Knowing Your Cockatoo

People tend to get a false idea of cockatoos because of their tidy look and fluffy plumage. Alba cockatoos are relatively calmer than their smaller congeners such as Goffin. They are birds who like to show off and get the utmost attention and to do so, they will dance, sing, tumble, sometimes cry excessively. They also have their moments of relaxation during which they want to be cuddled and rocked. cockatoos like alba birds are very demanding although good education involving life skills and training do help, but this does not lessen the fact that the cockatoo wants human attention several hours a day. One should be absolutely aware that cockatoos that are poorly educated (mostly male) may become a dangerous animal by its size, strength, and his combative attitude.Cockatoo is very nice but generally not a good speaker. It is very intelligent and can learn lots of stuff. These birds are noisy and tend to make the pecking chronic when left alone and unattended.

Cockatoos like to destroy everything that falls under their beaks. Just like macaws, they have a very powerful beak which has added a remarkable dexterity. These parrots are highly accurate to search out what is inside of an object. They particularly appreciate the removable of buttons, pegs, and growths of all kinds. As Cockatoos gets bored very quickly, you need a wide range of toys for these parrots. They like to undo the knots, loosen objects or open the doors of their cages especially hooks, insert objects into another, screw and unscrew. Often, cockatoos work on two toys at the same time. Their beak is as sharp as a knife and they can totally destroy an apartment in less time than it takes to say the word devastation! These parrots do not like games that are complicated or require time and reflection. They have a philosophy of immediacy.

Cockatoos want their playgrounds to be very clearly selected. If the parrot does not have its own facilities for play it can destroy the apartment. Ideally, the cockatoo should have more facilities in the house because it wants to follow its favorite human around. Bringing it to forage is a good way to prevent depression and to the pecking, hence the importance of foraging toys like acrylic puzzle toys to encourage it to work for its treats.

To hold all the toys, and to deploy such beautiful and large wings, it is obvious that a very large cage is required.

Article By Lanita Benge

There Are Many Types of Finches Which Make Good Pets

There are many types of finches which make good pets so everyone should be able to find some of these birds that they find suitable for them. The birds come in a wide array of colors, of patterns, and of characteristics. You need to research the different finch types to find the ones that have the qualities you want in your pet.

Many people like to keep Zebra finches as pets. The Zebra finch has a stripe pattern that resembles the pattern found on a zebra. They are relatively mild-mannered birds, they prefer the company of other birds to humans, but that is a common finch trait, and they sometimes are singers. Mostly the males are vocal. These little birds can be from three to five inches long, and they are fairly easy to breed in captivity.

The Strawberry finch is often chosen by pet owners because it can live comfortably in either an indoor cage, or in an outdoor aviary. These little birds have a bright red patch on their chest that looks very much like a strawberry.

An ideal bird for the first time bird owner is the Society finch. This type of finch cannot be found living in the wild, they are an utterly domesticated species. These little creatures are never more than five inches in length, and they are relatively inexpensive. You can find them in most pet stores, and they are very easy to get to breed. They have a mottled coloring of brown and white, except some are more grey and white.

The Gouldian finch is also known as the Lady Gouldian, and they are very popular as house pets. They cost a little more than the Society finch does but their bright color combinations makes up for the additional cost. These birds are a little larger than most other species of finch. They are usually five to six inches long at maturity. The males are very colorful with black heads, their bodies are green, their breasts are purple, and their bellows are yellow. The females of this species have much duller colorings, and they are usually smaller than the males. This type of finch likes to move around a lot, so if you want to raise them you will need a larger cage for them to enjoy.

The Spice Finch comes from Asia and is a very easy to keep little bird. They are sometimes called the Nutmeg finch, and even though they are less than five inches when mature they require a larger cage for their activities. They are aptly named because they are cinnamon colored little creatures.

You will find many species of these birds to keep as pets, the Orange finch is quite popular for its' coloring. There is a vampire finch but they are rarely kept as pets, you will have to look at the birds available in your area, because there are many types of finches which make good pets.

