Bird Care basics
Good hygiene – regularly clean the bird cage and the appliances
in it. The cleaning must be accomplished minimum twice a week. Examine the bird cage for protruding parts and
objects that can hurt the birds. The bird cage should be disinfected thoroughly. Wash the bird cage and the wooden
sticks with hot water and soap. The bird should be caged in its alternate cage while this disinfection is going
on.
We mustn't let our birds have contacts with wild or free –
living birds, who are the main carriers of diseases and infections.
Do not put the bird cage exposed to draughts – the birds can
catch a cold, and they should be exposed to the sun no more than 1 – 2 hours, because they can get overheated and
can suffer from hypothermia.
If you have other pet animals – a dog, a cat, first get sure
that they are not aggressive towards the birds and only then you can leave them in the same room
together.
A very important factor for the good health of the birds is the
proper and balanced feeding. Except for grain mixture, they should get enough quantity of fruit and vegetables,
from which they will supply themselves with necessary vitamins. Also, with great importance for the health of birds is the
proper supply with minerals. You can buy them from pet shops in combined form.
Birds like eating bread. It doesn't matter what kind it is. Put
a piece of slightly damped bread between the bars and they will tackle it so that your appetite will come back to
you. There should always be sand in the bird
cage.
They need the sand in order to assimilate food easier. Food does
not go to the bird's stomach directly. Before that it stays for some time into its throat. There due to enzymes and
the sand all grain foods taken get broken to pieces, get soft and get digested preliminary. The sand should be
fine, that is why you must sift it well and to remove the coarse fractions, because they can block the bird's
throat. It is compulsory to wash the sand, to boil it for a sort time in hot water, to dry it and only then to give
it to the birds. Sea – sand is very appropriate, but it must be well – washed from salt. Salt is not very useful
for birds.
When you let your bird out of the cage, avoid accidents. Close
windows and doors. Keep lids on all your water filled vessels. Make sure your stove/oven is not hot. Your bird may
fly away out of the window never to return. Further, keep all the fans off whether ceiling fans or table fans.
Accidentally your bird may fly towards the fans and can be hit.
Also make sure your curtain rods are also painted with a
lead-free paint.
Don’t keep toxic plants like oleanders, azaleas, juniper,
daffodils, philodendron, lily-of-the-valley, etc. in the house.
Don’t ever hit your bird or let anybody else to hit your
bird.
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