live about 60-75 years in captivity, Major Mitchell’s tend to bond very deeply to one person and are prone to becoming nippy when they have to share their human mate.  These birds are recommended as pets only for very experienced people who are willing to undertake a life-long commitment for their care.  They are NOT known to be a cuddly pet like other species of Cockatoo’s.

Like most Cockatoo’s Major Mitchell’s are very active and do best with a lot of out of cage time and interaction.  Major Mitchell’s need safe outlets to satisfy their instincts to explore, chew, and play. They require bird toys that promote intellectual stimulation, exercise and foraging opportunities.  And, lots and lots of wood to chew! Their cage requirements are large, too.  We recommend a 4′ x 3′ x 4′ cage at a minimum.

But, it is a bit of a mystery about how the Major Mitchell Cockatoo got it’s name.  If you know how these beautiful pink cockatoo’s got the name “Major Mitchell” – please comment.

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 Description: Commonly named the Red-browed, Red-topped or Red-crowned Amazon parrot, Amazona rhodocorytha is among the largest of Amazon parrots, adults reaching 35-40 cm in length and 450-650 g in weight. The obvious feature of the species is the red forehead and crown, which fades toward the nape to a reddish-purple tinged with blue. As with the Blue-cheeked Amazon parrot (A. d. dufresniana), the lores are yellow-orange with cheeks and neck blue. Other distinguishing features include a horn-colored upper mandible that becomes pink at the base, an orange-brown iris and grey legs.Range: The Red-brow is locally distributed in small populations in eastern Brazil in Alagoas and from Bahia and eastern Minas Gerais south to Rio de Janiero.Habitat: Habitat preferences vary seasonally, and extend from humid lowland forests to montane forests (interior highlands to 1000 m) to estuarine mangroves, where Red-brows may be associated with Orange-wing Amazons (A. amazonica) during winter foraging trips. Red-brows prefer to roost and feed in the tops of primary forest trees, and at one time were found in large flocks in the forest canopy.Diet: Red-brows consume fruit, seeds, berries and buds taken primarily from forest treetops.Social Organization: Due to decline throughout its range, the ecology of the Red-brow is largely unknown except from anectodal, historical accounts. In the 1930′s, raucous flocks of hundreds of birds congregated in treetops along the banks of the Gongogy River near Boa Nova, Bahia during the non-breeding months. Recently, flocks of up to 49 birds have been spotted, and like other Amazon parrots, the Red-brow likely forms loose foraging groups and roosts in congregations for protection from predators. During the breeding season, males and females defend nesting sites, which are typically naturally occuring cavities in primary rainforest trees. Flocking among juveniles may occur during the breeding season, but nesting birds remain as isolated pairs until the young are fully fledged. Nest site fidelity is high in Amazon parrots, and breeding pairs and young often return to the same nest trees where they were raised.Conservation Status: The Red-brow was listed as CITES Appendix I on 2 June 1970. IUCN classifies the Red-brow endangered, with a small, fragmented range and total species occurrence over less than 5000 sq. km. In addition, the Red-brow has experienced continuing decline in observed areas, and in the extent and/or quality of habitat and number of mature individuals. IUCN estimates a total Red-brow population in the wild of 250 mature individuals or less.Threats to Survival: Once a common parrot in south-eastern Brazil, the Red-brow is now altogether extinct across most of its original range due to deforestation and human encroachment. Unchecked habitat destruction compounded by exploitation for the local pet trade remains the driving force behind the Red-brow’s decline in the wild.Conservation: The Red-browed Amazon’s future is most dependent upon the protection of remnant forest areas within its historical range. Extending formal government protection to forest reserve areas is critical to stemming deforestation, and curtailing the hunting of adults for food and nest-robbing of juveniles for the pet trade. A global management plan for captive Red-brows is underway, from which reintroduction may emerge as a conservation strategy, but not without first securing sufficient habitat to sustain wild flocks.Education: The exploitation of Red-brows in the wild can be reduced by education initiatives in areas where birds congregate and/or breed. Establishing a conservation ethic based upon tourism and sustainable, non-destructive forest use will ultimately benefit many species in the lowland rainforests of southeastern Brazil.Reintroduction: To date, no coordinated in situ conservation assessments or mitigations have been initiated for the Red-brow in Brazil. Reintroduction potential is high, however, because the Brazilian captive population, while unquantified, is likely sizeable, and because habitat is currently being protected via other conservation programs (e.g., the International Golden Lion Tamarin Conservation Program). Although law enforcement remains a serious problem, wild Red-brow populations are officially protected by the government in at least eight reserve areas, affording the possibility of eventual release of captive-bred birds into natural social flocks.Comments/Conclusions: The Red-browed Amazon parrot is experiencing the same demise of many species within southeastern Brazil’s remnant Atlantic rainforest. Vast habitat loss during the last century has fragmented the forest to insular islands, and surviving animals must struggle against further deforestation, reduced foraging sites, increased competition for nesting areas and the ever-present threat of capture for the local pet trade. Lessons from other psittacine restoration efforts (e.g., Puerto Rican Amazon parrot, Thick-billed parrot) emphasize the desperation of the current situation with Red-brows. The frailty of remnant captive populations with respect to extinction by disease outbreaks, catastrophes, sex ratio skew and other demographic curses is well-known. Stimulating breeding under artificial circumstances is a serious problem which must be addressed before the founder animals die of old age. Imprinting, while potentially beneficial for birds to be kept and bred forever in captivity, poses obvious difficulties for reintroduction. Indeed, the general fate of captive birds is at issue, since conserving the species without preserving its native habitat is tantamount to gene banking–a long-term salvage approach with weighty ethical and financial concerns. Rosemary Low wrote in her monograph Endangered Parrots (1984):”Were there as many as one dozen pairs in captivity there would be some spark of hope for the future of the Red-browed Amazon. Instead, there is none.”Twenty-one years following her discussion, conservation biologists find an opportunity to arrive at a different conclusion. Whereas the Red-brow’s status in the wild is likely to remain endangered, prospects for captive propagation have increased considerably in just the last few years. The North American group, which in 1982 numbered only 10-12 birds, now totals over 30, and over 20 birds have been hatched in captivity in North America. The European EEP for Red-brows is now well established, with coordinated record keeping for birds throughout Europe and increasing rates of production. The next few years should yield a global masterplan for the species, with in situ conservation efforts well underway.

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biting,

dust,

dietary requirements

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Dust

long tail

noise level

behavioral issues

That beautiful crest

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