Article By Ralph Siskin

Small Pet Birds - How to Make Good Use of Everyday Things to Give Your Pet Birds Variety

To give your pet birds variety to enhance their lives you can make good use of everyday stuff that you find in your own environment. Some household items and human foods can help your birds to live a more interesting life. What's more, watching your pet birds when their curiosity gets the better of them and they decide to investigate the new intrusion into their environment can be a rather entertaining experience. Many everyday things can help your pet birds to live a more natural existence.

They are very curious individuals by nature so anything you give them will undoubtedly be investigated thoroughly once your pet birds are aware of its existence. With this in mind you must be certain that anything you give to them will not cause any harm.

Also you will find that many so-called 'human' foods can be eaten by your birds as long as you determine beforehand what is good or bad for them. This coupled with everyday stuff you find lying around in your home or your local area can be incorporated into their lives to add variety for them and sometimes entertainment for yourself.

For example my birds love toast, so if I am having toast for breakfast (or any other meal for that matter) I often also do a slice especially for my aviary birds. However I do have a lot of them in my aviary so one slice of toast soon gets eaten up quickly, but if you have just one pet bird or just a few then a little bit of toast from your own meal or snack would be more suitable. Of course it will do no harm as it is mainly composed of wheat flour and little else.

Of course this is not the only 'human' food they can eat; your birds can eat many everyday foods as long as the food will be suitable for their digestive systems and general health. Try them with carrots, my parrot type birds (budgerigars and cockatiels) love them, however the finches are not that interested but do love almost any type of seed or fruit (sesame seed and melon for example).

However you should not give them coffee, chocolate, meat or any food with a high fat content. Common sense should play a big part in deciding what to give them, if it's not very good for you it certainly will not be good for your pet birds. If you are unsure what foods they can or cannot eat then it is advisable to consult the internet or an avian professional beforehand.

On the other matter I would advise you not to go out and pay a lot of money for toys for your birds as this can considerably increase the cost of their upkeep. However many things in your everyday life can and will be used to keep your birds entertained and encourage them to be more active.

For example a basic swing made up from a piece of scrap timber and a bit of rope will be an adequate alternative to a shop bought swing. Your pet birds will not know the difference and as long as you give the materials a good scrub down (no detergents please) first and they contain no paints or varnishes they will be fine.

Any old bits of twigs, broken plastic children's toys (as long as they're safe, no small bits to fall off etc.), and just about anything else you can think of will be suitable for your birds to play with as long as they are cleaned thoroughly first and are safe. Pet birds, especially parrot type species, love to chew so be sure that anything they do chew will cause them no harm, and could save a fortune in the long run.

As always, if you are unsure then the advice of an avian professional should be sought.

In summary you should feed your birds a wide variety of different foods which will help their health, and offer a variety of other stimulants to enhance their lifestyles.



Article By Pete Etheridge

Small Pet Birds - How to Maintain a Clean and Healthy Environment for Your Nest Boxes and Fledglings

Maintaining a clean and healthy environment when trying to breed your pet birds is very important to assure your young birds grow and fledge successfully. Your young birds will live out the weeks of their first development entirely within their nest boxes and so an effective cleaning regime is a must to ensure good development.

Over the course of time until they fledge and leave the confines and security of their nest box nursery your young pet birds will obviously do everything within that nest box, including going to the toilet. This itself is the main cause of contamination within the nest box confines.

Bird faeces will, if not cleaned up, dry out to form a hard crust that is very difficult to remove with any degree of success. This can and undoubtedly will cause health issues with regards to your pet birds offspring, so it is imperative that you keep up a good cleaning regime within this environment.

You must check your nest boxes regularly and inspect them accordingly. How often you do this is down to you but I feel that a check once every two days is a good ratio, this will make sure that disturbance is kept down to a minimum whilst still maintaining a high degree of maintenance.

Firstly you should check any young birds and satisfy yourself that they are growing well and building their strength. Most popular pet birds require minimal maintenance to keep them fit and healthy. However a big problem with young birds in nest boxes is the amount of faeces that gets stuck in their claws and feet, and dries up into a crust on the internal surfaces of the box.

