Birds

 

Daily Care:   

– Fresh water, fresh clean dry seed, fruit & vegetables (No lettuce, avocado, potato, rhubarb, salty food or junk food).

– Wash fruit and vegetables – discard any not eaten within 24 hours.

Weekly Care:

– Clean cage and perches with diluted bleach.

– Put in new native tree perches.

– Spray your cage/aviary with ‘Bird Mite & Lice Spray’ if it is outside.

–  If your bird is ill, clean the cage daily.

 

General Care: 

– Do not place your cage in direct sunlight.

– If your bird is not going to be a companion bird, get two.

– Try not to overcrowd the cage with toys or too many birds.

 

Health Check:

Signs of good health:

• Active & interested in surroundings

• Feathers smooth and soft

• Eyes open and clear

• Good appetite – not just playing with it’s food

• Faeces is the right colour

• Beak is clean and smooth

• Legs and feet are clean and smooth (no scale).

General health:

• Feather lossMites – signs are : scratching, unsettled, twitching, feather loss, scale

  • Plucking – boredom, sexual frustration, bad diet
  • Mites – spray birds (see below)
  • Moulting – this happens twice a year.    It is stressful for birds.  Add a vitamin or moulting tonic to their water.    The moulting lasts approx. three months (canaries may stop singing).

around feet and beak.

–  cure : spray bird and cage with ‘Bird, Mite & Lice Spray’.   For

scales apply ‘Scaly Face’.

• Egg binding – common cause is due to poor diet and lack of calcium.

– Signs are : weakness, fluffed up, straining, swollen abdomen.

– Possible cure: calcium in water, a little cod liver oil on some seed   can help the egg come out.   Be aware that egg binding can kill your bird, so consider going to a Vet.

• Worms – birds should be wormed every three months.

Nutrition:

– Good quality seed is essential with shell grit to help them digest their food.

– Lorikeets do not eat seed – feed them Lori Wet or Lori Dry.

– Calcium in the form of cuttlebone or bells is very important to your bird.

– No lettuce, avocado, potato, rhubarb, salty or junk food.

– Do not feed excessive amounts of sunflower seeds.

Breeding:

– Make sure your birds are in good health with enough calcium to prevent egg

binding.

– High protein diet.

Canaries:

Breed: September – December

Incubation 13-14 days

Lay 3-5 eggs

Babies independent at 6 weeks.

Budgies & small Aussie Parrots:

Breed: July – December (some budgies breed all year round)

Incubation 18-21 days

Lay 4-6 eggs

Babies independent at 7-8 weeks.

Cockatiels:

Breed: July – December (also throughout the year)

Incubation 21-23 days

Babies independent at 6-8 weeks.

Finches:

Breed: July – December (some all year round)

Incubation 12-14 days

Lay 4-5 eggs

Babies independent at 6 weeks.

Asiatic parrots (Ringnecks & Alexandrine):

Breed: July – October

Incubation 21-24 days

Lay 3-4 eggs

Babies independent after 6-8 weeks.

Quails:

Breed: all year

Incubation normally 14 days but can be up to 20 days

Lay up to 10 eggs

Babies independent at 6 weeks.

For further information, we have a range of books available or feel free ask our friendly staff.

 

* The information in this care sheet is intended as a helpful general guide only.
Yippeeio Pet & Aquarium Centre is an Accredited Member of the Pet Industry Association and abides by its Code of Practice.