african grey congo

Basic Caging and Care for Birds

Provide a cage that is large enough for your bird to exercise and stretch their wings out fully. A variety of perches of different sizes should be offered. natural branch perches are excellent for maintaining healthy feet.

If your bird is allowed out of the cage, close supervision is recommended to prevent accidents or ingestion of toxic or sharp objects. Clipping your birds wings will help prevent injuries as well as possible escape outdoors.

Avoid keeping your bird in the kitchen. Fumes from Teflon coated pans can be toxic to birds.

Do not expose your bird to sudden changes in temperature. Place the cage in a warm part of the room away from the windows, doors, or heat vents.

Provide your bird with fresh food and water daily. Only 50% of birds diet should consist of seeds with the other half consisting of mostly fresh vegetables and other sources of carbohydrates and protein. New pelleted diets are excellent but should be supplemented as well. Variety is the key to a healthy diet. Daily vitamin supplementation is also recommended.

Never allow your bird to chew in articles containing metals, paint chips, or sharp objects. Lead poisoning is very common in pet birds.

Provide toys for your bird. Male sure the toys are safe and do not contain any potential toxic substances (ie.lead). Do not give your bird so many toys that the cage is to crowded.

Do not spray your bird with any "feather care" products. These tend to coat the feathers and may cause skin irritation or loss of insulation properties if the feathers. Misting with warm water or providing a bird bath is the best way to encourage normal preening and grooming.

Most birds enjoy and may even seek out your attention. Set aside a certain time each day to spend with your pet.

A clean living environment will play an important role in your birds health. The cage bottom should be cleaned daily. The entire cage should be cleaned and disinfected at least once a month.

A decreased or loss of appetite, excessive sleeping, a puffed up appearance, or a change in character or color of the droppings could be a sign of sickness in your bird. ANY PERSISTENCE OF THESE SIGNS FOR 12-24 HOURS WARRANTS A CONSULTATION WITH YOUR VETERINARIAN. IF YOUR BIRD APPEARS EXTREMELY DEPRESSED, IMMEDIATE VETERINARY ATTENTION IS NECESSARY.