To clean the interior of the nest box you should if possible remove it from its normal position (I suggest when first putting out your nest boxes you fit them in a way that allows easy removal for inspection and cleaning purposes), remove the young from within and place them somewhere safe (I use a cardboard box) so you can get in and clean.

If your box has a removable concave insert (recommended) then remove this and scrape off any dried faeces with a suitable DIY scraper (a wallpaper scraper is ideal), then put it to soak in warm water (no detergents please) for a few minutes to loosen what's left. In the meantime scrape any dried faeces of the interior surfaces and then give them a good scrub with warm water (again no detergents) and a scrubbing brush or scourer, then shake off any excess water and dry with absorbent kitchen towel.

Now remove the concave insert from soak and scrub that also, and again shake off any excess and dry with absorbent kitchen roll then return it to the nest box when dry. I use absorbent kitchen towel as I think it is the most effective way to soak up any dampness.

Now it's the chicks turn; to remove any dried faeces from their feet and claws you should try to soak each foot and claw individually in luke warm or tepid clean and detergent free water. Hold the chick in your hand with one foot inserted into the water, try not to get any other part of the chick wet, only its foot; soak for a minute or two - soaking in water will help to dampen and loosen any faeces that has become attached to the foot - then carefully ease the now moistened faeces from the foot and claw.

Be very careful and gentle when doing this so as not to harm or injure the young pet bird; although they are generally tough and resilient applying too much force or pressure will injure them.

Pat the now clean foot and claws with absorbent kitchen towel to dry.

Next you need to repeat the process with the other foot and then with any other chicks until all of them are done and then return them to the nest box before returning it to its normal place.

Be sure to do only one clutch and one nest box at a time so as not to get your young birds mixed up.

Article By Pete Etheridge

Bird Feeders: The Secret In Attracting Birds

Bird feeders, bird tables, tray feeders, whatever you wish to call these devices, are the very secret in attracting birds. If you are fond of birds and you are being pampered every time you hear them singing then why don't you allow them to live in your own space or in your backyard. It is not difficult to convert your own patio into a dazzling bird sanctuary because it only needs a little planning and preparation. You can start by simply completing all the bird supplies needed. Aside from the feeders, you also need to add bird houses and baths. These are also needed when you are after attracting birds.

As mentioned, start attracting birds by simply completing the items needed. If you are already through with these, then you can already decide where to place those things. Start placing the houses since they are the ones which will be consuming most of your time. But, before you place anything, take all the mess first, clean the area and eliminate unnecessary things. Bird houses can be placed on tree branches or you can make poles for them. Next, work on placing bird baths and make sure that they are placed conveniently so birds can easily locate them. Now, after the two are placed, you can already start placing the bird feeders. Are you sure that those feeders fit to those birds that you are trying to attract? Birds can be easily attracted if bird trays suit their interests and needs.

After placing the bird feeders, do not forget to provide the right choice of food. The main reason that you are having those food trays is to offer your feathered friends some food to eat. This is why proper placement is a crucial factor that you need to consider. Different birds are attracted differently so study how you can improve your luring strategies. And, believe that as long as you have the right tray feeders and the right food inside, wild birds will simply be fall on your trap. The common bird seeds are Millet, Sunflower, Nigger Seed, Safflower, and Canola seed. These are often used as bird seeds to lure birds to stay.

Stores for bird feeders are all over and you can even go for made to order feeders as long as you know how to make your own designs. With this, you can expect to own a distinctive bird sanctuary in the end far way different from the usual norm. And, attracting feathered friends can be easily done.

Article By Liza Mackinze

The Most Fascinating Parrot Facts

As soon as you step your foot into the colorful world of parrots, you get to know a whole lot of parrot facts that are quite amazing. These birds are one of the most fascinating and intelligent lives from amongst all those who can fly. Earlier, scientists thought that parrots were "hopelessly simple" because they have a very small cerebral cortex, the area of intelligence in animals. But now, they have realized that parrots are quite smart. Research studies have concluded that these birds use another part of their brain and certain parts of their lower brain. It has also been observed that their hyperstriata are quite similar to ours. Probably, this is the reason why they have the ability to communicate and perform tasks that involve logic such as identifying a problem and experimenting with various tools and solutions.

When it comes to their communication abilities, experts reveal that parrots actually make variations on whistling, when they are talking. They do not have vocal cords because of which they actually push the air out of their trachea and create sound. Parrots not only communicate, but they also have the ability to mimic the sounds that are made around them. In this context, it would be interesting to know that an African gray parrot surprisingly had a vocabulary of a thousand words. Now that is an amazing fact.

Parrots are found in different sizes. The smallest parrot in the world is the buff-faced pygmy parrot which is only 3.2 inches tall, almost the same size as an adult human finger. This parrot is found in the forests of Papua New Guinea. While the largest of all the parrots in the world is the hyacinth macaw, which grows more than a meter high. It is found in the jungles of eastern and central South America. Parrots not only vary in size, but also vary in color. However, the eggs of all the parrots are white. Parrots usually live in dense forest areas so that they can easily hunt insects and other small mammals. They also feed on nuts, seeds and fruits. When they eat their food, they hold it in any one of their feet since they are both left and right-handed. Some of the species of parrots have long, brush-tipped tongues to drink nectar. Parrots such as the wild macaw and cockatoos have the ability to fly up to 500 miles a day, when searching their food.

Thus, parrots have proved to be wonderful birds that can impress you with their melody and charm. And once you enter their world, you won't feel like stepping out. You will always have the desire to know more and more parrot facts.

Article By Alan Stables

Why Bengalese Finches Are the Best Pets for You?!

For people in the USA, the name Bengalese finches may sound a bit strange, but it shouldn't make any confusion because it is a synonym for society finches. Unlike other types of finches, they cannot be found in nature. Are you wondering why? Probably a thought passed through your mind that they are totally extinct in their habitats; however things didn't go that way. These birds, that we know now, never lived in wild. They are considered as domesticated form of the white-rumped munia, although some ornithologists assume that the striated finch had also important role in the process of creating the finch of Bengalese type. They are believed to be a successful product of sturdy efforts of passionate breeders in Japan and China, more than three centuries ago.

Bengalese species of finch doesn't belong to the so-called true finches, but to the munias, that are members of Estrilididae family. These birds are among the most suitable pets and there are many reasons why beginners are very satisfied with keeping them.

They are very sociable and friendly creatures that show interest for interaction with other birds, no matter if they are of the same type or not. I have tried to mix six society finches with a pair of parakeets in a little home aviary for more than two mounts. I was very pleased to observe the development of friendly relationships in their little world. They accepted the parakeets shortly after I introduced them, and they all behaved like there is no difference between them at all. They ate the same food, played with the same toys, swung on the same swings. When I finally removed the parakeets, all six finches looked disappointed the whole day, and it was obvious that they miss their friends.

Finches of Bengalese type are not very noisy, they produce very pleasant soft songs and their chirping is joyful and meek. The singing is most interesting when the male is starting to show mating behavior to the female. If you separate them visually, the male and the female would make a sound contact: the female's answer would be longer than the males' one.

Society finches are wonderful parents and they are widely considered as one of the most reliable pet birds for breeding. They are very devoted parents, taking the best care for the little chicks. I will mention that they are excellent foster parents, which means they would accept eggs and chicks from other birds and rear them like their own offspring. It happens when some other species of finches mate prematurely and they are confused without knowing what to do exactly, so they abandon their eggs or even chicks. Finches of Bengalese type would be the best replacement for those unprepared parents.

These cute birds are usually ready to hybridize with many other species of finches. It is especially easy to mate Bengalese with other munias, and some of that crosses are only virtual hybrids due to their fertility. Society finches are ready to hybridize with finches that are not their close relatives, and hybrids from mating with zebra finches are very interesting.

I should mention that they are very hardy creatures, but if their diet is improper or their cages are dirty and exposed to draft, many diseases may occur. And see now, here is the key: you only need to exclude those negative possibilities and the risk of diseases would be minimized. Here I superficially mentioned some basic and interesting information about these little birds. I'm sure you are interested to find much more.

Article By Cody Jons